Artists ‘dismiss’ anti-woman outfit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: More artists from the Malayalam film fraternity came out against the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (

AMMA

), an outfit of a section of actors, after its general body meeting decided to reinduct Dileep into its fold.

As many as 14 actors issued a statement on Sunday, expressing their lack of trust on AMMA, and extending support to a young actor who was abducted and sexually abused in Kochi a year ago.

On Saturday, around 100 others, too, have supported the “brave young woman”, and other actresses who had resigned from AMMA.

The signatories of the Sunday’s statement, issued with the hashtag, ‘

Equal in Reel and Real

’, included actors Amala Akkineni, Sajitha Madathil, Kani Kusruti, Abhija Sivakala, Ranjini Pierre, Santhy Balachandran, Samyuktha Nambiar, Jolly Chirayath, Divyaprabha, Divya Gopinath, Archana Padmini, Darshana Rajendran, Shylaja Ambu and Sujatha Jananethri.

They also criticized the Rs 1 lakh fee demand for Amma’s membership, while the industry did not offer equal pay to men and women actors.

“We have no faith in the stand taken by this organization on workplace harassment. We have no option but to dismiss an organization which would not engage in a healthy debate. A skit presented in a recent stage show and the decision to reinstate the accused actor reflected this organization’s attitude towards women,” the statement read.

The signatories also expressed doubt whether the organization would have a democratic system in near future, since its history was co-written by fans’ associations and star-centered caucus.

“The star power which control the organization cannot accommodate self-respecting women and their workspace. The organization has never allowed the participation of women in its decision-making process. Women had held only ornamental positions. We cannot be part of such an anti-human group,” the artists said.


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