Dileep arrest: Will influential friends' support work in beleaguered actor's favour, or backfire?

The arrest of actor Dileep has revealed the fault lines in the Malayalam film industry — and a little over 60 days since he was taken into police custody, Mollywood finds itself on the verge of an irreparable division along gender lines. The trigger: what is seen as a highly patriarchal industry pulling out all the stops to drum up sympathy for a man accused of a crime as heinous as masterminding the rape of a colleague. That Mollywood is male dominated is not a surprise. What has shocked many is the industry’s open support for Dileep, and painting him as the victim, in the face of the inevitable reality of Dileep’s involvement in the crime — bolstered by the court’s denial of bail three times, on the basis of prime facie evidence against the actor. For Dileep’s supporters, this is still a witch hunt against an innocent celebrity led by an inept police force. Under the leadership of actor KB Ganesh Kumar, the vice president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and more importantly a prominent MLA of the Left government, many believe that a well crafted attempt has been unleashed to ensure that a message is sent out through the media that ‘it is time to stand with the actor in the hour of his need’. [caption id=“attachment_4035893” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Dileep. File Photo[/caption] Ganesh told mediapersons after spending an hour-and-a-half with Dileep at the Aluva sub jail: “All those who had taken favours from Dileep and all those who were pals with him till yesterday should declare their support for him at this hour. Till the courts declare him guilty no one has a right to label him as one. Police will make their stories and we have seen that before also (sic).’’ Attempt to derail investigation? Ganesh’s statement has now sent the investigating agency scurrying back to the court with a report seeking its intervention in the matter. Kerala police believes that such a statement — from a person as prominent as Ganesh Kumar — is a well thought out strategy to derail the investigation and the subsequent trial by influencing the witnesses who are all part of the film world. Highly-placed police sources have expressed apprehension that witnesses turning hostile could perhaps be the biggest byproduct of this shameless propaganda unleashed by certain sections of the industry. According to the report filed at the Angamaly Magistrate court, the police have alleged that Ganesh Kumar’s statement is an attempt to cast aspersions on an ongoing criminal investigation. The report has also asked for the court to initiate steps to restrain the number of people visiting Dileep, which is now a ‘free for all’ affair. “Police have all the right to feel aggrieved. Such statements will give an impression for the witnesses that the investigation is not on the right track and that I need not stand by what I deposed before the police earlier and I can say anything in the court, which is detrimental for the case,’’ special public prosecutor CP Udayabhanu told Firstpost. The police is not alone in thinking this. The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), a first-of-its-kind organisation that prtotects the rights of women working in the industry, has launched its own campaign to counter the men’s offensive. “The statements of Ganesh Kumar are contrary to the very principles of the Constitution. He is not just an actor but an elected representative. His endorsement is clearly a vicious campaign which needs to be opposed because we have an obligation to tell the victim that this is not the reality, but that the majority of Kerala and its society stands with her and not with the alleged perpetrator,’’ prominent director and one of the faces of WCC Vidhu Vincent told Firstpost. As Onam festivities neared, Dileep had approached the High Court for bail again. The court denied the application, although the trial court did give him a two-hour interim relief to perform the annual remembrance rites on his father’s death anniversary. The judiciary’s stand was clear: the prosecution having prima facie established enough evidence against the accused, there would be little mercy for the superstar before the trail, something that has registered with most of the industrywallahs who made a beeline to visit the actor in the run-up to Onam. That Padma Shri awardee Jayaram — among the most prominent actors in Mollywood — flew down all the way from Chennai to honour Dileep with the traditional Onam ‘mundu’ has only baffled many in the industry. Larger conspiracy at play What makes experts believe that Dileep’s stranglehold on the industry, built up over two decades, is still very much in effect? What makes them think that it is Dileep who is stage-managing this effort to paint him in a sympathetic light? Senior police officers have confirmed to Firstpost that crucial phone calls were made to a number of likely witnesses in the case from outside the prison with lures, threats and future promises on behalf of the actor. No wonder the sentiment in the industry is that if and when Dileep returns to