Kochi, Aug 23 (IANS): Breaking its silence on the sensational Justice Hema Committee report on the condition and sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on Friday welcomed the findings and sought implementation of its recommendations.
Addressing the media at the AMMA office here, General Secretary and popular actor Siddique noted that they have been accused of staying silent and that there has been no response from the AMMA on the report.
"What happened was that we were all busy with a charity show and it got over early on Thursday morning. Then, we had a meeting of our office bearers who were all in different locations. We never ran away," he said.
"This report is not against AMMA. We wholeheartedly welcome the report and its findings. We want the recommendations to be implemented. Two years back, state Minister of Films Saji Cherian called us for a meeting based on the report and we gave our suggestions," said Siddique.
"We have never opposed the release as it is the state government’s brief. All should understand a majority of the women actors are our members and as and when the recommendations are implemented, our own members will be the beneficiaries. The problem is that the media is putting AMMA in the dock for no reason and that hurt us," he added.
"I have been in the industry for the past four decades and I can say with absolute conviction no power group, as mentioned in the report, exists because this is a film industry and no such groups can exist, neither there is a casting couch... We have no qualms that if there is any crime anywhere, it has to be probed and we want to book the wrongdoers if there are any," Siddique said.
"Our topmost actors Mammootty and Mohanlal met the committee and mostly faced questions about the professional fees and such issues. Many of our women members were not asked to appear before the Hema Committee," he maintained.
Senior actress Joemol, who is also an office bearer of the AMMA, said she has had no bad experiences in the industry at all.
AMMA Vice President and popular comedy artiste Jagdeesh, another veteran in the industry for the past four decades, said he welcomes the report.
"Now that the findings are out, let a probe take place and no one in the industry can take a different position. If a wrong has been done, let the law take its course. If these things are happening in our industry, then a correction should take place and these things should never happen at all," he said.
"Now the matter is sub-judice as the High Court has asked for the unedited version and if there are wrongdoers, then they should be punished... that is my view and that of the AMMA. We will wait for their response. If there are names, let the names come out and appropriate action will be taken. The report’s delayed release could have been avoided, had it come five years back, it would have been really nice," Jagdeesh added.
The AMMA's response comes a day after the Kerala High Court admitted a PIL for registering a criminal case on the findings of the Hema Committee. The report contained explosive information on the way a powerful group consisting of top actors and others in the Malayalam film industry has been working.
On Friday, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan wrote to CM Pinarayi Vijayan and also to the Minister of Culture and Films Saji Cherian demanding that a special investigation team of the Kerala Police, led by a female IAS officer, should probe the sexual exploitation of women in the film industry. Now all eyes are on the High Court which asked the state government on the need to keep the report received by the Vijayan government in 2019 without any follow-up action and asked for the unedited version of the report. The case will now be heard on September 10.