Producer Sandra Thomas has approached the court after being disqualified from contesting the upcoming Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) elections, alleging bias and misconduct by the association’s leadership. According to Sandra, her nomination for the roles of president and treasurer was unfairly rejected, prompting her to move the Ernakulam sub-court seeking justice.

The disqualification was reportedly based on the claim that Sandra holds only two film titles under her name, while the KFPA bylaws require candidates to have at least three censor certificates. Sandra has countered this by highlighting her past as a co-producer with Friday Film House. However, the association maintains that she is no longer officially linked with the banner, and only Vijay Babu remains its registered owner.

Sandra’s candidacy and the controversy around it gained widespread attention late last month when she appeared at the KFPA office in Kochi in a black purdah to file her nomination papers. Since then, she has accused the current leadership of deliberately sidelining her to avoid competition. She specifically targeted KFPA president Anto Joseph, even calling him ‘house-help’ of Mammootty.

In a conversation with Oneindia Malayalam, Sandra further alleged that Mammootty personally called her to request that she withdraw her legal case. She recounted confronting him during the conversation by asking whether he would advise his daughter the same in a similar situation. Following her response, Mammootty reportedly told her to “do as you wish.” Sandra also claimed that the actor subsequently backed out of a film project they had planned together.

In contrast, she mentioned receiving strong moral support from individuals close to Mohanlal, stating that while the actor himself hasn’t directly reached out, she believes their backing reflects his stance as well.

Sandra criticised the KFPA’s functioning, alleging rampant corruption and accusing it of acting as a secondary body to the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Despite the pushback, she remains confident of her support within the industry and believes her candidacy threatened the current leadership’s grip on power.

As the KFPA elections, set for August 14, draw closer, the issue has sparked widespread debate in Kerala’s film circles, highlighting ongoing tensions within the industry.