Chaos has gripped Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA),erupting into public clashes,resignations,legal battles. Drama hit peak at general meeting in Ernakulam on June 21, 2026,when Shwetha Menon,AMMA's first female president,quit after no-confidence motion.
Menon's exit shocked many. She had led for less than a year. Her resignation wasn't just personal; it laid bare deep rifts within the 500-member group. "I decided to quit as I was unwilling to be a puppet," she said,highlighting internal politics frustrations.
Conflict stems from allegations by ex-joint secretary Ansiba Hassan against committee member Tiny Tom for communal,defamatory remarks. This ignited a firestorm,one of AMMA's most turbulent times.
Tensions led to several executive resignations. After Menon’s departure,three more members stepped down,complicating governance. Hassan called the meeting historic but for all wrong reasons,unveiling AMMA's fractures.
Discord now in courts. Menon reversed her resignation,challenging an ad-hoc committee formed to manage AMMA's affairs until elections. The Ernakulam Munsiff Court has halted committee's work pending orders.
AMMA,founded in 1994 to champion members' interests,is now in perhaps its worst crisis. Split roots in past scandal involving Hema Committee report,which led to 17 executives quitting over harassment claims.
Actor Joy Mathew slammed current leadership,saying group has become a factional battleground. He stressed need for leaders who grasp democratic principles,lamenting lack of unified vision fueling chaos .
Financial disputes also fuel fire. Allegations emerged over corporate sponsorships,donations,especially a controversial ₹1 crore from temple trust. Hassan argues accepting such funds without vetting raises ethical concerns .
Complicating things,actor Maala Parvathi claimed Menon’s presidency cling was tied to quid pro quo involving big donations from major business group,intensifying scrutiny on AMMA's finances.
Ex-joint secretary Baburaj accused Menon of taking commissions for facilitating AMMA candidates for Kerala Assembly elections on behalf of BJP. He also criticized executive for not providing transparent financial reports to members.
Menon defended herself on social media,questioning why a national party would pay her to influence Kerala candidates. She acknowledged diverse political affiliations within executive,spanning various parties .
Menon insists on barring those implicated in Hema Committee report from leading AMMA. She's ready to fight against what she sees as a power struggle aimed at undermining her leadership.
Crisis lays bare issues within AMMA,notably patriarchal structure. Actors Revathy and Padmapriya,founding members of Women in Cinema Collective,voice concerns over AMMA's drift from founding ideals. They argue group,meant to be actors' collective voice,has fallen to power politics,patriarchy.
Revathy and Padmapriya criticized resignations post-Hema Committee report,suggesting they were about dodging accountability,not principle . Same power dynamics persist,regardless of who's in charge.
As AMMA battles internal conflicts,its future hangs by thread. Ongoing legal,public disputes point to a critical juncture,with association navigating a landscape rife with division,distrust…
