In a recent, more relevant development, the executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) headed by Mohanlal resigned within a week of a sensational report on a series of incidents of sexual harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry.
Park, 64 at that time, and the rest of the executive committee members resigned, saying moral responsibility after some members of the governing body were accused of sexual abuse.
It was reached on 27 th of August, just after the Hema Committee report, which gave insight into the industry’s seedy side, was released on the 19th of August. The report shed much light, and many actors got to reveal their ordeals of sexual misconduct by filmmakers, actors, and technicians.
AMMA issued a statement that read, ‘We look forward to the emerging of a new leadership that can rejuvenate and consolidate the association.’ He further stated that within two months, a general body meeting will be called to elect the new governing body of the association.
The dissolved committee includes actors like Jagadish, Jayan Cherthala, Baburaj, Kalabhavan Shajon, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Joy Mathew, Suresh Krishna, Ananya, Vinu Mohan, Tovino Thomas, Sarayu, Ansiba, Jomol, and Tini Tom.
Both the general public and the people in the film industry had often wondered why AMMA did not speak out against the allegations and the Hema Committee report that revealed sexual harassment, casting couch, discriminated pay rolls, exploitation, and lobbying in the Malayalam film industry.
The report has turned into a triggering mechanism that has seen many women come forward with sexual allegations against other actors and filmmakers, the AMMA General Secretary Siddique included, who has since resigned from his post.
This huge change in the Malayalam cinema industry is happening in the aftermath of the now-heinous showing of a doctor rape-murder in Kolkata along with the series of rape incidents on minor girls in Maharashtra; the need for stronger actions and more security measures for women and girls in India cannot be overemphasized.
