Hyderabad: Noted Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan has resigned from his role as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy following allegations of misconduct by Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra. Sreelekha accused Ranjith of inappropriate behavior during the 2009 audition for the film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha. In a related development, Mollywood actor Siddique resigned from his position as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) over a sexual assault allegation.
Siddique's resignation comes in response to accusations made by a female actor on August 24, who alleged that Siddique sexually abused her after inviting her for a movie discussion. Siddique confirmed his resignation to the media, stating he had submitted his letter to AMMA President Mohanlal. "Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned," Siddique said.
Both resignations are seen as a significant moment for the ongoing fight against abuse within the industry, especially in light of the recent revelations from the Hema Committee report. The allegations surfaced shortly after the release of the Hema Committee report, which highlighted systemic sexual abuse and harassment in the Malayalam film industry. The report detailed numerous incidents of exploitation, casting couch practices, and other forms of misconduct.
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