Political fault lines to the fore in Mollywood

Salim Kumar quits AMMA over Mohanlal’s poll campaign

Backstage, so many Malayalam movie stars getting into the electoral arena this poll may be taking a toll on their public bonhomie. Actor Salim Kumar resigned from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on Friday, protesting against actor Mohanlal campaigning for LDF’s K.B. Ganesh Kumar in Pathanapuram, a constituency where two more fellow actors face one another under different flags.

Salim Kumar, who has been actively campaigning for the Congress, resigned accusing the superstar of breaching an understanding within AMMA’s cloisters that those from the industry will not openly campaign for a particular candidate where the contest is between tinsel comrades. Actors Jagadeesh is the UDF candidate there and the BJP has fielded Bheeman Raghu.

Pact in AMMA

“Yes, there is such an understanding in AMMA. This is why Innocent and Suraj Venjaramoodu campaigned for Mukesh in Kollam, but never went to Pathanapuram,” Jagadeesh told

The Hindu . He said Mohanlal and filmmaker Priyadarshan, who accompanied the actor to Pathanapuram, had until Thursday, remained equidistant from all three candidates.

“I don’t know what changed for them to take a stand for a particular candidate. Many say there is an element of blackmail involved, but I don’t think Mohanlal is the sort of person who could be scared by blackmail,” said Jagadeesh.

Innocent refutes charge

However, AMMA president and Lok Sabha MP Innocent maintained to The Hindu that there had been no understanding within the organisation on campaigning.

“We have not even discussed these issues in AMMA. How can we make such a rule? Every individual can choose whom he or she wants to support. We cannot dictate these things. Yes, I went to Kollam, but did not go to Pathanapuram because my health didn’t allow it. But I did make a request to the people to vote for Ganesh Kumar. No one objected when Salim Kumar campaigned for the Congress,” said Innocent.

Later in the day, more actors, including Mukesh, Idavela Babu, Dileep, and Nivin Pauly came out in support of Mohanlal. In the past too there have been rumours of cold war between various stars. But while most of these fights did not breach personal domains, the differences may appear to be taking a political turn now.