Padmapriya Janakiraman
New Delhi
Co-founded the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and campaigned against actor Dileep's reinstatement in AMMA
Long before the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement gained steam in Bollywood, a storm had started brewing down South. Helming this campaign were leading South Indian actors Revathi, Parvathy and Padmapriya Janakiraman, who had come together to start the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC). Instituted a few months after one of their female colleagues was abducted and brutally assaulted in February last year, WCC became formidable force, when they spearheaded a campaign in June this year, to protest the reinstatement of actor Dileep - allegedly involved in the assault - to the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).

"The degree of victim shaming, and the number of people casting aspersions at her, was shocking," says Delhi-based Janakiraman. That they were challenging the decision of its president, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, set the tone straight - they were fighting for the right to equality.