Claiming that the “arrows of criticism” after the publication of the Hema Committee report are being directed solely at the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), actor and former AMMA president Mohanlal on Saturday (August 31, 2024) emphasized that “the entire industry is answerable” for the issues highlighted in the report.
In his first interaction with the media following the release of the report on August 19, and the subsequent abrupt dissolution of the AMMA executive committee earlier this week, Mr. Mohanlal addressed widespread concerns and clarified his stance on the matter. He stated, “People have been asking where Mohanlal disappeared when such an issue happened. I haven’t run away from anything. I had personal commitments in various cities and later had to be with my wife who underwent a surgery. The final mix of my debut directorial ‘Barroz’ was also ongoing, which due to these issues, has now been postponed. I don’t know how to speak authoritatively. So, I don’t do press conferences usually.”
In his remarks, Mr. Mohanlal attempted to diffuse the singular focus on AMMA, underscoring that the problems mentioned in the Hema Committee’s findings were industry-wide concerns that required a collective response from all sectors involved in Malayalam cinema. “Issues that are happening in the other sectors are part of cinema too. I welcome the Hema Committee report. I had presented myself before the committee and answered all their questions. The entire industry should answer for the report. It is not right to crucify AMMA or an individual for each and every matter. We decided to dissolve the committee after consultations with lawyers and seniors as most of the criticism was being unnecessarily directed at AMMA,” explained Mr. Mohanlal.
Despite these efforts to project a unified front, Mr. Mohanlal’s session with the media was notably brief and his responses to the questions posed were perceived as evasive.
. The interaction concluded shortly after the actor responded to only a couple of inquiries, without providing direct or detailed answers.
Delving into the impact of the ongoing criticism, Mr. Mohanlal expressed concerns about the potential damage to the Malayalam film industry. “Thousands of people depend on this industry for survival. Now, this industry is facing destruction. I request you to not focus on us too much and destroy this industry. Those who are found to have done wrong should be punished. Actors are sentimental beings, who can get excited or even shattered by small issues. What has happened is deeply painful,” he lamented.
Addressing the existence of alleged power groups within the industry, he stated, “I am not aware of the existence of any power group in the Malayalam film industry.” Furthermore, when asked whether the names of the perpetrators, which were redacted from the Hema Committee report, should be made public, Mr. Mohanlal responded, “It should come out, but it is for the government to decide.”
He highlighted that the report offered numerous suggestions for improving the industry and voiced his hope that it would spur a broad movement for change, starting in Kerala and spreading to other fields. “Let this be a big movement which starts from Kerala. I hope it happens in every other field,” he said.
Throughout the session, his repeated answer to several questions reflected a sense of helplessness about the larger issues at play. “What can I say about this?” was his oft-quoted reply. Concluding his interaction, he added, “If you ask me more questions, I won’t be able to answer because these are things beyond my control.”
Mr. Mohanlal’s comments highlight the complex challenges and criticisms facing the Malayalam film industry following the Hema Committee report, calling for a collective industry-wide response rather than targeting individual bodies like AMMA.
