Actor and a legislator of the ruling front in Kerala K B Ganesh Kumar has posed nine questions to superstar Mohanlal, the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), over various issues currently affecting the organisation. Ganesh Kumar said that he was making his communication with Mohanlal public as none of his earlier messages to the AMMA president had elicited any response.
Among the issues taken up by the MLA are the approach of AMMA towards filmmaker-actor Vijay Babu, who is facing rape charges; the attempt of AMMA secretary Edavala Babu to involve legendary actor Jagathy Sreekumar in a dispute; increase in the membership fee of the association to Rs 2,05,000 and the decision taken earlier on actor Bineesh Kodiyeri.
The following is an extract from Ganesh Kumar’s mail to Mohanlal:
Here are nine questions to the AMMA president:
1) Will you adopt the same stand on Vijay Babu as the one you took on Dileep?
2) Are you ready to condemn Edavela Babu for unnecessarily dragging Jagathy Sreekumar into the controversy?
3) Does AMMA officially support Edavela Babu’s statement casting aspersions on actress Priyanka, who was exonerated by the court?
4) Did I take part in the AMMA meeting which discussed the issue related to Bineesh Kodiyeri? Is is AMMA’s policy to engage in a blame-game?
5) The survivor-victim in the Vijay Babu case has alleged that the executive members of AMMA were making efforts to protect him after receiving benefits from the actor-filmmaker. Aren’t such charges grave?
6) What was the need to increase the membership fee of AMMA to Rs 2,05,000?
7) Is it not shameful for you to remain silent when the secretary refers to AMMA as a ‘club’?
8) Is Edavela Babu eligible to continue as secretary by repeating his statement that AMMA is a club?
9) Could you explain how a video titled ‘Vijay Babu’s mass entry’ was uploaded on AMMA’s YouTube channel?
I have not received replies to any of my previous letters and hope that you would respond to this one. Many members don’t raise issues related to AMMA as they fear losing chances in movies as well as benefits such as ‘kaineettam’ (monthly stipend).
I am now willing to be the voice of those who are ready to take on the dictatorial powers that have hijacked AMMA. I have neither fear nor personal enmity towards anyone. You may note that I had campaigned for Vijay Babu during the recent elections in AMMA as well as ATMA (Association of Television Media Artistes) and also voted for him.
