The dark truth of the Malayalam industry is coming out, transgender actresses revealed about casting couch

The report of the Hema Committee on the problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry has shaken the industry. After this report came out, the courage of the female artists of the Malayalam industry has increased and they are sharing their experiences of sexual harassment. Now the transgender actresses of the industry, Anjali Ameer and Shruti Sitara have shared their experiences of the incidents that happened with them.

Malayalam cinema’s first transgender actor Anjali Ameer revealed that a big actor had asked her very uncomfortable questions about ‘pleasure’. While Shruti talked about casting couch in the industry and said that she was blacklisted for rejecting one such ‘offer’.

Anjali took the name of a popular actor
Anjali Ameer, in a conversation with Matribhoomi, shared an experience of an uncomfortable incident, naming National Award-winning Malayalam actor Suraj Venjaramoodu. Anjali worked with Suraj in the 2018 film ‘Perambu’, whose lead hero was Mammootty, an icon of Malayalam cinema. Suraj started asking Anjali whether transgenders also feel ‘pleasure’ in the same way as women do?

Describing Sooraj’s question as completely disturbing, Anjali said that she even complained about it to Mammootty, after which Sooraj apologized. Anjali said, ‘I am a strong person but this question made me very angry. I warned him and complained about it to Mammootty as well as the director. Venjaramoodu apologized and never spoke to me like that again, which I appreciate.’

Anjali said that she has set professional boundaries and avoids after-parties of films. According to her, these things have protected her from exploitation.

Shruti Sitara has been blacklisted
Shruti Sitara, the first Indian winner of the pageant ‘Miss Trans Global’ for transgender women, also shared her experiences about the Malayalam industry. She said that due to casting couch and other such things, many newcomers get demotivated from becoming actors.

Sharing her experience, Shruti said, ‘I have a lot of friends in the industry, but now I am doing fewer films because I want good roles and I refuse to be a part of the casting couch. I have been blacklisted for rejecting such offers, but I have chosen this path to avoid regretting later.’

Shruti also said that she found the Telugu industry a little better in this regard where she gets a little more respect. Her experiences in the Malayalam industry have been very mixed.