Revathy and Padmapriya resigned from AMMA after nearly a decade seeking institutional reforms.
Joint statement criticised patriarchy, accountability failures and entrenched power structures within the organisation.
Resignations renew debate surrounding the Hema Committee Report and women's workplace safety.
Revathy and Padmapriya have resigned from AMMA, saying their decision was shaped by years of disappointment rather than a single incident. In a joint statement shared on social media, the actors said they had spent nearly a decade seeking safer workplaces, dignity, accountability and equal treatment within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. They added that the organisation had failed to deliver meaningful change despite repeated calls for reform.
Revathy and Padmapriya explain why they resigned from AMMA
In their statement, it was said by Revathy and Padmapriya that they had remained with the organisation because they believed change was still possible. However, they argued that the resignations following the Hema Committee Report did not reflect genuine accountability and that, once public attention faded, "the same old order" returned.
The actors also said they had experienced silence and distance from colleagues while continuing to raise concerns about workplace equality and institutional reform.
Actors allege patriarchy and power politics within AMMA
The statement further alleged that "power keeps finding new ways to protect itself", with structures enabling inequality remaining unchanged despite leadership changes. It was argued that AMMA, originally created as a collective voice for actors, had increasingly become influenced by patriarchy and power politics, weakening its founding principles.
Revathy and Padmapriya stressed that leaving the organisation should not be viewed as defeat but as an act of self-respect. They also expressed hope that the Malayalam film industry would evolve into a space where future generations of women would not have to fight the same battles.
The resignations come amid continuing discussions around reforms within AMMA following the Hema Committee Report. Both actors, who have been associated with the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), have previously criticised the organisation's handling of issues concerning women's safety, including its response to the 2017 actor sexual assault case.
