AMMA "bias" against survivor, supporting accused actor: WCC

: Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), an outfit of women in the Malayalam film industry, Saturday came down heavily on actors's body AMMA for allegedly showing "bias" against the young actress who was abducted and molested in her car in Kochi last year.

In an emotionally charged press meet in Kochi, the WCC leaders said that instead of support, the leadership of the Association for Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) had been indulging in "victim shaming" and publically "mocking" at women who had chosen to speak about the matter.

They also alleged that though AMMA is the lone such body in the Malayalam film industry, it was acting against the interests of women and was not a "safe place" to discuss their issues.

A platform of women actors, directors, script writers and singers of the Malayalam industry, the WCC was launched soon after the shocking actress assault incident, to ensure gender justice and safeguard women's rights in the film world.

The WCC members have been on the warpath since the actors' body had decided to reinstate prominent actor Dileep, who was arrested on charges of conspiracy in the actress assault casein February 2017 and later released on bail.

The WCC last July had demanded an emergency executive meeting of AMMA to discuss the row over the decision to take back the accused actor.

Senior south Indian actress and WCC leader Revathy told reporters that AMMA was continuing its "apathetic" stand to the survivor at a time when the nation and its film industry were extending support to women in the #Me Too campaign and distancing preparators,
At a time when celerbrities like Amir Khan and Akshay Kumar were extending support to victims who had shared their harrowing experiences through #Me Too campaign in Bollywood, "here, in Mollywood, a director is offering a chance to the accused in his next movie."