Thiruvananthapuram: Actor Mohanlal has explained his delayed response to the ongoing discussions related to the Hema Committee Report. The actor attributed his delayed response to his wife’s surgery and his commitments to his directorial debut, Barroz. 

This was the first time he spoke publicly after resigning as President of the (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) AMMA.

Addressing the media on Saturday, Mohanlal said, "I haven’t been away. I’ve been with [the industry] for the past 47 years and I’ve been very cooperative with everyone". 

He detailed his recent absence from Kerala, noting that he had been in Gujarat, Mumbai, and Chennai. “I wasn’t in Kerala for the past couple of days. I was in Gujarat, Mumbai, and Chennai. The main reason was, that my wife had to undergo surgery, and I was with her in the hospital the entire time. Also, there are experts working on a contract basis who have been hired from abroad to work on the final cut of my directorial debut, Barroz. So, I could not leave it immediately and head out.”

The actor is scheduled to attend two public events later: the Baby John Memorial meeting at 2:30 pm and the Sreemohanam-Sreekumaran Thampi Foundation award ceremony at 6:30 pm. It is expected that he may provide further comments on the situation during these events. 

The controversy has sparked strong reactions, with many calling for a complete restructuring of AMMA's leadership. There is growing advocacy for a new leadership team that includes more female artists, aiming to address these issues and restore confidence in the organisation. The silence of prominent actors like Mohanlal and Mammootty has further fuelled the debate and intensified scrutiny of the report's allegations.