Kerala Filmmaker Asha Achy Joseph Breaks Silence On Harassment Complaint

Kerala filmmaker Asha Achy Joseph has gone public with her sexual harassment complaint against P T Kunju Muhammed, stating she refused to remain silent after what she described as a deliberate abuse of authority inside a state-run cultural institution. In a detailed statement, she said the incident occurred while she was discharging official duties under the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy during preparations linked to IFFK 2025.

Dr. Asha, an academic dean and filmmaker with nearly three decades of experience, said the alleged act was neither accidental nor misunderstood. According to her, it was a conscious misuse of power by someone aware of his institutional position. She had been invited to serve on the “Malayalam Cinema Today” selection committee, a role she says was based on her professional credentials and long-standing contribution to cinema and film education.

Asha Achy Joseph's sexual harassment complaint

In her statement, Asha wrote that she informed the Chief Minister through a confidential letter in late November. Police officers later recorded her statement, and she was told that an FIR would be filed. However, she questioned the delay in formal registration when news of the complaint surfaced publicly in early December.

She also addressed what she described as pressure to remain quiet. Suggestions that silence would protect her felt, in her words, like a continuation of the violation. She rejected labels such as “victim” or “survivor”, arguing that such terms risk reducing women to trauma rather than recognising their rights.

Malayalam film industry and institutional accountability

Referencing the larger context of the Malayalam film industry, including past mobilisations by the Women in Cinema Collective, Asha asked whether meaningful change has followed earlier public outcries. If women in visible positions continue to face harassment, she questioned what safeguards exist for others with less influence.

Citing the PoSH Act, she stated that prevention and accountability lie with institutions, not complainants. She called for solidarity rather than sympathy and insisted that protection cannot mean silencing women.

The Women in Cinema Collective later expressed support for her, reiterating its stance on workplace safety and institutional responsibility.