Malayalam filmmaker Aashiq Abu quits FEFKA over Hema Committee report
What's the story
Prominent Malayalam filmmaker Aashiq Abu has announced his resignation from the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) Director's Union.
The move comes as a response to the union's handling of the Hema Committee report, which investigated allegations of sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry.
In his resignation letter, Abu criticized FEFKA's leadership, particularly General Secretary B Unnikrishnan, for their "hypocritical" stance and inaction on the report's findings.
Background
Abu's long-standing association with FEFKA
Abu joined FEFKA in 2009 and he was later elected to its executive committee.
Despite his efforts to address various issues within the federation, he found its actions inadequate, especially in matters requiring immediate attention.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with the union's handling of his monetary disputes with a producer, revealing that FEFKA not only failed to intervene initially but also demanded a 20% commission from the amount he received through their intervention.
Details
'FEFKA's leadership under Unnikrishnan is hypocritical...'
Abu reportedly wrote in his resignation letter, "I have no issues with FEFKA itself, but I strongly disagree with how the association is being run under B Unnikrishnan's leadership. The government should recognize his hypocritical stance and remove him from the policy panel."
In response to Abu's resignation and allegations, FEFKA reaffirmed its commitment to addressing misconduct within the industry.
It also assured that necessary action would be taken if complaints were filed against its members.
Related news
Malayalam actors raised concerns over AMMA's dissolution
In related news, Malayalam actors Shammi Thilakan and Anoop Chandran expressed their concerns over the dissolution of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
They criticized the association's silence after the Hema Committee report and called for a thorough review and prompt response.
They also felt that the mass resignations didn't do justice to those who elected them and suggested that the association could have expressed solidarity with the women instead of resigning.