One Day, Many Resignations: Parvathy Thiruvothu's Post Adds to the Drama
The Malayalam film industry is in turmoil as key figures from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KCA) announced their resignations today. The resignations have sparked significant discussion and concern within the industry, particularly following serious allegations and controversies.
Kerala Chalachitra Academy Chairman Ranjith and AMMA General Secretary Siddique both stepped down amid a storm of accusations. Ranjith resigned in the wake of criticism related to allegations made by a Bengali actress, while Siddique’s resignation followed allegations of sexual harassment from a young Malayalam actress. These resignations come shortly after the Kerala government released a redacted version of the Hema Committee report, which exposed numerous issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.
Adding to the day's drama, actress Parvathy Thiruvothu shared a cryptic story on her Instagram and Facebook accounts. The story, originally posted by user navya.pulkurni, featured a picture of women linking arms and weaving their hair into a single braid. The accompanying text read: “I still remember...When they had nobody with them...when everyone was questioning them...when double standards of artists were evident...they shared this picture and held each other just like this.” Navya.pulkurni tagged Thiruvothu, actor-director Geethu Mohandas, and actress Rima Kallingal in the post.
Thiruvothu’s caption for the story read: “When most of the industry did this, we did have some amazing people who helped us keep the embers burning. We are always going to be so grateful for them!” The post appears to acknowledge the support from certain individuals during challenging times, highlighting a sense of solidarity amidst the ongoing controversies.
The resignation of these prominent figures and Thiruvothu’s reflective post underscore the ongoing turmoil in the Malayalam film industry, as it grapples with issues of accountability and support for women in the field.