AMMA race heats up: Navya Nair and Lakshmipriya in the fray for vice president post

A record 74 members have filed nominations for the upcoming election to AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists), signaling an intense contest this time. Six candidates, including one woman, are vying for the post of president. The final picture of panels and alliances will emerge only by July 31, the last day for withdrawal of nominations. The election is scheduled to be held in Kochi on August 15.

This is the first time the AMMA elections have drawn such a large number of candidates. Jagadeesh, Shweta Menon, Devan, Jayan Cherthala, Anoop Chandran, and Raveendran have entered the race for president, with Jagadeesh and Devan being the most senior among them. Despite repeated calls by senior members for a generational shift and emergence of younger leadership, no prominent young actors have stepped up. Rumors of Vijayaraghavan contesting for the top post were laid to rest as he did not file a nomination.

Joy Mathew’s nomination for the president’s post was rejected. Sources close to him claimed he intentionally left the mandatory declaration unsigned in order to withdraw in favour of Jagadeesh. However, Joy Mathew has filed nomination for the executive committee. Anoop Chandran, Jayan Cherthala, and Raveendran have filed nominations for multiple posts. Baburaj is in the fray for general secretary.

The vice-president post has drawn significant attention with candidates including Asha Aravind, Lakshmipriya, Navya Nair, Kukku Parameswaran, Nasser Latheef, and Unni Sivapal in the race. The treasurer’s post will see a contest between Vinu Mohan, Tini Tom, Kukku Parameswaran, Suresh Krishna, and Kailash.

It is now evident that this year’s AMMA elections will be fiercely contested. Sarayu, Ansiba, Vinu Mohan, Tini Tom, Ananya, and Kailash are among those contesting for various key positions. When asked about the participation of individuals facing allegations, Sarayu said, “We are not a court' and welcomed the democratic nature of the elections. Ansiba shared a similar sentiment, questioning what is wrong with allowing such candidates when individuals with allegations frequently contest national elections.

She added that it is up to the judiciary to determine guilt. However, Anoop Chandran offered a contrasting view, stating that those facing serious allegations should voluntarily stay away. “AMMA is a voluntary organisation. Only those who understand the sanctity of this platform should aspire for office,” he said. He added that it was the responsibility of all members to rid the organisation of any criminal elements, if they had crept in and make AMMA a body that truly belonged to the  society.