Singer Chinmayi Sripaada who has been the voice of the MeToo movement in Tamil cinema since 2018 said she was jealous of the women in Kerala and added that she lacked the support the women in the industry have received in the wake of the Hema Commission report findings. “I am borderline jealous of the women in Kerala as I don't have the support they have,” she told The Indian Express in Chennai. “The Women in Cinema Collective are my heroes. I wish I had been born in Kerala to have that kind of support in my fight against sexual assault,” she further said.
Chinmayi went on to say that other film industries too face similar issues. “There is blantant abuse in other industries too. In Tamil Nadu, some people are openly abusive and yet continue to hold positions of power,” she said.
The singer, however, said only vulnerable people have come out against the middle rung in the industry following the publication of the Hema Commission report. “But who will speak about the superstar molesters who can pick any woman they want from the sets? I am sure they too are guilty, but they are insulated,” she said. Chinmayi Sripaada had named music composer Vairamuthu in the MeToo movement and has been vociferous about the lack of support she received from the Tamil film industry despite seeking action against him.
