After expulsion and legal row, Sandra Thomas makes burqa-clad return to Film Chamber to file nomination

Kochi: As a token of protest against the “gaze of some hawk-eyed producers”, film producer Sandra Thomas arrived at the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) office on Saturday wearing a burqa to submit her nomination papers for the president’s role in the upcoming August 14 election. 

Speaking to the media after filing her papers, Thomas said, “I felt this is the apt cloth to wear here, after all the experiences I’ve had. This place has been a monopoly for years, of 10 to 15 men."

Her burqa-clad entry was a symbolic act reflecting her discomfort over being constantly scrutinised within an industry she says is dominated by a select few. Amid her ongoing feud with the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), Thomas’s move has reignited conversations around gender, power and transparency in Mollywood’s inner circles.

Her battle within the industry

Sandra’s bold move follows her recent expulsion from the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) for what the organisation termed a violation of disciplinary standards. The decision came after Thomas sharply criticised the functioning of the association, particularly in the aftermath of the Hema Committee Report, which investigated issues of gender discrimination and misconduct in the Malayalam film industry.

The association had sought clarification from Thomas regarding her remarks, but her response was deemed unsatisfactory, leading to a show-cause notice and her eventual removal.

In her complaints, Thomas alleged that senior officials of the association used derogatory language during a meeting on film distribution. A police case was filed in connection with this.

Sandra, along with fellow producer Sheela Kurian, had earlier demanded a change in the KFPA’s leadership, accusing the organisation of operating based on the whims of a select few. She also criticised how concerns raised by women producers were trivialised or ridiculed, even in meetings meant to address their issues.

A letter issued by the Producers Association after the Hema Committee’s findings was also called into question, with Sandra stating that the group failed to provide any clear or meaningful response.

Adding to the controversy, producer Listin Stephen had filed a defamation suit against Sandra Thomas in the Ernakulam Magistrate Court, seeking ₹2 crore in damages. The complaint follows a social media post by Thomas, which allegedly responded to Listin’s veiled criticism of a leading Malayalam actor.