The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) has drawn flak from the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) for allowing actor and director Vijay Babu to attend its general body meeting on Sunday. Babu has been accused of rape by a junior female actor.
WCC secretary and scriptwriter Deedi Damodaran said AMMA’s action was unfortunate and highly deplorable. She said the actress had complained to the police that the actor had raped her several times while offering her roles in his new movies.
Babu had left India after the police complaint and came back to Kerala only after getting anticipatory bail. The WCC took objection after he attended the general body meeting held by AMMA, of which he is a member.
In a related development, Malayalam actress Swetha Menon, who was an AMMA internal complaints committee (ICC) member, and who had resigned from the committee on the issue of Babu continuing as a member of the organisation after the police had registered a rape case against him, was also present throughout the general body meeting.
Clarifying the association’s stand, Edavela Babu, actor and AMMA general secretary, said Vijay Babu continues to be a member of the organisation as his case is subjudice and the court has not yet given a verdict against him.
The AMMA president is Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, while actor Mammooty is also a part of the body.
