Mohanlal Quits As AMMA President, Mass Resignations Amid Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Members
Actor Mohanlal has resigned from his position as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
Actor Mohanlal has resigned from his position as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). According to reports, all members of the executive committee submitted their joint resignations as well.
The Malayalam film industry faced significant upheaval on Sunday following the explosive findings of the Justice K Hema Committee, which detailed harassment and abuse of women professionals. These revelations led to two high-profile resignations amidst allegations of sexual abuse.
As pressure mounted on the government to take action against alleged predators in the industry, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting with senior police officials and decided to form a seven-member special team to investigate the atrocities faced by women actors.
On Sunday, more reports of harassment surfaced, including an old allegation involving actor-politician Mukesh.
Director Ranjith and others also resign
Director Ranjith and actor Siddique also stepped down from their leadership roles, with Ranjith resigning from the government-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy and Siddique from his position as the general secretary of AMMA.
Earlier, actor Shammy Thilakan criticised Mohanlal for his silence on the issue. Speaking to the press, Shammy remarked that Mohanlal had “lost his ability to respond” and warned that those responsible would face consequences, saying, “Those who eat salt will drink water, whoever it is.” He also expressed his own fears, stating, “I live in fear too. The term ‘power group’ was used by the Hema Committee, and their report contains evidence of its existence. We can identify who is part of that group based on this evidence.”
Ranjith, an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and actor, faced criticism after a Bengali female actor accused him of misbehaviour years ago. This issue gained renewed attention following the public release of the Hema Committee report.
Siddique resigned amid growing pressure from within the industry, following a sexual assault complaint raised against him by a young actress.
Female actors of Malayalam film industry share harrowing experiences
Later in the day, several female actors came forward to share their harrowing experiences with the media, though they did not name their accused male colleagues.
Actor-turned-MLA Mukesh also addressed an old harassment allegation against him that resurfaced in light of recent developments. The two-time legislator claimed he was being targeted because he is a ruling CPI (M) MLA and dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Ranjith announced his resignation as head of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday morning through an audio clip sent to a television channel. He stepped down amid demands from the opposition, including the Congress and BJP, for him to quit.
BJP activists also held a protest march to Ranjith's residence in Kozhikode, demanding his resignation.
Ranjith stated that he did not want to continue in the position as it could harm the reputation of the Left government in the state. He expressed his intention to fight the accusations legally.
"I have been targeted by a certain section of people since the day I took charge as the Chairman of the Academy. I need to prove before the society that the allegations are untrue. I have decided to move legally and bring out the truth," Ranjith said in the audio clip.
The Bengali actor recently alleged that the filmmaker had behaved inappropriately when she was on set for a film he was directing. Ranjith has denied the accusation, claiming that he is the "real victim" in the case. However, the actor made it clear on Sunday that she does not wish to pursue a police case.
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