Women make history in AMMA polls as Shwetha Menon, Kukku Parameswaran elected to top posts

In a watershed moment for the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), actress Shwetha Menon has been elected president and Kukku Parameswaran general secretary, marking the first time in the organisation’s history that women will lead from both top posts.

Shwetha’s win came after a tense, high-stakes face-off with actor-turned-BJP leader Devan, while Kuku clinched victory over veteran actor Raveendran in another closely fought contest. Unni Shivapal has been elected as the treasurer of the organisation. 

Jayan Cherthala and Lakshmi Priya have been elected as AMMA's vice presidents, while Ansiba Hassan was elected as the joint secretary. 

Following her election win, Shwetha Menon said she was very happy to have been elected and expressed her intention to unify the organisation. “I am feeling very happy about this win,” she said, adding that the new leadership team would need the support of veteran actors Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Suresh Gopi. “I still need the support of Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Suresh Gopi, as they are the patrons,” she added.

Actor Devan congratulated Shwetha and acknowledged her hard-fought victory. “Shwetha deserves this post. She fought and won the contest. I am very happy for her,” he said after the elections.

From early morning, the atmosphere outside the polling station was electric. Leading names in Malayalam cinema turned up to cast their votes — some greeting the press, others avoiding the cameras. Mohanlal, after voting, told reporters that “nobody has left AMMA” and voiced confidence in the newly elected committee. Actor Dharmajan Bolgatty described it as “a very critical election” with “apt individuals contesting.”

By the time voting concluded, 298 of AMMA’s 504 members had exercised their franchise.