Actor Parvathy tendered her resignation to the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on Monday. The award-winning actor registered her protest after AMMA General Secretary Edavela Babu in an interview on Reporter TV made a remark about a female actor.
In her letter posted on her social media pages, Parvathy said, "In 2018, when my friends resigned from A.M.M.A, I stayed back thinking at least a few should continue to work within a broken system and help repair it. But after watching A.M.M.A General Secretary speak to Reporter TV's Nikesh Kumar, I have abandoned all hope that anything will ever change within this association. His utterly disgusting and mortifying remark comparing a woman member who had been badly let down by this organisation and consequently left it, to a dead person is beyond correction.
Mr. Babu may believe he just used a metaphor, but it shows his nauseating attitude and I pity him. I am sure that when the media starts discussing this remark, many of his peers will support him. I’m certain about this because of the way they have always dealt with issues pertaining to women. I would like to resign from A.M.M.A with immediate effect. Moreover, I strongly demand the resignation of Mr.Edavela Babu. I hope other conscientious members will also demand for the same, and I will be keenly watching to see who will come forward. I urge every member to see that it’s a hazy bubble of “welfare” that’s wrapped around a core of corrupt morals."
In the interview, Edavela Babu was answering a question on a proposed project to be made by AMMA members. It has been speculated that AMMA will come together to make a film to raise funds along the lines of Twenty: 20, which was made in 2008 and was produced by actor Dileep. When the anchor asked Edavela Babu if the female actor who'd been part of Twenty; 20, would be part of this film, too, the AMMA General Secretary said, "She is not part of AMMA any more, that's all I can say."
The anchor pointed out that she had done a good role in the earlier film, to which Edavela Babu said, "Just like we can't bring back those who are dead, we can only make films with those who are in AMMA. She's not in AMMA and that's all I can say."
Rima Kallingal, Geethu Mohandas and Remya Nambeessan had quit AMMA in June 2018 after the film body under Mohanlal's leadership, took steps to reinstate expelled actor Dileep amid objections from the WCC (Women in Cinema Collective). Dileep is currently accused of masterminding the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent woman actor in the film industry. The WCC was founded soon after the attack, in solidarity with the survivor. The Malayalam film industry has since been split into those who support Dileep and those who have extended their solidarity to the survivor and the WCC.
Edavela Babu had previously told the police that the survivor had spoken about Dileep depriving her of opportunities in the film industry due to a grudge. However, he recently turned into a hostile witness in court. When asked about this in the interview, Edavela Babu said, "The police did not read out my statement to me. It was not written before me." He also claimed that he had said earlier that the police version of his statement was untrue, and that while the survivor might have orally discussed many issues with him, a written complaint was never submitted to AMMA.