'They didn't want to follow a woman's instructions'; Makeup artist reveals torture faced in film industry

KOCHI: In the wake of the Hema Committee report, which has prompted many actresses to share their harrowing experiences in the film industry, makeup artist Mitta has now come forward with her own story of mental torture endured within the industry.

Mitta's statement sheds light on the challenges she faced:

"Whether you are a woman or a man, safety in the workplace is essential. Without it, problems arise. A movie might be over in two hours but behind it lies the suffering of many. I encountered issues because of the people I worked with. They would claim, 'We have a lot of experience' but I was the one who faced the stress. The period leading up to 2022 was especially difficult for me. Film shoots are stressful from start to finish.

I first worked on a Malayalam film in 2017 and had terrifying experiences. They provided me with assistants and a hairstylist but these team members contradicted everything I said. I'm someone who strives to bring creativity into every project but they resisted it. Eventually, I realized that someone else was orchestrating this. There was a clear ego issue, as they didn't want to follow a woman's instructions. Upon my request, they were removed from the team.

Following this, I faced an unexpected cyber attack. Malicious rumors were spread, including false information about my husband and children. I couldn't use my phone for 30 days during that period. My family urged me to continue working, no matter what. When they saw that I wasn't responding, the attacks eventually stopped. Looking back, I believe that if I had been a member of FEFKA (Film Employees Federation of Kerala), I wouldn't have faced these challenges. I think my difficulties stemmed from not being part of any organization."