Disbanded after Hema report firestorm, Malayalam film artists' body sees a historic first – a woman as president
The election for the new office-bearers was held a year after its 17-member executive committee, headed by Mohanlal, quit in the wake of the Hema committee report and subsequent revelations of sexual misconduct.
While Shweta Menon was elected president, Cuckoo Parameswaran is the new general secretary. The former defeated veteran actor Devan, while the latter's rival was Raveendran.
The general body also elected Lakshmi Priya as vice-president and Ansiba as joint secretary. Unni Shivapal is the treasurer of the committee, which is elected for the next three years.
Shweta told the media that the new committee will bring in changes. 'We will bring in all members who have quit the body. They are most welcome. There are no men or women in the body; all are actors,' she said.
The newly elected general secretary said, 'All the 508 members of the AMMA will be taken into confidence before any decision. This body will bring in changes.'
Days before the elections, Shweta had faced a case based on a complaint that 'she acted in movies and advertisements involving nudity and made financial gains by misusing her notoriety as a vulgar actor'. The High Court stayed the proceedings in the case, which was allegedly linked to her contest in the AMMA elections.
The Hema committee report, which came out a year earlier, had triggered an uproar in the film industry, and the then general secretary of AMMA, Siddique, was forced to quit in the wake of the alleged sexual misconduct.
Its joint general secretary, Baburaj, also faced similar allegations. Several prominent actors had openly come out against AMMA, leading to the disbanding of the executive and office-bearers.
Shweta is a prominent actress, model, and television anchor, active in the entertainment industry for the last three decades. She debuted in the Malayalam film industry in 1991 in Mamootty-starrer Anaswaram. After being crowned Miss Bangalore, she was adjudged third in the Miss India contest in 1994, which Sushmita Sen won.
Twice, she won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – first for her performance in Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha and then for her role in Salt N' Pepper.
Newly elected general secretary Cuckoo started her career as a child artiste. She is also a classical dancer, fashion designer and theatre professional. In 1988, she bagged the second-best actress award in Kerala for her role in Ore Thooval Pakshikal.
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