Actor Bhumi Pednekar expressed her deep concerns regarding the harassment and sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, as revealed by the Hema Committee report. Speaking at the ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2025 event, she shared her fears as a woman living in India today.
The report, released in August last year, was a landmark study exposing the grim realities of the industry, making it one of the first instances where such a legal inquiry was conducted within the Indian film industry. Pednekar described the findings as deeply distressing, highlighting the horrifying experiences endured by women in the Malayalam cinema.
“This is an aspect of the Indian film fraternity where a proper legal process was followed, and yet, the details that emerged were heartbreaking and gruesome. As a woman in India, I am genuinely scared. This issue is not confined to the film industry alone,” she stated.
She further elaborated on the broader social concerns surrounding women’s safety. “I worry when my younger cousin, who stays with me in Mumbai, goes to college and doesn’t return home until late at night. There is a deeply ingrained power dynamic at play. The fact that the front pages of newspapers are frequently dominated by news of violence against women is alarming. This is not an isolated issue—it is a recurring pattern,” she added.
The 233-page report was commissioned in the aftermath of a 2017 assault case involving actor Dileep and an actress. Appointed by the Kerala government, the panel examined gender inequality and sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, exposing the troubling power dynamics and multiple layers of exploitation faced by women artists.
When asked about the prevalence of the casting couch in the Hindi film industry, Pednekar, who formerly worked as an assistant casting director at Yash Raj Films, admitted that while she had not personally encountered it, she acknowledged that such incidents are widespread in the industry.
“Before stepping into acting, I worked in casting at an institution that maintained integrity and structure. My casting director, Abhimanyu Ray, ensured that no girl was cast without me being present in the room. This was the ecosystem I grew up in.
I started working as a casting director at Yash Raj Films when I was just 17. I haven’t had firsthand experience of such exploitation. But does that mean it doesn’t happen? No. It certainly does, as many women have bravely come forward to share their experiences. I would never dismiss or undermine a woman’s story,” she said.
Pednekar also addressed another critical issue—gender pay disparity in Bollywood, emphasizing that this problem extends beyond the film industry and is prevalent in all professional sectors globally.
“Even if a woman holds the position of CEO in a major conglomerate, she will likely be earning less than her male counterpart. The gender pay gap is even more pronounced in the entertainment industry,” she remarked.
Recalling a personal instance of pay disparity, Pednekar revealed a shocking disparity in wages between her and a male co-star despite their comparable career trajectories.
“I was offered only 5 percent of what my male counterpart was paid. This comparison was striking because we had achieved similar levels of success, starred in an equal number of hit films, and even started our careers around the same time. Yet, he earned 80 percent more than me.
I accepted that project despite the disparity because I had no other option. My ultimate goal is to contribute to creating an industry where I can uplift myself and empower other women,” she concluded.