Hema Committee report aftermath | Churn in Kerala film industry: Top stars to skip powerful actors’ body AMMA

With the report revealing rampant sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry and with fingers pointing at senior AMMA members, the executive committee, including president Mohanlal, had resigned from their posts on August 27.

A member of AMMA told The Indian Express, “Both Mohanlal and Mammootty have taken the developments rather seriously and personally. It seems they do not want to be associated with the organisation which is mired in controversy”.

According to sources in AMMA, several of the top actors are still in touch with each other to discuss the way forward for the body. “The question is, who will helm the next executive committee? The president of AMMA has always been someone who is acceptable to all. In the current circumstances, it is difficult to find such a person,” a senior actor said, adding that the two big stars have decided to stay away from the body for as long as it is under scrutiny.

The Kerala government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations raised by several women actors who accused director Ranjith and actors Siddique, Edavela Babu, Jayasurya, Mukesh and Nivin Pauly of sexually harassing them. Siddique was the general secretary of AMMA when he resigned from the body, the first in a series of resignations.

Sources said AMMA will feel the pinch without the superstars at the helm.

An AMMA member said, “AMMA is dependent on the superstars for its survival. If they do not actively participate in AMMA’s programmes including multi-star shows, the association’s revenue will be hit.”

Sources said AMMA needs the revenue to pay pensions to its retired and aging actors and foot the medical bills of actors.

An actor can be a member of AMMA only if all the members of the executive committee agree to their membership. “The membership of AMMA has always been the prerogative of the executive committee,” the actor said.

Besides revenue, AMMA draws its prestige from the presence of its senior stars.

“The superstars lend their prestige to AMMA. We cannot afford to let go of that,” a senior actor told The Indian Express, while adding that the stars, however, want to stay away. “During a private conversation among senior actors, it was revealed both superstars want new members to take up responsibilities in AMMA. But this could lead to AMMA being split into factions,” the actor said.