In a significant development within the Malayalam film industry, veteran actor Mohanlal has stepped down as the President of the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) amid a storm of sexual abuse allegations against prominent figures in the industry. His resignation comes in the wake of the public release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which has brought to light numerous cases of sexual misconduct.
The Justice Hema Committee report, which was submitted to the Kerala government in 2019 but kept under wraps until now, details harrowing accounts of sexual abuse within the industry. The report’s public release last week has led to an avalanche of accusations against well-known actors and directors, including veteran actor Siddique and filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan.
In a statement, AMMA announced that Mohanlal and the entire executive committee had resigned, taking “moral responsibility” for the allegations. The decision was made to dissolve the current committee, and elections to form a new leadership will be held within the next two months.
The report’s release has sparked a wave of complaints from women who have alleged sexual harassment by top Malayalam actors and filmmakers. Among the accused is actor Baburaj, who was serving as AMMA’s Joint Secretary before his resignation. Baburaj has denied the allegations, claiming they are an attempt to derail his chances of succeeding Siddique as General Secretary.
Siddique, who resigned last week following another sexual assault allegation, has lodged a police complaint against his accuser, Revathy Sampath, who has publicly claimed that she was “sexually abused… physically and mentally.” Additionally, actor Minu Muneer has accused prominent actors M. Mukesh and Jayasurya, along with two others, of physically and verbally abusing her on a movie set in 2013.
“I had a bitter experience while shooting… I went to the restroom, and when I came out, Jayasurya hugged me and kissed me without my consent. I was shocked and I ran out,” Muneer told NDTV.
Maniyanpilla Raju, one of those accused by Muneer, has called for an investigation into the allegations, asserting that the accusations are driven by multiple vested interests.
The situation has drawn sharp political reactions, with opposition parties, including the BJP and the Congress-led United Democratic Front, launching attacks on the state government and the film industry for failing to address the issues highlighted in the Justice Hema Committee report.
As the industry grapples with the fallout, the dissolution of AMMA’s leadership marks a significant moment in the ongoing ‘MeToo’ reckoning within Mollywood. The elections in two months will determine the future leadership and possibly set the course for reforms within the organization.
Sources By Agencies
