AMMA accepts Dileep's resignation, says Mohanlal

AMMA accepts Dileep's resignation, says Mohanlal
AMMA president Mohanlal addresses media along with other executive committee members at Kochi on Friday. Photo: EV Sreekumar

Kochi: The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on Friday afternoon accepted the resignation of actor Dileep, an accused in the 2017 actress attack case.

Mohanlal, the association's president, informed a presser that he had asked for Dileep's resignation as sought by the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC).

However, AMMA president also made it clear that the association won't invite the resigned actresses back into the association and they can apply afresh for membership.

AMMA accepts Dileep's resignation, says Mohanlal
The WCC members have been on the warpath since the actors' body had decided to reinstate popular actor Dileep.

The WCC members have been on the warpath since the actors' body had decided to reinstate popular actor Dileep, who was arrested on charges of conspiracy in the actress assault case and later released on bail. The organisation had alleged that though AMMA is the lone such body in the Malayalam film industry, it was acting against the interests of women and was not a 'safe place' to discuss their issues.

A platform of women actors, directors, scriptwriters and singers of the Malayalam industry, the WCC was launched soon after the shocking actress assault incident, to ensure gender justice and safeguard women's rights in the film world.

The AMMA office-bearers said it will soon have a separate unit to attend to the concerns of its women members. KPAC Lalitha, Kukku Parameswaran and Kaviyoor Ponnamma will be the members of this special wing, informed Mohanlal.

'WCC out to fragment AMMA'

AMMA accepts Dileep's resignation, says Mohanlal

Amid AMMA's bid to allay concerns of the WCC, actor Baburaj, who is also a member of the former's executive committee, said that reinstating WCC members who quit AMMA wouldn't help the actors' body in any manner. “They (WCC members) raise dangerous allegations against AMMA. The WCC will continue to function even if AMMA reinstates the resigned members. The WCC is an association which attempts to fragment AMMA and grow by sucking its blood,” Baburaj said.

Baburaj also remarked at Friday's media interaction that he is doubtful whether WCC actually spoke to the attacked actress.

Siddique also made similar allegations against the WCC by alleging that the women's collective is trying to engineer a split within the actors' body. “They are struggling to prove that there is a difference of opinion between AMMA members and its executive committee. That is a dangerous tendency,” Siddique said.

No action against Mukesh

AMMA accepts Dileep's resignation, says Mohanlal

Clarifying AMMA's stance over #MeToo row, Mohanlal said in the presser that AMMA will demand an explanation from actor Alencier over the sexual harassment allegation of young actress Divya Gopinath. However, the actors' body wouldn't conduct a probe against actor-politician Mukesh, as the complainant Tess Joseph hasn't yet filed a formal petition before the body, AMMA leadership said.

“Divya Gopinath is not a member of AMMA. Still, we will take up her issue and demand an explanation from Alencier if she lodges a complaint. She had said that she doesn't trust AMMA leadership in dealing with a sexual harassment issue. That is not the right way to address such an issue. Let her file a complaint first. We will conduct a probe even though she is not our member,” Mohanlal said. 

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