Ranji Panicker (right), president of the Directors’ Union under the Film Employees Federation of Kerala, shaking hands with the three women make-up artistes after they called off their two-day hunger strike in front of the office of the All Kerala Cine Makeup Artists and Hairstylists in Kochi on January 30, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat
The two-day hunger strike by three women make-up artistes, who are members of the All Kerala Cine Makeup Artists and Hairstylists (AKCMH) affiliated to the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), to press their various demands was called off on Thursday (January 30, 2-25) afternoon following talks attended by representatives of the Department of Labour and the federation.
The protesting artistes, among other things, had demanded the ouster of FEFKA general secretary B. Unnikrishnan and AKCMH secretary Pradeep Rangan for taking disciplinary action against those who had deposed before the Hema Committee that probed the exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.
Assurance given
They pointed out that the fast was called off after the Labour officials and senior FEFKA representatives, including its president Sibi Malayil and filmmaker Ranji Panicker, president of the FEFKA Directors’ Union, gave an assurance that their demands will be favourably considered. The assurance was given in writing in the presence of the senior Labour officials, they said.
The artistes had alleged that their union leadership had not yet acted against a AKCMH member accused in a case registered under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. A make-up artiste had written to the Chief Minister reportedly detailing the “exploitation” faced by artistes. In the letter, the person alleged loss of job for allegedly resisting sexual advance and that no action was taken on reporting the incident with FEFKA.
Mr. Rangan said that the union had ousted the person after the police had initiated action against him under the POCSO Act.
On the expulsion of a woman make-up artiste on charges of having deposed before the Heme Committee, he said that the disciplinary action was taken for repeatedly portraying the FEFKA general secretary in bad light. He also denied allegations that the protesting members were denied job opportunities.
Published – January 30, 2025 03:23 pm IST