News Malayalam

Dileep row: Actor-MLA Ganesh Kumar calls protesting actresses 'perennial trouble makers'

An audio clip of Kumar criticising the role of politicians and four actresses who resigned from the artistes body, AMMA, surfaced on Saturday.

An audio clip of actor-turned-MLA KBGanesh Kumar criticising the role of politicians and four actresses who resigned from the artistes body, Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), surfaced on Saturday.

The Pathanapuram MLA can be heard calling the politicians "limelight hoggers" and the four actresses "perennial trouble makers". Kumar was in conversation with AMMA general secretary Edavela Babu.

In the clip, Kumar advises Edavela Babu to "just keep silent" as the outburst over the revoking of Dileep's suspension in AMMA will die down in two days.

"These four actresses have never been active in AMMA, nor in the field of acting. They never participated in the AMMA shows and are perennial trouble makers.

"With regards to politicians, they are interested to give sound bites to TV channels just to stay afloat in public domain.

Dileep back in AMMA: Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeeshan, Geetu Mohandas resign in protest

"You just keep quiet and need not respond. The media is out to create ruckus and the only thing they have is negativity in their news.

"What should be noted is AMMA is not a political body, but formed to look after our welfare and hence the public also need not be unduly concerned," says Kumar.

Leading actresses from the Malayalam film industry — Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeesan, Geethu Mohandas — had resigned on Monday along with the victim of the February 2017 kidnapping case in which Dileep was alleged to have been involved that landed him in jail for 85 days.

The audio clip has come a day after the CPI-M decided not to seek an explanation from Kumar for his stand in the ongoing reinstatement row of accused actor Dileep's membership in the AMMA.

On Friday, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist's Kerala Secretariat gave a clean chit MPs Innocent and Mukesh and Kumar by deciding not to seek any explanation from them on this issue.

Dileep was suspended from AMMA last year but on 24 June, at the annual general body meeting of the body, the new set of office bearers led by superstar Mohanlal revoked his suspension.

Since then there has been a huge outcry from several quarters against this decision and it's at this time Kumar's audio clip surfaced.