Kochi: Tensions flared during the Kerala Film Producers’ Association’s organisational election meeting on Monday after Malayalam producer Sandra Thomas challenged the association’s decision to reject her nomination.

Sandra had submitted her nomination to contest for the posts of President, Executive Committee member, and Treasurer.

According to the association’s bylaws, candidates must have produced at least three films to qualify. While Sandra argued that she met the eligibility criteria, the election committee disagreed.

She pointed out that she had co-produced seven films under the banner of Friday Film House and independently produced two more. Sandra maintained that the films under Friday Film House were certified in her name and should count toward her eligibility. “If the films are in my name, how can they not be considered mine?” she asked during the meeting.

The situation escalated into a heated exchange, with senior producer and current office-bearer Suresh Kumar opposing her claim.

A verbal confrontation between the two led to tense moments during the meeting.

Later, addressing the media, Sandra strongly criticised the association’s handling of her nomination.

“As per bylaw 23, any regular member can contest for key posts if their name appears on the censor certificate of at least three films. I fulfil every qualification laid out in the bylaws. Yet, my nomination was rejected unlawfully using a returning officer whose appointment itself was illegal,” she alleged.

“They knew they couldn’t defeat me in a democratic setup, so they resorted to unfair tactics. Everyone in the meeting witnessed how the association’s so-called goons, Siyad Koker and Suresh Kumar, behaved like goons,” she said.

Sandra also questioned the credibility of the rejection process, claiming that the members didn’t even examine all nine films she had registered with the association. “Out of the nine films I’ve produced, at least four or five were commercially successful. No Malayali can deny that I’ve made more than two Malayalam films,” she said.