Mollywood, he will only be more powerful than before. It is this fear that is causing many to stick with him, even though their beliefs may be contrary to their actions. “See, the majority of the witnesses are from the industry and they will surely have a fear of what will happen if Dileep returns. Now when people like Ganesh Kumar makes such statements, most of them would not want to take a chance with their livelihoods. This is how the case will now be weakened,’’ director Ali Akbar told Firstpost. However, veteran police officers say that those glorifying an accused — whatever his social position may be — need to be taken to task, and should not be allowed to create an atmosphere where the accused is perceived as the victim. “This is the classic strategy adopted by all high profile accused. These statements will certainly intimidate witnesses and create doubts in their minds when the trial starts. They are aiming for this. What I am saying is, the police should take action against all these people based on the Indian Evidence Act’s relevant section because whatever such prominent people say comes under the ambit of a public proclamation. So when an MLA or a prominent actor proclaims that a rape accused is innocent even before a trial has started, it’s an attempt to destroy evidence and derail a probe and he needs to face the law too,’’ said retired superintendent of police George Joseph. What Team Dileep is trying to do, is smoothen the legal battle by ensuring witnesses turn hostile and evidence, diminished. Not everyone thinks the strategy will work. In fact, they seem to think it will be counterproductive — just like the actor’s efforts to hire PR companies to prop up his image on social media after his arrest. “This is only a desperate attempt by a person who has committed a mistake. If has not done it then why should he go for such measures, use PR agencies, rope in others to speak well of him? All this shows that he has a definite role in the crime. Otherwise he would just keep quiet and let the law take its own course. But he is not confident about that. All this will only backfire at the end,’’ Aleppy Ashraf, prominent director and actor, told Firstpost. Counter campaign by the women Mollywood’s women, meanwhile, are on the war path — something they say has been forced upon them by the sheer gender insensitivity shown by their male counterparts, who have sworn their support to Dileep even at this stage. On Monday, 11 September, at the sidelines of the distribution of the State Film Awards at Thalaserry, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijan took potshots at prominent Mollywood stars for not finding time to attend the ceremony. The actors’ stand only vitiates the already strained relationship between Mollywood and the state governments post-Dileep’s arrest. But what stood out at the event was the launch of a signature campaign titled ‘Avalkoppam’ which means ‘With her’. It was the Women in Cinema Collective’s way of consolidating the belief that the major part of Kerala’s society is standing with the victim and not with Dileep. “It is in such a situation that one realizes how deep the gender insensitivity in this industry is. When such a crisis hits a woman in the industry, where should the organization (AMMA) and its people stand? The accused person may also be known to you, or close to you. But even to sympathise with the accused because he is known to you, shouldn’t you first show your solidarity and support for the victim who is also your colleague? What is shocking is this insensitivity,’’ Sajitha Madathil, award-winning actor and deputy secretary of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, told Firstpost. Madhathil added that there had been a move to equate the condition of the victim with the perpetrator and claim that ‘just like you are standing with the victim we are standing with the accused’ — which in itself shows how the industry is divided on gender lines. There are activists in the state who say that one did not need a Dileep to understand how deep this male chauvinism is ingrained in the Malayalam film industry. What happened to the actress is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to harassment at the workplace, female actors have suffered it for years. “When this issue came to light, we saw everyone coming out in support for the actress. But over a period of time, they have all gone back on it which shows how low these stars are when it comes to social responsibility. That is clearly reflected in the words of Ganesh Kumar who has completely forgotten that he is an elected representative of the people and not just Dileep’s friend,’’ well known activist NM Pearson told Firstpost. The investigation team is meanwhile burning the midnight oil to ensure that the charge-sheet against Dileep is filed on time at Angamaly Court, which would ensure that the actor will continue as an undertrial lodged in prison. Dileep on the other hand, will try his best to get bail, something which is unlikely to go in his favour after the court has seen what the actor is capable of doing from behind prison bars. Dileep seems to be in for the long haul indeed.