Kerala High Court: Equality law for women in cinema must go beyond male-female binary

The Kerala High Court has emphasized that any new equality legislation for women in the entertainment industry must go beyond a simple male–female framework and account for intersectional realities, considering variables like caste and economic status.

The Special Bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.S. Sudha flagged the urgency of inclusive law-making in light of the Hema Committee report, which examined systemic gender discrimination in cinema.

The Court noted the recent Film Policy Conclave and asked the government to submit a sealed cover copy of the CPPR’s draft policy for judicial review before the next hearing on September 17. 

[Navas A @ Paichira Navas v State of Kerala & other matters]