The code of silence within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) seems to be finally lifting with a hundred filmmakers, actors, scriptwriters and technicians on Saturday issuing a statement against the organisation's decision to reinstate actor Dileep who was ousted from the organisation after he was named as an accused in a case involving the abduction and sexual assault on an actor.
Hailing the survivor and members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) who quit AMMA, the statement extended support to their fight.
‘‘Our friend is not a victim. She is someone who has overcome physical, sexual and mental torture and has become a model for society. Though she is a member of AMMA, no action has been taken on her earlier complaint against the accused actor. It was only after the police named him as an accused and following public pressure that he was ousted, as the organisation had no other go. It has now been proved that the ouster was just a face-saving measure. Even when her complaint against the actor remains unaddressed, the AMMA leadership has taken a stand insulting the survivor and those who are supporting her,’’ the statement said.
According to the statement, the continuation of people's representatives at the top of such an organisation ‘’ ‘which wears its anti-women stand as an ornament,’’ is equivalent to condoning these acts.
‘‘If they do not support these acts, we hope they will hold up their responsibility to the public and resign from the leadership. We request the government and film organisations to create a conducive atmosphere for everyone, beyond the borders of religion, caste or special interests, to work together creatively,’’ the statement said.
The statement was signed by, among others, filmmakers Rajeev Ravi, Aashiq Abu, Dileesh Pothen, Amal Neerad, Anwar Rasheed, Bijukumar Damodaran, Venu, Shyju Khalid, T.K. Rajeev Kumar, Vidhu Vincent, K.P. Sasi, Sudevan, Sreebala K. Menon, Sameer Thahir, B. Ajithkumar, K.M. Kamal, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, Muhsin Parari, Priyanandanan, Zakariya Muhammed, actors Revathy, Vinayakan, Parvathy, Padmapriya, Sajitha Madathil, Prakash Bare, Srinda, Anumol, Alencier Ley Lopez, P. Balachandran, cinematographers Sunny Joseph, M.J.Radhakrishnan, Madhu Neelakandan, Pappu, Fauzia Fathima, Shehnad Jalal, Jayesh, Appu Prabhakar, Hari Nair, film editors Bina Paul Venugopal, Manoj Kannoth, Ranith Sankaran, writers Deedi Damodaran, P.F.Mathews, P.S.Rafeeq, Ashraf Hamza, music director John.P.Varkey, lyricist Anwar Ali, sound engineers Krishnanunni, Ajayan Adatt, Pramod Thomas, C. Jayadevan, Smijithkumar, film critic C.S. Venkiteswaran and others.
