Sonia Thilakan focuses on ‘leading role’

KOCHI: Sonia Thilakan, daughter of late actor Thilakan, has hit out at the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for criticising her father after he exposed the problems in the film industry.

She also recalls how, after Thilakan’s death, a prominent actor invited her to his room on the pretext of apologising for his mistreatment of her father.

“My father was expelled from AMMA in 2010 for exposing the problems of the industry, which was highlighted in the report. He spoke openly about the dominance of some actors and called them a mafia. The report reveals the same. However, he was targeted and expelled,” she said on Tuesday.

I can imagine the problems women face in the film industry: Sonia

Sonia revealed the disturbing personal experience and said that a leading actor, whom she did not name, contacted her and invited her to his room on the pretext that he wanted to apologize for the injustice done to her late father, including his expulsion from AMMA. “I am not a part of the film industry. Yet a leading actor misbehaved with me. After my father’s death, the actor invited me to his room and said that he wanted to apologize for the mistreatment my father had undergone,” Sonia said, adding that she sensed his inappropriate intentions and refused, saying that they could discuss it over the phone. “I can imagine the problems faced by women in the film industry, both popular actors and young artists,” Sonia said.

Later, speaking to TNIE, Sonia said that the panel’s report was released after deleting about 65 pages. “I think those pages should be released. The names of the accused should be revealed and action should be taken against them,” she said.

Sonia also criticised AMMA for remaining silent on the findings of the report and urged the state government to release the remaining pages, including names and other details.