Thiruvananthapuram: Facing severe censure for not speaking up for one of its members and criticised for its members booing journalists during a recent press conference, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (Amma) president Innocent has apologised to the media.
Innocent and the association have been facing criticism after Amma’s leaders said at the conclusion of its general body meeting last week that an actress who was abducted and abused earlier this year and one of the alleged conspirators in the case “are both our children”.
When journalists asked about the allegations against popular actor Dileep, Amma officials and well-known actors Mukesh and K.B. Ganesh Kumar reacted angrily while some other stars booed the media and leading stars Mammootty and Mohanlal remained mum.
“Yes, two of us got up and spoke angrily that day. They did not use any bad language but spoke in a poor manner. That was because they got excited. And some booed. That was wrong and I apologise for that,” Innocent said on Wednesday.
However, even as the president apologised to the media, the newly formed actresses’ body, the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), rebuffed Innocent for his statement that women were not exploited in the cinema field now as much as before.
The WCC said it objected to Innocent’s statement that made it sound like the film world was “an abuse-free sector”.
The actresses’ association said, “The higher-lower levels of power that exists in society is repeated in the film world, too. The fact that many newcomers who come to this field seeking opportunities face exploitation even now is because such power equations exist. Why, it is only recently that some of our own colleagues spoke up about the casting couch”.
Meanwhile, ‘Pulsar’ Suni who has been in jail for allegedly abducting and abusing the actress, said he would reveal the names of “big sharks” involved in the case within two days.
Police have already questioned leading actor Dileep, his friend and actor-director Nadir Shah and Dileep’s manager, Appunny. Police have hinted that all three may be summoned again for questioning after studying their statements.
Suni made the threat of revealing names while being brought to the district magistrate’s court in Kakkanad in connection with the case of abducting and abusing the actress.
Suni is also accused of making mobile phone calls while in jail. Police have confirmed that by verifying visuals from cameras in jail.
