Why Honey Rose sexual harassment case is a litmus test for Kerala
Businessman Boby Chemmanur has been arrested for alleged obscene remarks against the actress, whose ordeal again points to the misogynistic environment in the film industry
by Jeemon Jacob · India TodayIn Short
- Businessman Boby Chemmanur arrested for remarks against actress Honey Rose.
- He was booked for sexual harassment and obscene material transmission.
- Rose alleged harassment began during an event in August last year.
The arrest of businessman Boby Chemmanur for alleged obscene remarks against South cinema actress Honey Rose has put the spotlight back on the misogynistic and predatory environment prevalent in the cinema and entertainment industry of Kerala, highlighted vividly last year in the Justice K. Hema Commission’s report on the working conditions of women professionals in the sector.
The Kerala police arrested Chemmanur from his tea estate in Wayanad on January 8 on the basis of Rose’s complaint and booked him for sexual harassment, as per provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, and publishing or transmitting of obscene material in electronic form, under the Information Technology Act.
The next day, a court in Kochi remanded Chemmanur to judicial custody for 14 days. The 60-year-old chairman of the Chemmanur Group has denied the charges against him.
Rose’s alleged harassment goes back to five months ago. The 33-year-old actress had been invited to inaugurate a Chemmanur Jewellers outlet in Alakode village in Kannur district on August 7 last year. While attending the programme, the businessman allegedly made sexual remarks, which were objected to by Rose. She also refused to attend the inaugurations of other outlets of the Chemmanur group. Later, obscene remarks surfaced on her social media pages, with several individuals joining the campaign against her.
“I finally approached the police when all boundaries of decency were crossed and I was being stalked on social media. The businessman (Chemmanur), using money power, used social media goons to target me. I lost sleep and my family got worried,” Rose said in a conversation with INDIA TODAY.
On January 8, Rose had taken to social media to press her allegation that Chemmanur had made several comments using double entendres. “I was being stalked and targeted repeatedly, and my silence might have given the wrong impression that I am enjoying it,” she wrote.
Before lodging her police complaint, Rose had met additional director general of police (law and order) Manoj Abraham and Kochi City police commissioner Putta Vimaladitya. She also spoke to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who offered her all support and directed the police to take firm action.
The ruling CPI(M) has expressed solidarity with Rose, a popular actress with a bouquet of Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu movies. “Honey Rose took a bold step to fight for dignity against cyber-stalkers,” Chintha Jerome, a member of the CPI(M) state committee, told INDIA TODAY. “I was myself targeted in a similar fashion, with cyber users leading campaigns against me, my speech, dressing style and activities—all because of my politics. Rose’s case will help hundreds of women fight for dignity. I laud her courage.”
Activists hope Rose’s bold step encourages more women in the Malayalam film and entertainment world, and even those in the larger society, to fight against such harassment. In this context, a recent observation by the Kerala High Court comes as a shot in the arm. On January 6, Justice A. Badharudeen of the high court ruled in a case that commenting about a woman’s body structure as “fine” prima facie amounted to sexual harassment.
A critical requirement, though, is for the state to create an enabling environment in which women not only feel confident and fearless while taking on their abusers but also get support in what usually become protracted legal battles. That’s at best work in progress right now.