'AMMA's move to reinstate actor Dileep draws flak
Dileep was suspended from the body after he was accused of playing a role in the conspiracy to abduct the young actress in February 2017 when she was on her way to Kochi from her house.
Published: 25th June 2018 06:46 PM | Last Updated: 26th June 2018 03:07 AM | A+A A-
Malayalam actor Dileep (File | Cinema Express)
KOCHI: The decision of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) to take actor Dileep back into the organisation has invited criticism from various quarters.
Though the meeting of the new office-bearers was held behind closed doors, the news regarding Dileep’s re-entry leaked out.
Registering a protest on its official Facebook page on Monday, Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) - the association of female artistes from the Malayalam film industry - lashed out at AMMA for reinstating Dileep.
The post, which was in the form of seven questions to AMMA, also questioned the integrity of the decision.“We have learnt from the media that AMMA general body has decided to reinstate Dileep. If it is true, AMMA owes us an answer on the following questions,” the post said.
1. Why did you oust him last year?
2. On what basis have you decided to reinstate him as there are no significant changes in the scenario?
3. You are trying to reinstate a person who was accused of various charges, including rape. Don’t you see any anomaly in this decision?
4. Isn’t the victim who survived the attack also a member of AMMA?
5. By reinstating Dileep, are you not further demoralising the survivor?
6. AMMA is said to be a democratic organisation. But by this move, what message are you sending out to society?
7. Are you not challenging the legal system by favouring a person whose case is still under investigation?
The decision is “totally anti-women”, the post added.
Noted writer N S Madhavan also tweeted against the decision. “Worst #Metoo incident happened not in Hollywood, but in Kerala, when an actor allegedly paid money to a gang to get an actress raped. The case is on, but male chauvinist pigs of Malayalam actors’ guild, AMMA, are shouting ‘me too’ ‘me too’ in support of the accused!” he posted.
Meanwhile, director Aashiq Abu also took to social media to vent his ire. “Actor Thilakan was not an accused in any criminal case. He was ousted from AMMA for voicing his opinion. Hope AMMA will apologise for its mistake,” he posted on Facebook.
