‘He tried to physically attack me’: Malayalam actor Neena Kurup breaks down recalling clash with Tiny Tom

Amid growing tensions within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), actor and executive committee member Neena Kurup broke down while speaking to Onmanorama as she recalled a confrontation with fellow committee member Tiny Tom during the Kudumba Sangamam event. The incident, she said, has not left her since.

At several moments in the conversation, Neena paused, struggling to continue as she revisited what she described as an disturbing episode inside the organisation and the unease that followed in its aftermath.

“Tiny Tom tried to physically attack me. He lunged at me, hurled abuses, and people around had to step in and hold him back,” she said. “I’ve been carrying the emotional impact of that incident ever since.”

Neena has also formally lodged a complaint before AMMA’s executive committee against Tiny Tom.
She said the confrontation took place a day before the Kudumba Sangamam event, in the presence of several committee members. What pushed her to speak out now, she said, was the circulation of what she called 'false narratives' within the organisation.

“I decided to speak now only after informing president Shwetha Menon because false narratives about me were being circulated,” Neena said. “There are recordings that support what happened. Even Lakshmipriya had acknowledged during a phone conversation that people had to restrain Tiny when he came at me. I’m willing to share that conversation as well, if Lakshmipriya agrees.”

But as the conversation went on, it became clear this was not an isolated complaint for her. As she spoke, there was a noticeable weariness when she described the current climate within AMMA.

“Earlier, disagreements inside AMMA were issue-based. People debated opinions and moved on,” she said. “But now it feels deeply personal. There’s a visible group operating within the committee, and anyone who questions them becomes a target.”
Neena was careful to underline that she has never aligned herself with any faction inside the organisation.

“I have supported Shwetha Menon on some matters and backed Cuckoo Parameswaran on others. I’ve never functioned as part of a camp. But what is happening now clearly feels like groupism,” she said.

What appeared to trouble her most, though, was the response to her complaint.
“My only question is whether the response would have been this slow if the same words and behaviour had been directed at certain senior members,” she said. “If something similar had happened to Shwetha Menon, Mohanlal or Mammootty, would there have been any hesitation in taking action?”

Neena also alleged that Tiny Tom had, on more than one occasion, behaved aggressively towards women within the organisation.

“He often speaks in an intimidating manner with women,” she said. “He raises his voice, comes very close to your face, and tries to overpower conversations through aggression. I’ve experienced that personally more than once. I reacted strongly too, because that’s my nature.”

She also referred to former AMMA joint secretary Ansiba Hassan, who had earlier raised concerns involving Tiny Tom, including allegations of being falsely linked to religious conversion activities.

“Women who react strongly or question things are often viewed as troublesome,” Neena said. “Both Ansiba and I have spoken up when we felt something was wrong, and that has not gone down well with certain people.”

For Neena, the issue, she said, goes beyond individual incidents. It is about what she sees as a pattern of brushing uncomfortable situations aside until they grow larger.

“Many times, people dismissed these incidents saying, ‘That’s just how Tiny behaves.’ But small incidents ignored repeatedly eventually become much bigger issues,” she said. “There have been attempts to silence women inside the committee, and there is proof of that in the executive committee discussions.”

Even while being sharply critical, Neena said she still believes there are people within AMMA who act in good faith.

“There are people in the committee who genuinely care about the organisation and behave responsibly,” she said. “But those who cannot treat colleagues with basic respect should not continue in positions of power.”
When Onmanorama reached out to Tiny Tom for a response, he said he had been instructed by the AMMA president not to speak to the media on the matter.