Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes | AMMA’s moment of reckoning Premium

AMMA faces litmus test amid sexual exploitation revelations in Malayalam film industry, navigating controversies and legal challenges.

As more and more skeletons on sexual exploitation tumble out following the release of the K. Hema Committee report on the problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) is facing its biggest litmus test ever in its three-decade-long existence. Nearly a week after the Kerala High Court permitted the Left Democratic Front government to make public the redacted form of the report, the executive committee of the actors’ body was dissolved amidst the growing revelations of sexual assault and harassment experienced by women members in the multi-crore industry.

A communication shared with the media after an emergency online meeting of the 17-member committee led by its president and actor Mohanlal on August 27 stated that they were stepping down “following the release of the Hema Committee report and widespread media attention regarding sexual harassment allegations against some office-bearers.”

The decision to disband the executive committee was triggered by the resignation of actor Siddique from the post of general secretary on August 25 following allegations of sexual assault levelled by a woman actor. Since then, the actors against whom the Kerala Police have booked cases over sexual abuse allegations included Mukesh, an MLA of the Communist Party of India (Marxist); former general secretaries of the association Siddique and Edavela Babu; and actors Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Sudheesh.

The seismic tremors of the revelations brought focus on the association that was launched in 1994 after several actors voiced support for an organisation to protect the interests of the fraternity. A first of its kind in the Malayalam film industry, it was registered under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act. Around 80 actors had participated in its first official meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram in May, 1994.

Actors M. G. Soman and T. P. Madhavan were the maiden president and secretary, respectively. The late senior actor and comedian Innocent was the longest serving president as he remained at the helm of affairs for nearly 18 years since 2000. Veteran actors Mammootty and Mohanlal had earlier served as secretaries. Today, the association has a total strength of 506 members that include 250 women. They enjoy the right to vote at the annual general body meeting to elect an executive committee for a tenure of three years.

According to the association’s website, a “person who is into full-time acting in feature films for not less than one year shall become a life member by paying the specified fees”. The 17-member executive committee include four women, though none of them had ever been elected as president or secretary till now. It has always tried to “steer clear of the trade union tag by proclaiming its welfare agenda” as reiterated by Mohanlal while addressing the media in the thick of storm on August 31 in Thirvuananthapuram.

As per the association’s bye-law, the main objective of the organisation included “promoting better relations between members and other associations; creating and developing fellowship among the members; enriching the economical status of the members; and helping them on retirement/during distress period as per conditions stipulated from the fund separately maintained for this purpose or from any other fund”. A stipend of ₹5,000 monthly is provided to nearly 116 members, who are suffering from health ailments and in need of financial assistance. The members are also provided with cashless accident and health insurance coverage. To meet its financial requirements, the association has banked on the ‘star value’ of its members from its inception and organised several stage shows in the country and abroad towards fund mobilisation.