The uproar against the reinstatement of rape accused Dileep grows louder with each passing day. The latest to support the Women in Cinema Collective, amidst a long list of activists, journalists and politicians is Student Federation of India (SFI) national president VP Sanu.
Sanu took to Facebook on Saturday to lash out at the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) for their decision to reinstate actor Dileep, an accused in the abduction and rape of an actor.
Sanu admits that these stars have, in the past, been invited to colleges as part of the various functions organized by the SFI.
“It is time to reconsider whether or not SFI should be inviting people who go against all democratic values, like these actors in AMMA,” he said.
“The sense of justice that AMMA had in taking a person who is accused of committing a brutal crime on one of their co-stars is called nothing but patriarchy,” said Sanu in his strongly-worded post.
He went on to say that the women of WCC “challenged the way in which the members of AMMA sidelined the women in the organization.”
“The movies of the superstars who feel that they can control the entire Malayalam film industry with their money power have been failing miserably off late,” said Sanu.
He also went on to add that that the new generation of Malayalam audience is moving away from movies with just big stars to movies based on different themes and politics.
“By remaining silent when their fans resorted to anti-woman activities, the superstars have only supported whatever their fans did,” he said. “It is stupid to even expect a woman to get justice from these stars,” he added.
Several prominent members of the Malayalam film industry, in a strongly-worded press statement on Saturday, condemning AMMA for reinstating Dileep.
Asserting their support for the survivor, several actors, directors, producers and other technicians from the industry questioned the actions of AMMA office bearers and demanded that the public representatives who are part of the body, step down.
The statement has been signed by state award-winning actor Vinayakan, WCC members Vidhu Vincent, Revathy, Parvathy and Padmapriya, actor and writer P Balachandran, actor Sajitha Madathil, ace directors Aashiq Abu, Rajeev Ravi, Dileesh Pothan, Anwar Rasheed and Amal Neerad, among 100 signatories.