For years, the dark side of Indian cinema was an open secret – stories of sexual harassment and the casting couch, where women were expected to offer sexual favors to get roles, were whispered but never spoken out loud. But everything changed in 2017 when a brave actress in Kerala’s Malayalam film industry, known as Mollywood, decided to expose these ugly truths, setting off a chain reaction that would shake the entire industry.

The Incident that Changed Everything

In February 2017, a well-known Mollywood actress was assaulted in a moving vehicle. She didn’t stay silent. She went to the police and pointed fingers at Dileep, a popular actor in Kerala. Dileep, known for his obsession with stardom, was arrested, and this sent shockwaves through the film industry. For the first time, a powerful celebrity was held accountable, and the illusion of immunity that film stars enjoyed began to crumble.

The incident wasn’t just about one person’s courage. Soon after, other women in t...