Mohanlal Quits As Malayalam Movie Artist Body Chief, Entire Panel Dissolved

Thiruvananthapuram:

Actor Mohanlal has resigned as President of the under-fire Association of Malayalam Movie Actors, or AMMA, following an avalanche of sexual assault and rape allegations against some of Mollywood’s biggest names, including veteran actor Siddique and filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan.

All members of the film body’s executive committee have also submitted resignations.

A statement from AMMA said the top decision-making body had taken “moral responsibility” and dissolved itself “in light of allegations made by some actors against some of the committee”.

An election to form a new committee will be held within two months, AMMA said.

Senior figures in the Malayalam film industry face sexual abuse complaints following the public release of the Justice Hema Committee report last week. The report – which includes multiple shocking stories of abuse – was submitted to the Kerala government in 2019 but then buried.

It was made public this month after clearing legal challenges from film industry members.

NDTV has spoken to several women who have complained against top Malayalam actors and filmmakers, including actor Baburaj, who was AMMA Joint Secretary before he too resigned.

READ | “Hoping For Justice…”: Young Kerala Actor Claims Rape By Actor Baburaj

A junior artiste told NDTV he raped her at his home in Ernakulam district in 2019, after inviting her there on the pretext of a role in one of his films. He has claimed the allegation is false, and meant to scupper his chances of succeeding fellow thespian Siddique as General Secretary of the film body.

READ | Malayalam Actor Siddique Files Complaint Over Sex Assault Claim

Siddique quit last week over another sexual assault claim. He has lodged a police complaint against his accuser, Revathy Sampath, who said she had been “sexually abused… physically and mentally”.

READ | “Hugged, Kissed Me”: Malayalam Actor To NDTV On Sexual Abuse

Another actor, Minu Muneer, has accused prominent actors M Mukesh and Jayasurya, as well as two others, of physically and verbally abusing her on the sets of a movie in 2013.

“I had a bitter experience while shooting… I went to the restroom and when I came out, Jayasurya hugged me and kissed me without my consent. I was shocked and I ran out,” she told NDTV.

Maniyanpilla Raju, one of those accused by Ms Muneer, has called for an investigation into the allegations, claiming multiple vested interests are behind the accusations.

READ | High-Profile Resignations, Political Fallout: What’s Going On In Mollywood

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, under severe scrutiny, announced a seven-member SIT to probe all sexual assault charges.

That has not, however, stopped the predictable avalanche of political attacks from the opposition BJP and the Congress-led United Democratic Front.

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