Shwetha Menon elected as AMMA's first-ever woman president
What's the story
In a historic move, actor Shwetha Menon has been elected as the first-ever woman president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). The election results were announced on Friday, with Menon winning by a margin of 27 votes. She received 159 votes while her opponent, Devan, got 132. After the announcement, she said, "You all said AMMA should be a woman and today that moment has come. AMMA is now a woman."
Leadership goals
Menon's vision for AMMA
Menon (51) has expressed her intention to focus on inclusion and healing during her tenure as president. She emphasized the need to bring back members who had resigned or left due to disagreements. "Those who resigned from AMMA will return. Those who left in disagreement should come back, if necessary, I will personally invite them," she said. She also extended an olive branch to the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) members, saying they were "all part of the AMMA family."
Executive committee
New leaders elected
The election also saw new leaders being elected to key positions in AMMA. Kukku Parameswaran was elected as General Secretary with 172 votes, defeating Ravindran, who got 115 votes, reported The Times of India. Lakshmipriya won the vice-president position with 139 votes, while Nasser Latheef received 96 votes. As she took on her new role, Menon reflected on the core essence of the profession: "I believe there is no gender divide in cinema. Only characters exist."
Historical win
Historic shift in leadership
Menon's election as president and Parameswaran's as General Secretary mark a significant shift in AMMA's leadership. This is the first time that women have held two pivotal posts in the association. The elections were held after the previous committee, headed by Mohanlal, resigned in August 2024 following sexual harassment allegations against some of its office bearers.
Legal proceedings
Legal troubles and career achievements
Earlier this month, a case was filed against Menon for allegedly acting in films and advertisements with obscene content. However, the Kerala High Court has quashed further proceedings in the case. Menon is a two-time winner of the Best Actress award at the Kerala State Film Awards and has worked extensively in Malayalam and Hindi cinema. She was also crowned Femina Miss India Asia Pacific in 1994.