Kerala film body votes Friday as two women eye AMMA’s top posts
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Shwetha Menon and Devan.
Kochi: The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) is set for one of the most fiercely contested elections in its history on Friday, with the prospect of a woman president for the first time since the organisation’s inception.
Voting will be held at a city hotel, where the spotlight is firmly on the high-stakes face-off between popular actress Shwetha Menon and actor-turned-BJP leader Devan for the president’s post. A win for Menon would be historic, breaking a decades-old male leadership pattern.
The contest for the general secretary’s position is equally intense, as actress Kuku Parameswaran goes head-to-head with veteran actor Raveendran. Should Parameswaran triumph, she would also become the first woman to hold this influential office.
An AMMA member, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the presidential and secretary races as “touch and go,” with no clear favourites. “There’s no official panel this time — each candidate is fighting individually. Both top contests are split 50-50. While 500 members are eligible to vote, turnout may reach only about 50 per cent,” the member said.
The run-up to the election has been marked by heightened tensions. Last week, AMMA’s ad-hoc committee imposed a gag order, barring members from speaking to the media about internal matters until after polling. The directive followed a public spat between actresses Ponnamma Babu and Mala Parvathy over the association’s finances, a dispute that reportedly drew concern from industry veterans Mohanlal and Mammootty, prompting election officials to warn of strict action against violators.
Whoever wins will inherit pressing challenges, including unresolved matters with the Income Tax Department. With key leadership posts at stake and history possibly in the making, AMMA’s 2024 election is being seen as a defining moment for the organisation, and potentially a turning point for women’s representation in Malayalam cinema’s most influential body.
With IANS inputs