Actors Revathy and Padmapriya have written to the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) asking what the organisation’s leadership’s thoughts are on General Secretary Edavela Babu’s interview in which he made uncharitable remarks about an actor who survived sexual assault.
“What is your stand as individuals and as part of AMMA leadership towards Mr Edavela Babu’s interviews in the media over the last few days and the endorsement of the same by the Vice President Mr Ganesh Kumar? What will be the action taken when some members of the leadership behave in a fashion that discredits AMMA and the film industry as a whole?” Revathy and Padmapriya asked.
A few days ago, Edavela Babu, in an interview to Reporter Live’s Nikesh Kumar had said that we can’t bring a dead person to life, when asked whether the survivor would be given a role in AMMA’s next movie. Edavela was insisting that only AMMA members can be part of the movie and since the survivor had quit AMMA, she cannot be made a part of the movie for which he used the metaphor of dead persons cannot be brought back to life. He had also made remarks disparaging the investigation. Following this, actor Parvathy had tendered her resignation from AMMA.
“Like in the past, the recent interview by the general secretary of AMMA once again sets a dangerous example. An example, that some of the members in the AMMA leadership can use their position to disparage a sub judice criminal investigation. An example, that as the only organisation in the film industry with close to 50% women members, there will be no measures taken to protect, support and encourage them. Instead, it appears that all efforts will be made to alienate and ridicule them and their issues in public. An example, that no matter how adverse a scenario AMMA faces collectively, as an organisation, the entire leadership will stay quiet,” Revathy and Padmapriya said.
In a strong statement, the two actors have said that it is now time for the AMMA leadership to first declare their stand. “Instead of questioning us, it is time they question themselves and share their views with all of us,” they said.
The letter has been addressed to the AMMA Executive Committee members namely Mohanlal, Mukesh, Jagadish, Aju Varghese, Asif Ali, Baburaj Jacob, Honey Rose, Indrans, Jayasurya, Rachana Narayanankutty, Shwetha Menon, Sudhir Karamana, Tiny Tom and Unni Shivapal.
Meanwhile, Edavela Babu has continued to defend his statement claiming that the survivor’s character had died in a film produced by AMMA called 20:20, which, he said, is what he meant by saying the dead cannot be brought to life. However, even that is not true. The survivor’s character does not die, but goes into a coma in the film.