AMMA Refutes Power Nexus Claims of Hema Committee

Kochi: On Friday, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) has responded to the allegations leveled against it in the Hema Commission report regarding sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam Cinema. The release of the report after five years has triggered debates and concerns.

During a press conference, AMMA General Secretary Siddique expressed his organization’s support for the said report and its recommendations. He stressed that police should investigate well and punish accordingly those accused for any wrongdoings mentioned in the document.

Siddique refuted accusations that AMMA was particularly targeted by the Hema Commission report. "AMMA is being named there but we are not on trial. It is a committee formed to study our members’ problems and we go along with that. We have decided not to stand up for any culprits," he explained to journalists.

Siddique also denied any such thing as a “mafia” or power group within Malayalam cinema as alleged by the revelations made in this report. “I have been around here for decades; I have never encountered anything like a syndicate running this business; how would an industry survive with one group controlling everything?” he wondered.

A media briefing involving AMMA executive committee members Vinu Mohan, Jayan Cherthala, Jomol, and Ananya also discussed issues raised about painting all of Mollywood as corrupt or dangerous at large. “Every sector faces some issues; however when entire industries become discredited it hurts,” Siddique added.

Meanwhile, Manorama News reported that Kerala government had omitted 11 paragraphs from Hema Commission’s Report which were not recommended to be published by State Information Commission (SIC). These sections were removed since they contained sensitive information that violates privacy rights of those mentioned in this document.

The major part among these omissions is paragraph 96, which is alleged to have revealed incidents of sexual harassment perpetrated by some prominent personalities in the industry. According to the report, there was substantial evidence that supported claims of mistreatment given by those who appeared before the commission.

Justice K Hema Commission was constituted as a result of actor Dileep’s sexual assault case in 2017. The August 19 censored version of its findings has caused political uproar in Kerala unveiling the widespread problems of abuse and exploitation within this sector.