Shwetha Menon elected first female president of AMMA
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In a landmark development for Malayalam cinema, actor Shwetha Menon has been elected as the first woman president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
Her election follows nearly a year of uncertainty after former president Mohanlal resigned in August 2024.
Speaking to ANI after her historic victory, Menon said she hopes to initiate positive changes within the organisation. "I haven't planned anything..I do have an agenda...This is a very big matter...Please don't expect miracles, but we will be doing something for a change," she said.
Mohanlal and the 17-member executive committee had stepped down last year following mounting criticism over the Justice K Hema Committee report, which highlighted sexual harassment and systemic exploitation in Mollywood. The committee revealed that a small group of male producers, directors, and actors wielded disproportionate power in the industry.
In response to its findings, the Kerala government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the concerns raised by several women actors.
Earlier this year, actor Unni Mukundan also resigned as AMMA’s treasurer, citing mounting work pressure and its toll on his mental health.
Menon’s victory comes even as she faces a legal battle. Last week, the Kerala High Court stayed proceedings in a case filed against her under the IT Act and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The complaint alleged she had acted in “obscene” film scenes and advertisements for financial gain.
The court, however, noted that mandatory procedures before forwarding the complaint to police were not followed.
Menon, in her plea, said the accusations were “mala fide”, stressing that the cited films — including Paleri Manikyam, Rathinirvedham, and Kalimannu — were all censor-certified. She further argued that the controversial condom advertisement had also been approved by the censor board years ago.
“The allegation of the petitioner (Menon) being privy to running porn sites is absurd and per se defamatory,” her plea stated, adding that the complaint’s timing was linked to her AMMA candidacy.
Best known for her performances in Salt N Pepper, Rathinirvedham, and Kalimannu, Menon also won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress for Paleri Manikyam.