The Women in Cinema Collective has announced candlelight gatherings across Kerala on February 17, marking nine years since the 2017 actor abduction and assault case that shook the Malayalam film industry and led to the formation of the collective and the #Avalkoppam movement.
Nine Years On, A Call for Solidarity
In a statement released on Monday, the WCC described February 17 as both “the sharpest scar” and the day the survivor “courageously spoke up against her violators”. The organisation noted that the actor’s decision to file a complaint the very next day became a watershed moment. It not only triggered legal proceedings but also galvanised conversations around workplace safety and gender justice within the industry.
The collective has invited “everyone who stands with her and all the survivors” to participate in candlelight gatherings scheduled for 6 pm at three locations: Mananchira Open Stage in Kozhikode, Abdul Kalam Marg at Marine Drive in Kochi, and Mayaveeyam Veethi in Thiruvananthapuram. The gesture, the WCC said, is meant as both remembrance and resolve, reinforcing that the demand for justice and safer work environments remains ongoing.
On social media, members of the film fraternity and the public have amplified the call using the hashtag #Avalkoppam, which translates to “with her”. For many, the observance is a reminder of how far conversations around accountability and women’s rights have progressed in Malayalam cinema over the past decade.
The 2017 case involved the abduction and sexual assault of a leading Malayalam actor inside a moving vehicle, an incident that led to one of the most closely followed legal battles in the state’s recent history. In December 2025, the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court convicted six of the accused, sentencing them to 20 years of imprisonment. Actor Dileep, who had been named as the eighth accused, was acquitted along with three others.
A Date That Still Hurts?
While many have welcomed the initiative, the decision to hold the gathering on the exact anniversary of the incident has sparked discussion online.
Social media influencer and content creator Carl Lafrenais shared a note expressing mixed feelings. Acknowledging the intention behind the event, he wrote that he understood it was meant “To stand in solidarity. To honour courage. To show collective strength.” However, he questioned whether marking the precise date of a traumatic experience was the most sensitive way to pay tribute.
“Some dates aren’t just dates,” he wrote. “They carry memory. They carry weight. They carry what someone is trying to move past.” Referring to the recent judgment and the renewed public attention around the case, he added that repeatedly spotlighting the date in headlines and conversations could be overwhelming. “For the world, it’s a date. For someone, it may still be a wound.”
His remarks found resonance among several users online. One comment read, “Trauma wounds are inflicted even by the slightest of memories. It takes a lifetime to fade. They could have chosen her birthdate to stand with her, because she is the one we are honouring, not what happened to her.”
The debate reflects the delicate balance between remembrance and healing. For some, February 17 symbolises resistance and the courage to speak up. For others, it remains inseparable from pain. The WCC’s framing of the day as both scar and strength underscores this duality.
Over the past nine years, the movement that began in the wake of the case has prompted deeper conversations about power structures, gender disparity and accountability in Malayalam cinema. Internal committees, public discussions and policy shifts have followed, though many activists insist there is still a long road ahead.
As Kerala prepares to gather with candles in hand, the moment stands as a reminder of how one survivor’s decision to seek justice reshaped an industry. Whether seen as a day of solidarity, sensitivity or both, February 17 continues to carry meaning far beyond the calendar.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: filmfare.com
