The Me-Too movement that shook the world a few years ago, has made its appearance in the Malayalam film industry and has already resulted in several heads rolling – after superstar Mohanlal, the entire governing body of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) resigned.
Coming close on the heels of the horrific rape instances from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, the explosive Me Too accusations in the Malayalam film industry have sparked off a spate of resignations from the powerful film regulatory body AMMA.
Serious allegations of sexual abuse have been levelled against leading film personalities, actors, filmmakers, and technicians.
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Malayalam film industry superstar Mohanlal, who headed the film body, quit taking moral responsibility and the entire executive committee of the AMMA was dissolved after women actors alleged sexual abuse and misconduct by some members of the film body.
The trigger point of the explosion of Me-Too movement in Malayalam cinema was the release of the Hema Committee report, a committee formed by the State government in 2017, following which many actors came out with horror stories of abuse by senior filmmakers, actors, and technicians.
The Association said in a statement, “We are hopeful that AMMA will have a new leadership capable of renewing and strengthening the association. Thanks to everyone for criticising and correcting.”
The statement said that the new general body meeting would be called within two months to select the new governing body.
Actors Jagadish, Jayan Cherthala, Baburaj, Kalabhavan Shajon, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Joy Mathew, Suresh Krishna, Ananya, Vinu Mohan, Tovino Thomas, Sarayu, Ansiba, Jomol and Tini Tom were part of the committee, which has now been dissolved.
Several film personalities have questioned the silence of the governing body on the Hema Committee report, which exposed sexual harassment, casting couch practice, pay disparities, and exploitation in the Malayalam film industry.
The first casualty in the current scenario was actor Siddique, general secretary of AMMA who had to quit after a female actor accused him of sexual misconduct. Later, the entire body was disbanded.
Siddique told a private television channel, “Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned.”
Those named by film actresses as abusers include filmmakers Ranjith, Thulasidas, and actors Jayasuryan, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Edavela Babu and Suraj Venjaramoodu.
Meanwhile, the government has announced the setting up of a seven-member special investigation team to probe the allegations made in the wake of the publication of the Hema Committee report.
Main Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay has been used for illustrative purposes only
