AMMA concedes to WCC's demand for emergency executive meeting

The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) have finally set a date for the emergency executive meeting as demanded by three of its members — actress-director Revathy, Parvathy Menon, and Padmapriya. The meeting is set to take place on 7 August in Kochi. 

Dileep was accused of allegedly planning and ordering the abduction of and sexual assault on a Malaylam actress in February 2017. He was expelled from AMMA following the demands of a few Malayalam actresses. Dileep is currently out on bail.

The decision to welcome Dileep back was taken at a general body meeting of the association on 24 June. The meet was led by the newly elected president, actor Mohanlal. Immediate backlash by several prominent members of the Malayalam film industry, members of Kannada and Tamil film industries forced the association to rethink the decision. Four female members of AMMA, Geethu Mohandas, Remya Nambeesan, Rima Kallingal and the victim herself, who are also members of the WCC, tendered their resignations in protest. 

The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), a group formed soon after the assault came to light to improve the working conditions of women in the industry, had insisted on the emergency meeting of the executive after the 23-year-old organisation decided to repeal the expulsion Dileep from AMMA.

Three other members of WCC — Revathy, Padmapriya and Parvathy Menon — had also called for an emergency executive meeting to discuss the issue. In a statement released soon after, the three members sought an explanation from the artists' body on four key points, which include:

1. The expelled member's reinstatement and the implications of AMMA's decision

2. The steps taken by AMMA to support the survivor

3. How AMMA's bye-laws are structured to ensure welfare of all its members

4. What AMMA can do to make women feel more included and safe

The Newsminute.com quoted sources suggesting that actor Parvathy Menon, who is currently in the United States of America, is set to cut her trip short to attend the meeting.

In an interview with us, WCC co-founder, Bina Paul emphasised, "Basically, we want to have a dialogue with them on how an organization that has been very strongly patriarchal has to relook [at itself]."

Bina also mentioned that the key objection to the reinstatement of Dileep lay in the 'undemocratic' manner in which AMMA functioned. She said, "The point is that how is it possible that at a general body meeting, where she [the victim in the matter] is also a member, this decision [to eject Dileep from AMMA] was suddenly reversed without any democratic process."