Mohanlal Talked To Mammootty Before Resignation

Reports from Malayalam local media suggest that Mohanlal spoke to veteran actor Mammootty before deciding to resign as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Reportedly, Mammootty advised Mohanlal that resignation was the right step to take at this time. It is being reported that Mammootty and Mohanlal, the senior most big actors in the industry who have been leading the box office for decades, have received several messages from AMMA members as the Hema Committee report was released last week.

The resignation of Mohanlal, along with all other office bearers, follows revelations of harassment in the Malayalam film industry, sparked by the release of the Hema Committee report. According to reports, the executive committee members submitted their resignations en masse, with all 17 members stepping down.

An urgent AMMA meeting was reportedly held online, during which the organisation’s disbanding was decided. After resigning, Mohanlal expressed his desire for new leadership for AMMA and extended his gratitude to those who had corrected and criticised him.

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As a next step, an ad-hoc leadership committee will be formed until the next general body meeting, where AMMA office bearers are elected.

Ahead of the mass resignations, senior actor Siddique also resigned as general secretary of AMMA after young actress Revathy Sampath accused him of past sexual abuse. Many, including actor Prithviraj, have criticised AMMA’s handling of the Hema Committee report and the revelations that followed.

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The Hema Committee was established in 2017 to investigate the challenges faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry, especially in the wake of a sexual assault case involving actor Dileep. The committee was chaired by retired High Court judge Justice Hema, along with veteran actor Sharada and former IAS officer KB Valsala Kumari.

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Their report, which was submitted in 2019, brought to light the pervasive sexual harassment experienced by women in the industry. It particularly highlighted incidents where female actors faced unwanted advances before even beginning work. The report was made public last week.

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