Mammootty breaks silence on Justice Hema Committee report, sexual misconduct allegations against many colleagues: ‘No power groups in cinema; let court decide punishments’

In a lengthy post on social media, Mammootty stated that he was waiting for the official statement of AMMA to come first before responding himself. He also flayed the allegations that a power group was prevalent in Malayalam cinema.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | Updated: September 1, 2024 07:48 PM IST

3 min read

Mammootty talks about AMMA and Justice Hema Committee report.

Almost a fortnight after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, following which many survivors stepped forward levelling allegations of sexual misconduct against many male industry members, including those of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), Malayalam megastar Mammootty has finally broken his silence on the matter. In a lengthy post on social media, Mammootty stated that he was waiting for the official statement of AMMA to come first before responding himself. He also flayed the allegations that a power group was prevalent in Malayalam cinema.

“This post is regarding the developments that the Malayalam film industry is currently witnessing. The organisational process is that first, the leadership will react. I waited this long because I believe that I, as a member, should comment only after such official responses,” he wrote.

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“Cinema is a reflection of the society: all the good and bad in the society is in the movies too. The film industry is something that the society pays close attention to. Hence, all things happening there, small and big, will become topics of big discussions. Film personnel need to be careful and vigilant so that nothing untoward happens in this realm,” he asserted.

“The Justice Hema Committee was formed by the government, after something unfortunate and untoward happened, to study the film industry and prepare a report to suggest solutions and recommend measures (to prevent the same),” he noted, recalling the 2017 actress assault case.

“We wholeheartedly welcome and support the recommendations and solutions outlined in that report. It is high time that all associations in the film industry join hands without distinction to implement them. The police investigation is proceeding vigorously on the complaints that have been raised. The full version of the Justice Hema Committee report is before the court. Let the police investigate honestly. Let the court decide the punishments,” he added.

Also Read | Mohanlal breaks silence on Hema Committee Report, resignation from AMMA: ‘The state of Malayalam industry is better than other industries’

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Mammootty also refuted the claims in the report that the industry was under the grip of a power group. “There are no ‘power groups’ in cinema. Cinema is not a place where such a thing can exist. The practical recommendations mentioned in the report should be implemented and if there are legal hurdles, necessary legislation should be enacted. Ultimately cinema must survive,” he added.

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