Ramesh Pisharody-led ad-hoc committee takes charge of AMMA until fresh elections

An ad-hoc committee led by Congress MLA and actor Ramesh Pisharody is set to take charge of the Malayalam movie actors' association, AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists). Former MLA and actor K.B. Ganesh Kumar is also a member of the newly formed interim committee.

The transition follows a massive internal upheaval that resulted in the mass resignation of the entire executive committee, which was led by actor Shweta Menon.

The Ramesh Pisharody-led ad-hoc committee has been given a four-month tenure, during which it must conduct fresh elections to appoint a permanent governing body. The crisis comes roughly a year after AMMA made history by electing a women-led panel, which many hoped would rehabilitate the association’s tarnished public image.

Also read: Mass resignation at AMMA: Entire executive committee quits amid leadership crisis 

However, the experiment collapsed acrimoniously. Resigning from both her presidential post and her primary membership of the association, Shweta Menon claimed she refused to be treated as a "puppet" and alleged that individuals accused of misconduct were attempting to hijack the organisation.

"Myself and my committee have resigned. I have cut all ties with AMMA and stepped down from all responsibilities," Shweta said. "Today, I felt exactly what some women had previously said about this association. There has been a calculated agenda to push the organisation back into the hands of accused individuals. Members arriving for registration were forced to sign a motion of no-confidence. Without a single word to us, they executed an agenda to throw us out." She added that she would disclose further details in due course.

The dramatic mass resignation triggered during a fiery General Body meeting, where members flatly refused to pass the association's annual report and financial accounts, citing severe discrepancies. Although Shweta Menon initially walked out and announced her resignation mid-meeting, she was briefly pacified by colleagues and persuaded to return, only for the entire 17-member executive committee to dissolve itself shortly afterwards.