Actor Mohanlal on Tuesday resigned as president of the under-fire Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA), following an avalanche of sexual assault and rape allegations against some of the Malayalam film industry’s biggest names, including veteran actor Siddique and filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan.
All members of the film body’s executive committee have also submitted their resignations.
A statement from AMMA said the top decision-making body had taken “moral responsibility” and dissolved itself “in light of allegations made by some actors against some of the committee members”.
An election to form a new committee will be held within two months, AMMA said.
Senior figures in the Malayalam film industry face sexual abuse complaints following the public release of the Justice Hema Committee report last week.
The report – which includes multiple shocking stories of abuse – was submitted to the Kerala government in 2019 but was not made public. It was made public this month after clearing legal challenges from film industry members.
Several women have come forward to complain against top Malayalam actors and filmmakers, including actor Baburaj, who was the AMMA’s joint secretary before he too resigned.
A junior artiste told NDTV that Baburaj raped her at his home in Ernakulam district in 2019, after inviting her there on the pretext of offering a role in one of his films.
Baburaj has claimed the allegation is false and meant to scupper his chances of succeeding Siddique as general secretary of the film body.
Actress Minu Muneer accused prominent actors M. Mukesh and Jayasurya, as well as two others, of physically and verbally abusing her on the set of a movie in 2013. “I had a bitter experience while shooting... I went to the restroom and when I came out, Jayasurya hugged me and kissed me without my consent. I was shocked and I ran from the set,” she told NDTV.
Maniyanpilla Raju, one of those accused by Muneer, has called for an investigation into the allegations, claiming multiple vested interests are behind the accusations.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, under severe pressure, announced a seven-member special investigation team to probe all sexual assault charges.
On Monday, Kerala Police registered a non-bailable case against Ranjith, following a complaint by a Bengali actress who accused him of sexual misconduct during the pre-production phase of the film Paleri Manikyam in 2009.
Ranjith, who recently stepped down as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy, dismissed the accusations as part of a “concerted move” against him.
Police have registered the case under IPC Section 354, which pertains to assault or criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty.
