Renowned actor Siddique on Sunday resigned from his post as general secretary of the Malayalam Movie Artists Association. Image: malayalamcinema.com
Rocked by the Justice K Hema Committee’s explosive findings on harassment and abuse of women professionals, the Malayalam film industry on Sunday witnessed two high-profile resignations related to such issues, including that of director Ranjith, who resigned as president of a state film academy.
Even as political pressure mounted against Ranjith, actor Siddique resigned as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) amid voices within his fraternity calling for his resignation.
Ranjith, a prominent filmmaker, came under fire after a Bengali actress accused him of misconduct years ago, but the issue came to light after the Hema Committee report was made public.
Additionally, an actress had levelled allegations of sexual assault against Siddique on August 24.
Ranjith resigned as principal of the government-run Chalachitra Academy in Kerala on Sunday and announced his decision through an audio clip sent to a television channel.
He resigned amid an outcry from the opposition, Congress and BJP, demanding that he step down.
Ranjith said he does not want to continue in office as it would adversely affect the reputation of the Left government in the state and that he will legally fight the allegations against him.
“Since the day I took office as president of the Academy, a certain sector of the population has targeted me. I need to prove to society that the accusations are false. I have decided to take legal action and bring the truth to light,” he is heard saying in the audio clip.
“Many people, including the media, are attacking me without understanding the truth. In this context, I have decided to resign from the post,” Ranjith added.
The Bengali actor had recently alleged that the award-winning filmmaker had behaved inappropriately when she came to shoot a film he had directed. The filmmaker has rejected the actor’s accusation and said that he was the “real victim” in the case.
After Ranjith announced his resignation, state cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan told reporters in the state capital that the government would accept the filmmaker’s resignation as soon as he submitted it.
Reaffirming that the left-wing government has always supported victims in matters relating to sexual assault and abuse, the minister also rejected allegations that he had tried to protect the accused director.
“I have always been a staunch defender of women in all areas. The left-wing government’s position on this issue is also very clear. We are always on the side of the victims in such cases. Strict measures will be taken against the offenders.”
Siddique, a senior actor, said he has sent his resignation letter to AMMA president and leading star Mohanlal.
“Since there were allegations against me, I decided not to continue in office and resigned,” Siddique said.
An actress on Saturday alleged that Siddique had sexually assaulted her after inviting her to a discussion about a film.
Meanwhile, several AMMA members welcomed the veteran actor’s decision to step down from the organisation’s top post in the wake of the allegations.
AMMA vice president Jayan Cherthala said it was not appropriate for Siddique to continue in office even after such serious allegations surfaced against him.
Noted actor Anoop Chandran said he had sent an email to Mohanlal on Sunday morning detailing the need to seek Siddique’s resignation.
“The continuance of a person facing serious allegations is actually an insult to the entire organisation. That is why I said in the email that if Siddique was not willing to step down on his own, the executive committee should be prepared to remove him,” Chandran told reporters.
Actress Mala Parvathy said Siddique’s decision to quit was “morally and ethically correct”.
“The actor’s resignation is inevitable… it is an appropriate decision. If that female victim had the courage to come forward to society and detail the trauma she suffered, we should understand the intensity of the pain and humiliation she suffered,” he said.
Director Ranjith was forced to announce his resignation following intense protests against him and the state government in view of the shocking charges.
BJP activists staged a protest march to Ranjith’s residence in Kozhikode this morning demanding his resignation.
The report of the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 assault case on the actress, has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, prompting calls for action against the culprits.
First published: August 25, 2024 | 09:23 IS
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