Dileep’s offer to stay out of AMMA a stunt, say critics

KOCHI: Actor Dileep on Thursday wrote to office-bearers of AMMA thanking them for his reinduction to the actors’ body but stating that he would like to stay away until his innocence is proven in the actress rape case, in which he’s one of the
main accused. The actor’s letter was met with widespread scepticism, with several observers hinting that it was an opportunistic attempt to prevent the issue from snowballing.
Following AMMA’s decision, four actresses belonging to Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) had resigned and there was widespread condemnation cutting across political lines.Drawing national attention to the issue, 80 leading academics and activists, in a statement in Delhi, expressed shock at the blatant ‘misogyny’ of the Malayalam movie industry, known in the past for its progressive outlook. The signatories also wanted CPM and LDF to act against their representatives in AMMA who supported Dileep’s reinduction and wondered why the association failed to adhere to Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
AMMA general secretary Idavela Babu said that a decision on the letter sent by Dileep is yet to be taken. It is learnt that AMMA would be convening its executive committee meeting to discuss developments.