Veteran Malayalam actor Siddique has stepped down from his position as the General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), following serious allegations of rape and sexual assault made by an actress. The decision to resign came shortly after the actress reiterated her allegations, originally made in 2019 through a Facebook post, accusing Siddique of assaulting her in a hotel room in 2016 under the pretext of discussing a film project.
Siddique, who has appeared in over 350 films primarily in Malayalam, confirmed his resignation during an interview with Asianet TV. “I have conveyed my resignation to the president of AMMA, Mohanlal. I have taken the decision in light of the allegations raised against me. It’s not fit for me to continue in that post. I would not like to talk about the allegations right now,” he said.
The actress, who has not been named publicly, spoke to the media on Saturday, detailing the traumatic experience she faced as a young entrant in the film industry. She described how Siddique lured her to a hotel on the false promise of a film role that did not exist. “He sexually abused and raped me. He also physically assaulted me. I had to give up my dreams and my time, and I went through a lot of mental trauma,” she recounted.
Siddique’s resignation comes at a time when the Malayalam film industry is already under scrutiny following the release of the Hema committee report. The report, which was commissioned in 2017 after a high-profile actress was kidnapped and assaulted in a moving car, highlighted widespread sexual abuse and harassment against women artists and technicians in the industry. The alleged mastermind behind that attack, actor Dileep, is currently facing charges of criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.
Despite the Hema committee submitting its findings to the government in 2009, the report’s contents only came to light recently, with some testimonies of harassment and abuse being redacted. When questioned about the report last Friday, Siddique had expressed support for its findings but denied the existence of systemic issues like the ‘casting couch’ in the industry. He dismissed allegations about an all-male ‘power group’ that allegedly controls the industry, attributing the testimonies in the report to “a few isolated incidents.”
Siddique’s abrupt resignation and the renewed attention on the Hema committee report have sparked discussions about the challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. As the industry grapples with these revelations, there is growing pressure on AMMA and other bodies to take concrete steps to address sexual harassment and ensure a safer working environment for all.
Sources By Agencies
