AMMA rift turns ugly, section demands transparency and fresh polls

Kochi: The simmering internal feud within the Malayalam film actors’ association AMMA has exploded into a full-blown public controversy, with a section of the members openly attacking the organisation’s leadership and demanding accountability over its finances and functioning.

Soon after the Hema Committee became a public document, the affairs of AMMA went into a spin and saw the team led by Mohanlal and Siddique making way for a new leadership led by women like Swetha Menon and Kukku Paramesweran.

But after a period of lull under the new leadership the big fat egos on which the industry thrives, have again caused ripples.

Mala Parvathy demanded that AMMA’s income and expenditure accounts be made public.

“The money was earned using the faces of great actors. Its accounts should be made public,” she said, while urging senior actors to step in and resolve the worsening crisis.

The actor further revealed that treasurer Unni Sivapal had been entrusted with clarifying the accounts, but members were never given satisfactory explanations regarding the financial details.

The controversy intensified further after veteran actor Mallika Sukumaran launched a scathing attack against the AMMA leadership, demanding the dissolution of the executive committee and fresh elections.

“It has become such a shame that one cannot even walk outside,” Mallika said, describing the situation within the organisation as deeply embarrassing for the Malayalam film industry.

Mallika is the mother of upcoming superstar Prithviraj and his actor brother Indrajith.

She urged superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal to intervene and restore normalcy within the association. Mallika also accused AMMA General Secretary Kukku Paramesweran of spreading defamatory remarks against her and questioned the lack of transparency in the organisation’s functioning.

“Why are there so many CCTV cameras in the AMMA office? Everything is being done secretly and behind closed doors,” she alleged.

She further dismissed actor Swetha Menon claiming ignorance about the controversy, while alleging that someone has poisoned the mind of actor Ansiba Hassan.

According to Mallika, actor Tiny Tom was among those who had earlier recommended including Ansiba and Sarayu Mohan in the committee.

The escalating public spat has once again exposed the deepening cracks within one of Malayalam cinema’s most influential organisations, with mounting pressure now building on its leadership to come clean on both financial and administrative matters.

Even though calls for Mammootty and Mohanlal to intervene have been made, it’s unlikely if they or any of the seniors who nurtured the organisation would come forward.

IANS