AMMA members including President Mohanlal resign

On August 27, the entire board of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), including the association’s president, actor Mohanlal, resigned. The decision came after the Hema Committee report was made public. Earlier, actor Siddique resigned from AMMA after allegations of sexual abuse resurfaced against him.

Mohanlal, 64, cited moral responsibility when allegations of sexual abuse were levelled against some members of the AMMA governing body. The Hema committee report was made public on August 19. Several actors came forward and recounted their ordeal of sexual harassment by filmmakers, actors and technicians.

The association’s statement said: “We hope that AMMA will have a new leadership that is able to renew and strengthen the association. Thanks to everyone for criticizing and correcting.” The association further said that a general meeting will be convened within two months to select a new governing body.

The governing body that was dissolved included actors Jagadish, Jayan Cherthala, Baburaj, Kalabhavan Shajon, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Joy Mathew, Suresh Krishna, Ananya, Vinu Mohan, Tovino Thomas, Sarayu, Ansiba, Jomol and Tini Tom. AMMA had come under fire for its silence on the allegations and the Hema committee report.

The report revealed how several female actors faced sexual harassment, casting couch practices, pay disparity, exploitation and lobbying in the Malayalam film industry. Following the report, several women came forward with allegations against several senior actors and filmmakers.

Filmmakers Ranjith, Thulasidas, actors Jayasurya, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Edavela Babu and Suraj Venjaramoodu have been named as abusers by female actors.

Full Statement from AMMA

The statement issued by AMMA in Malayalam read: “Following the publication of the Hema Committee report and in the backdrop of sexual allegations levelled against some members of the executive committee of the ‘AMMA’ organisation, the present executive committee of ‘AMMA’ has decided to resign considering its moral responsibility. A general body meeting will be convened within two months to elect a new executive committee. The present committee will continue as a temporary arrangement to ensure smooth disbursement of financial aid provided by ‘AMMA’ on the first of the month and healthcare services to its esteemed members and to coordinate office functions till the general body meeting. We hope that a new leadership will emerge to revamp and strengthen ‘AMMA’. Thank you all for your criticisms and corrections.”

Actor Siddique has resigned from AMMA

On August 24, Malayalam actor Siddique resigned as the General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). He resigned following allegations of sexual abuse by a female actor. The resignation was submitted to Mohanlal, president of AMMA.

In a statement, Siddique said, “Yes. I have submitted my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I decided not to continue in the role and have stepped down.” The allegations of sexual misconduct were made by a Malayalam actor in 2019. The issue has been rekindled after the Justice Hema Committee report exposed widespread cases of sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry.

Several AMMA members welcomed Siddique’s decision to resign. AMMA vice-chairman Jayan Cherthala said it was not appropriate for him to continue in the post as such serious allegations had surfaced against him again. Actor Anoop Chandran said he had sent an email to Mohanlal in the morning demanding Siddique’s resignation. “Retaining a person who is facing serious allegations in the post is actually an insult to the entire organisation. That is why I said in the email that if Siddique was not prepared to resign himself, then the executive committee should be prepared to fire him,” he told the media.

Judge Hema’s report exposed the difficult circumstances faced by women in the Malayalam film industry

On August 20, the Kerala government came under heavy criticism for blocking the publication of the Hema Commission report, which contained shocking information on how women are treated in the Malayalam film industry. The report was made official on August 18.

The study, named after the chairperson of the commission, Justice K. Hema (Retd.), is an important document that highlights the challenging circumstances faced by women in the film industry. The commission was set up in response to the sexual assault of a well-known actress in 2017, which led to public outrage and calls for structural reforms in the industry.

The study highlighted the serious obstacles women face in the Malayalam film industry, such as widespread sexual harassment, gender discrimination and an unfriendly workplace. The most surprising discovery was that women who experience sexual harassment or assault often choose not to speak out for fear of being labelled as “troublemakers” or being shunned by the industry.

Testimonies from other women in the industry, who detailed their terrifying experiences, are included in the report. One particularly disturbing scenario involved an actress who had to rehearse a scene in which she was hugged by an actor who had previously abused her. The actress suffered severe physical and psychological damage from having to endure 17 takes. Her performance was criticized by the producer, who failed to recognize or understand the emotional torment she was experiencing.

The study highlighted how few basic amenities like ladies’ toilets and changing rooms are available to women in the industry on film sets. The significant salary gap that exists in the Malayalam cinema industry between male and female actors was also highlighted by the study.

The commission found that the industry often rejects women who dare to speak out against harassment or discrimination. They are labelled ‘trouble makers’, which negatively impacts their chances of getting a job and makes them feel alone in the workplace. The industry’s culture of resistance to female workers who speak up contributes to the continued harassment and abuse of these workers.