Former RTI Commissioner Dr. A.A. Hakeem reveals withheld truths and administrative hurdles surrounding the film industry inquiry report
SHARJAH, UAE — A new book detailing the withheld findings of the Justice Hema Committee report on the Malayalam film industry is now available at the Sharjah International Book Fair. Authored by Dr. A.A. Hakeem, the former State Right to Information (RTI) Commissioner who ordered the report’s disclosure, the title Hema Committee Paranjathum Sarkar Parayathathum (What the Hema Committee Said and What the Government Didn’t) examines the behind-the-scenes actions surrounding the delayed document.
Dr. Hakeem documents the events that led to large portions of the report being withheld from the public despite legal directives to release it. The book covers critical topics including the assault of an actress, parallels between the global MeToo movement and the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), and the institutional role played by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
The text also details the government’s efforts to prevent the findings from seeing the light of day, administrative hurdles created within the Information Commission, and legal maneuvers involving division benches that affected applicants seeking disclosure.
Former Kerala High Court judge Justice B. Kemal Pasha wrote the foreword. The publication compiles perspectives from Justice K. Hema, veteran actress Sharada, and K.B. Valsala Kumari, alongside crucial supplementary records.
Published by DC Books, the volume is currently available to visitors at the publisher’s stalls during the book fair.
