Association of Malayalam film actors says no “power group” in the film industry

During a press conference in Kochi, AMMA's general secretary and actor Siddique, while welcoming the report, stated that individuals who have committed wrongdoings in the film industry should be penalised based on the findings of the Hema Committee Report.

He stated that the organization does not oppose the filing of police cases against the accused. "The whole film industry should not be held accountable for a few isolated incidents," he remarked.

"An effort is being made to depict everyone in the film industry in a negative light. While such issues are prevalent in various fields, the film industry is being uniquely targeted and criticised," he added.

"We welcome the recommendations of the Hema Committee; they are not against AMMA," he stated. Regarding the alleged denial of opportunities to actors associated with the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), he mentioned that one of the leading actresses is still acting in back-to-back films.

He emphasized that actors are selected by the directors, and the creativity of a director or a writer should not be questioned.

"Many of our members were not summoned to testify before the committee. Mammootty and Mohanlal appeared before the committee three or four times, where they were asked mainly about the industry's pay structure," he stated.

Siddique declared that there is no "Power Group" in the Malayalam industry.

"Having been in this field for several decades, I am unaware of any such power group. Moreover, no power group can control the Malayalam cinema industry," he asserted.

Actor Jagadeesh demands a comprehensive probe

Actor Jagadeesh, also the vice-president of AMMA, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the Hema Committee report, regardless of whether the court mandates it or not.

He dismissed Siddique's claim about "isolated incidents," stating that the association cannot evade its responsibility by using such terms.

"As the vice-president of the organization, I apologize to the public for the delay in AMMA's response. We endorse the recommendations of the Hema Committee report,” he said.

He stated that neither AMMA, the Producers' Association, nor the Kerala Chamber of Film and Commence could dismiss the report. "If an artist reports that they have been approached inappropriately, it warrants investigation. In my view, those found guilty should face exemplary punishment. The prevalence of such issues in other workplaces does not justify their occurrence. We should not even pose that question; it is unfit for a civilized society. Instead, we should focus on how to prevent such incidents in the future," Jagadeesh remarked.

Actress and AMMA executive member Jomol, who was present at the press conference, expressed that she had never faced harassment in the film industry. "I have always been treated respectfully; no one has ever behaved inappropriately towards me. My experience in the film industry has always been positive," she shared.

WCC office bearer Deedi Damodaran criticized AMMA officials for portraying the industry as if all was well during a press conference, despite allegations to the contrary. "They are talented artists, and their denial performance exceeded expectations," she commented.

She suggested that the AMMA office bearers were essentially challenging the government to take action against the industry's misconduct. It is now up to the government to respond to the Hema Committee report.