"We are not puppets": Inside explosive collapse of AMMA’s female leadership

KOCHI: In a dramatic turn of events mirroring a high-octane movie script, the woman-led governing body of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) dissolved on Sunday following a wave of mass resignations.

President Shweta Menon and General Secretary Cuckoo Parameswaran, along with the entire 17-member executive committee, stepped down following intense internal friction and a heated dispute over unaccounted funds worth ₹67 lakh. In a further blow to the association, Shweta Menon also resigned from her primary membership in AMMA.

The historic committee, which took charge just 10 months ago to break a 31-year-old male-dominated stronghold, collapsed following a stormy general body meeting. The committee had originally assumed power on a clean-up mandate after previous male leadership faced severe public backlash for allegedly shielding actors accused in the infamous actor assault case.

Following the collapse, an interim ad-hoc committee has been formed to handle day-to-day operations. Helmed by Ramesh Pisharody, MLA, as its convener, the ad-hoc committee was set up under the guidance of veteran actors Jagadish and KB Ganesh Kumar, following the exit of top stars. The interim body is expected to present a comprehensive financial report at a general body meeting in four months.

Genesis of rift

The path for the woman-led panel opened last year after criminal cases against prominent actors Dileep and Siddique forced the previous Siddique-led committee to step down. Shweta Menon and Cuckoo Parameswaran subsequently won the leadership roles, promising systemic reform.

However, the administration was soon plagued by power struggles. Tensions escalated when Shweta accused General Secretary Cuckoo Parameswaran and Treasurer Unni Shivapal of sidelining her to run the organisation unilaterally. The breaking point occurred when the General Secretary terminated office manager, Atulya Prakash, without the President’s knowledge. Though the employee was eventually reinstated after an intense standoff, the administrative rift widened, forcing Treasurer Unni Shivapal to go on mandatory leave.

Escalating controversies and legal battles

By February, the internal crisis spilled into the public eye. Joint Secretary Ansiba Hassan resigned from her post after levelling serious allegations against fellow committee members Tini Tom and Lakshmi Priya.

Despite AMMA serving Ansiba a show-cause notice, she refused to back down and filed a formal police complaint. In retaliation, Lakshmi Priya lodged a counter-complaint with the police against Ansiba, effectively polarising the leadership.

The financial dispute caught fire during a family get-together organised in February. A temple trust had reportedly offered a ₹70 lakh sponsorship for the event—a move strongly opposed by Ansiba and a few others. The leadership’s failure to present clear accounts of this transaction sowed the seeds for yesterday's final showdown.

Final showdown at Kakkanad

The general body meeting convened yesterday at Chittilappilly Square in Kakkanad witnessed low attendance, with the younger crop of actors and major stars giving it a miss. Superstar and former AMMA President Mohanlal was one of the few prominent faces in attendance.

When the committee presented its financial report, it was met with immediate uproar from members who pointed out massive discrepancies. The floor witnessed shouting matches over the missing details of ₹67 lakh connected to the family get-together. Shweta defended the lapse, stating that the accounts remained incomplete because Treasurer Unni Shivapal had been forced out of active duty.

As the chaos peaked, actor Baburaj attempted to move a no-confidence motion against the leadership. When pulled into the debate, Mohanlal maintained a neutral stance, stating he would stand by whatever collective decision the general body reached.

After Ansiba Hassan detailed the systemic failures and personal hostility she faced within the committee, compromise talks collapsed completely, prompting the historic mass resignation.

"We are not puppets" — Shweta Menon

Speaking to the media after walking out, a defiant Shweta Menon did not hold back.

"I have a lot to reveal, and I am no longer a member of AMMA. A targeted conspiracy was hatched by certain accused individuals to systematically dismantle the female leadership. Women are not puppets, and I am certainly not ready to be one. The failure to present the full accounts lies squarely on the blunders of the previous committee, of which Baburaj was a key part."