Meanwhile, several actors, including those in the AMMA executive committee, expressed their unhappiness over the dissolution of the association.
Published Aug 28, 2024 | 2:54 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 28, 2024 | 2:54 PM
FEFKA demands disclosure of names of sexual abuse perpetrators in Justice Hema Committee Report. (Facebook)
The Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) has called for the disclosure of the names of the sexual abuse perpetrators in Malayalam cinema, which were mentioned in the Justice Hema Committee Report.
In a statement on Wednesday, 28 August, the FEFKA welcomed the report by terming it an “important document” for the Malayalam film industry. The federation also mentioned that it took into account the gravity of the incidents mentioned in the report.
“We are aware of the criticism against our silence on this issue. We do not want to issue empty, fancy statements but rather recommend strong actions and policies that will bring about significant change within the industry,” the statement read.
“The names of the accused in the Justice Hema Committee Report should be made public. We will not tolerate anyone who is found guilty of the crimes they have been accused of,” the FEFKA statement added.
The FEFKA also announced plans to release an analysis report of the Justice Hema Committee’s findings. Additionally, an executive committee meeting will be held in Kochi on 2-4 September to discuss the report.
The federation stated that it would take into account the opinions of its women members before publishing the analysis report.
The statement further mentioned that FEFKA will assist the sexual abuse survivors by approaching the Special Investigation Team and initiating legal action against the culprits.
“A core committee of female members will be formed to provide support to the survivors. Additionally, the services of a clinical psychologist will be made available to help alleviate fears and anxieties,” the statement added.
The federation observed that the collective resignation of the AMMA executive committee would mark the beginning of a revolutionary course correction within that organisation.
Meanwhile, the FEFKA took no action against filmmaker Ranjith, who was accused of sexual harassment by Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra. The action will only follow if its investigation reveals substantial evidence against the director.
Ranjith initially dismissed the allegations as baseless. However, he later resigned as the chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy.
In other developments, Malayalam actors Sarayu and Ananya expressed their dissent over the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA)’s decision to dissolve the executive committee.
Sarayu and Ananya, who were members of the now-dissolved committee, said they had not submitted their resignations and added that the decision was taken without their approval.
Sarayu told the media that the decision to dissolve the entire AMMA executive committee wasn’t right and it only gave a negative impression.
Actor Shammy Thilakan expressed a similar opinion to the media, stating that there was no need to dissolve the AMMA executive committee and that the decision was made in haste.
Actor Baiju, too, criticised the dissolution of AMMA, saying it wasn’t the right course of action and that AMMA should have faced the issue. He said he would not have resigned if he were in the top position at AMMA.
Meanwhile, on 27 August, actor and Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar said, “AMMA was formed with a contribution of ₹1.5 lakh, with Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Suresh Gopi each contributing ₹50,000. Today is a damned day. The future of the organisation now looks uncertain. If Mammootty and Mohanlal give up, there is no doubt that the organisation will come to a standstill. Several people have been trying to bring this great organization down—let them celebrate.”
Similarly, actors in the AMMA executive committee, including Tovino Thomas, Vinu Mohan, and Jagadeesh, opposed the dissolution move.
However, reports indicated that the former leadership of AMMA maintained that the actors’ protests did not hold merit and questioned how the actors could continue in their posts after the executive committee was completely dissolved. They also clarified that the decision was made after seeking legal advice.
During an online meeting on 27 August, Mohanlal announced his decision to step down as the president of AMMA, leading to the resignation of the entire executive committee.
Mohanlal announced that he arrived at this decision with a heavy heart after consulting senior actor Mammootty. He suggested that it would be best to dissolve the executive committee as more allegations are likely to surface in the coming days. Further, he felt that the current committee should make way for younger leaders to take over the association.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
