#MeToo hits Kerala film industry: Siddique, Ranjith resign amidst Hema committee report fallout
Both leaders resigned following the Hema committee report's revelations
Dubai: Veteran actor Siddique and acclaimed filmmaker Ranjith have resigned from their leadership positions in the Malayalam film industry on Sunday following allegations of misconduct.
Siddique stepped down as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), while Ranjith resigned as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy.
Both resignations come in the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed a culture of sexual harassment and casting couch practices within the industry.
Siddique submitted his resignation letter to AMMA President Mohanlal on Sunday, stating, "I am stepping down from the position in light of the allegations against me."
Actress Revathy Sampath accused Siddique of sexually assaulting her when she was 21 years old, claiming that the incident occurred after he contacted her on Facebook and initiated a meeting to discuss a film. The actress described the assault as both physical and mental, saying it had a severe impact on her life and career.
"He assaulted me both physically and mentally. Siddique is a criminal. I endured severe mental trauma, which even affected my professional life. I felt abandoned by the system and struggled to speak out. After the assault, Siddique acted as if nothing had happened and behaved as though it was normal. It seemed everyone responded as if it were a common occurrence," she told the media.
Sampath recounted her escape from the situation, stating, "I fled to get away. I did my best at that age to escape his advances. Siddique said there was nothing I could do, but I managed to get into an auto and leave."
Siddique, a renowned actor with a career spanning over 300 Malayalam films and Tamil movies has faced significant fallout from these allegations.
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On Friday, Mitra publicly accused Ranjith of inappropriate behavior during a visit to his home to discuss a project. She reported feeling uncomfortable due to his subtle advances and left Kerala the next day.
Ranjith has denied the allegations, stating that Mitra was invited for an audition for the film 'Paleri Manikyam', but he determined she was not right for the role and sent her back.
The allegations emerge against the backdrop of the Hema Committee report's release, which revealed widespread sexual abuse in the film industry.
#MeToo hits Malayalam film industry
The release of the Justice Hema Committee report has reignited the #MeToo movement in the Malayalam film industry, sparking a nationwide debate on the exploitation of women in Indian cinema.
The 233-page report, the first of its kind for any Indian film industry, details the power dynamics and pervasive sexual harassment faced by women in Malayalam cinema. The Kerala government appointed the Hema Commission to investigate these issues following the 2017 sexual assault of a popular actress. The commission was tasked with investigating sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry.
The report highlighted the lack of accountability for perpetrators of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry. Siddique, AMMA's general secretary, acknowledged the report's findings but denied any involvement in or knowledge of such practices.