AMMA row: Mohanlal’s leadership, silence questioned by NWMI

“We recall with pride that the beacon of self-respecting women in the film industry was first kindled in India in February 2017, when the rape-survivor from Malayalam movie industry boldly spoke out, months before Hollywood woke up to the ‘Me Too’ movement,” it added.

Also read | Dileep: I do not wish to be active in AMMA until my innocence is proven

In order to suggest the kind of clout that the accused actor enjoyed in the industry, the women collective invoked AMMA’s inaction on the survivor’s complaint in the past.

“He (Dileep) is actor, producer, distributor and movie-house owner and has been in the steering committees of all these guilds. The woman who survived the sexual assault had earlier complained to AMMA that this powerful man from the industry had been influencing producers to avoid casting her. Instead of supporting her, AMMA jumped at the chance to re-instate Dileep’s membership, unabashedly revealing its oligarchic and patriarchal beliefs,” it rued.

The NWMI also expressed its disappointment, saying it was ‘unbecoming’ of the organization under the current leadership of Mohanlal. “The air has been rife with questions, but AMMA President Mohanlal is alarmingly silent,” it observed.

Also read | Dileep to stay away from film outfit AMMA

It also reprimanded the contentious skit performed by the bigwigs of the Malayalam film industry at a recent film event mocking the WCC, which was formed in the light of February 17 attack to provide an exclusive platform for the women in the industry to raise their issues.

“We are aghast that the masters of AMMA could find patriarchy-conditioned women to pen the distastefully anti-women skit and enact it,” it said.

“It is a grave situation that the film industry in India’s most literate State is apparently completely unaware of the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal Act, 2013),” the NWMI added demanding the elected representatives, who are also part of AMMA, to make responsible statements on the issues related to women.

“NWMI feels let down by the CPI(M), for its lack of moral, social and political accountability for the gender-insensitive statements and actions of its two MLAs and one MP, who are decision-makers in AMMA,” read the statement.

NWMI has also laid down a four-point demand:

1. AMMA should hold the emergency Executive meeting called for by the WCC

2. AMMA should ensure that the survivor feels sufficiently secure continuing work in the Malayalam film industry.

3. Allegations about AMMA silencing those who speak out against the accused be investigated without any delay.

4. AMMA should put in place robust mechanisms to address gender inequality and women’s safety in the Malayalam film industry.

With the gutsy women of WCC, NWMI awaits a new dawn of gender equity in the film industry.