On June 21, 2026, a pleasant Sunday morning, Malayalam film stars started arriving in their luxury vehicles at a convention center in Ernakulam.
Waving and greeting each other and the media persons who were eagerly clicking photographs of the tinsel town stars, they moved to the conference hall where the annual general body meeting of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) was to be held.
Inside the hall, they smiled and hugged each other, shook hands with some and made small talk. The atmosphere was completely cordial, pleasant and cordial.
No one had any idea that this was the calm before the storm.
Minutes after the proceedings began, Shweta Menon, the first woman president of the actors’ organization, walked out of the meeting angrily and announced her resignation from the post.
It was the no-confidence motion brought against her by a section of members that prompted Shweta to announce her resignation. An angry Shweta also announced that she was quitting the primary membership of the organization.
The war of words has started
What unfolded after his announcement was a war of words between various actors allegedly owing allegiance to different factions and groups in the organisation.
Shweta, who was elected to the presidency less than a year ago, defended her decision to postpone it. “I decided to step down because I was not ready to become a puppet in the organization,” she says.
The latest crisis in the actors’ body began with Ansiba Hasan, who had stepped down as joint secretary of the organization four months ago, accusing her former colleague Tiny Tom in the executive committee of making communal and derogatory remarks against her. Thus, the worst public dispute between the members of the association, with a capacity of about 500 actors, since its formation began.
A number of incidents and police complaints were made by warring members following the stormy Annual General Body meeting.
“It was a historic meeting in every sense,” says Ansiba, who rose to fame with the Mohanlal-starrer. Drishyam Regarding voting rights, outcome of the meeting.
courtroom battle
The growing distrust in the association has now turned into a long court battle.
On her part, Shweta reversed her decision to step down and opposed the formation of an ad-hoc committee to run the affairs of the association until new office-bearers were elected. The Ernakulam Munsif Court has stayed the functioning of the ad-hoc body until further instructions are issued.
Launched in 1994 after several actors voiced support “for an organization to protect the interests of the fraternity”, the actors’ union is facing the biggest crisis of its existence as rival camps are in no mood to bow down.
Hema committee report
About two years ago, the organization had faced a similar crisis when the 17-member executive committee led by Mohanlal resigned following the release of the Hema Committee report and widespread media attention regarding allegations of sexual harassment against some office-bearers.
Actor Joy Mathew says the current situation is a result of the lack of competent leadership who knows how to run an organization efficiently.
“We need people who are familiar with democratic values,” says Joy, who has resigned from the Shweta-led executive committee amid the ongoing impasse. “We need people who are familiar with democratic values. The association has become a place driven by factional fights along with people with unbridled power thirst. Since most of the elected members contested the elections individually and not as a panel, the ruling government lacks a common program or vision.”
The internal rift further widened when a section of members raised questions on the leadership over alleged funding by corporates and sponsorship from individuals who had earlier faced various allegations. Apart from organizing star-studded stage shows in collaboration with television channels to generate revenue, the association is accepting donations to run welfare programs including financial assistance to ailing members.
“I was targeted after I opposed the executive committee’s decision to accept donations from a temple trust, arguing that religious and political organizations should be kept out of the association,” says Ansiba.
“Initially the sponsorship was agreed upon at ₹1 crore, but it was later reduced to ₹75 lakh. I don’t know what happened to the remaining ₹25 lakh,” he alleged.
differences over sponsorship
The controversy over accepting sponsorships without checking the credentials of donors escalated when actor Mala Parvati came up with an audio clip, purportedly the voice of a woman leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that a major business group would have donated ₹15 crore to the association if Shweta had remained at the helm.
Mala Parvati alleges, “We suspect whether Shweta’s insistence on continuing in office was in any way linked to some quid pro quo arrangement related to the said funding.” She says, “The association does not need corporate funding. Although members may hold political beliefs, they cannot impose party agendas within the organization.”
Actor Baburaj, former joint secretary of the association, launched a scathing attack on Shweta and accused her of charging commission for providing candidates from within the organization to contest the Kerala Assembly elections on a BJP ticket. “The Shwetha-led panel also failed to present proper accounting statements before the members. The treatment meted out to Ansiba was unjust as the leadership claimed it had nothing to do with her complaint,” he alleged.
Shweta’s attitude
Shweta, who has mostly responded to the allegations through her social media handles, rejects the allegations.
“I do not understand the logic behind the allegation that a national party which has been in power for more than 12 years would have to pay me money to get a candidate in Kerala. I have no reason to hide my political affiliation, if any, as the executive panel of the association has members from different political affiliations, including the Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the BJP,” she says.
In a letter sent to members he said his panel had realized “mistakes were made due to lack of experience”. She said, “We have initiated necessary corrective measures within the organization. However, I will go to any extent to ensure that the people named in the Hema Committee report do not lead the association. My fight is against the powerful group that humiliated me and tried to oust me from the Annual General Body meeting.”
patriarchal structure
The latest episode has exposed systemic flaws within an organization struggling to deal with the challenges it faces and to break out of its long-standing image of being a patriarchal structure.
As actors Revathi and Padmapriya explained in a social media post: “The aim of the Sangh was to stand as a collective voice for all actors. But it is increasingly being shaped by patriarchy and power politics, undermining its founding ideals.” Both of them were among those who stepped down recently.
The duo, who are also founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective, say the resignations were not an act of principle following the Hema Committee report on the problems of women in the Malayalam film industry. “They were avoiding accountability. Once the focus shifted, the same old system came back. Powers keep finding new ways to protect themselves. Faces change. Methods change. But the structures that enable inequality remain untouched,” he says.
The seeds of discontent arising from allegations that some vested interest elements are trying to insert their own agenda into the association have endangered the voices in Malayalam cinema.
‘Threat to secular character’
“Malayalam cinema will have to remain alert to the Sangh Parivar’s attempts to destabilize the secular character of Kerala society,” warns senior filmmaker Kamal.
“It is true that such attempts are visible in Malayalam cinema and it remains a matter of concern. It was disturbing to hear reports that communally loaded references were allegedly made against Ansiba. Senior actors of Malayalam cinema, who have always been secular, should address the concerns raised by them,” he suggested.
Amidst the huge internal strife, some senior members have come forward and highlighted the need to protect the interests of their members. Actor and former minister KB Ganesh Kumar believes, “This organization holds great relevance in the society. It is a huge support system for many ailing members and we cannot let it derail.”
Actor Raveendran reminds, “We have to realize that the association was formed to create and develop fellowship among the members and to help those who need support.” He further said, “There may be differences of opinion among the members and it may even go out of control. But we are unanimous that no one should try to break the association.”
Actor Jayan Cherthala, who has resigned from the Shweta-led executive committee, says everyone will have to follow the decisions taken in the general body meeting. He says, “There is no point in airing one’s dirty laundry in public. The general body is the highest decision-making forum of the organisation.”
Despite such calls for unity, there are no immediate signs of a thaw between the feuding factions as the association faces fresh uncertainty following the ongoing legal tussle.
Actor-turned-politician Ramesh Pisharody, who has resigned from the post of convenor of the ad-hoc committee, says that by the time the court gives its final verdict, the organization will be ready for the next election of office-bearers.
“How can a person who had publicly announced his resignation from the primary membership of the association approach the court to question the formation of an ad-hoc committee as its president?” he asks. “We are not here to engage in street fighting, but to ensure the welfare of our members,” he says.
However, Shweta has still not calmed down and is determined to continue her fight. “I will not give up and I will not back down,” she says.
The organization looks towards a bleak future as the warring stars are determined to take the fight to new levels.
