A wave of resignations has swept through the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A) as actor Mohanlal and 17 executive members stepped down on Tuesday. This collective decision follows a series of sexual harassment allegations that have rocked the Malayalam film industry. In a statement, the Association acknowledged the allegations and stated that the current administrative panel resigned to take moral responsibility. A new administrative panel is expected to be elected within two months after a general body meeting is convened. The Association expressed gratitude for the public’s criticism and vowed to learn from the situation.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations of hardship faced by women in the film industry. The SIT met at the police headquarters on Tuesday to outline the continuation of the probe. To strengthen the investigation, additional women officers have been included in the team. All cases related to these allegations, previously registered at local police stations, will be transferred to the SIT for further investigation.
The decision to form the SIT came after the Kerala government received numerous interviews and statements from women in the Malayalam film industry detailing their experiences of hardship. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a meeting with senior police officials to discuss the allegations. The SIT is headed by a senior police officer and is tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the sexual abuse allegations within the industry.
The catalyst for the recent wave of accusations was a statement made by Malayalam film actor Minu Muneer on August 26th. Minu accused actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of verbal and physical abuse during film productions. These allegations have sparked widespread outrage and calls for accountability within the Malayalam film industry. The resignations from A.M.M.A and the formation of the SIT demonstrate the seriousness with which the authorities are taking these allegations. It remains to be seen what the outcome of the SIT’s investigation will be and what steps the industry will take to address the issue of sexual harassment going forward.
