Kochi: Senior Malayalam actor Siddique has stepped down from his position as the General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following allegations of rape and sexual assault brought against him by an actress.
Siddique, a veteran actor with over 350 films to his credit, announced his resignation on Saturday, confirming the decision in a statement to Asianet TV. “I have conveyed my resignation to the president of AMMA, Mohanlal. In light of the allegations raised against me, it is not appropriate for me to continue in this post. I would not like to comment further on the allegations at this time,” Siddique stated.
The accusations, which the actress first made public in 2019, detail an alleged incident that occurred in 2016. According to the actress, Siddique invited her to a hotel under the pretext of discussing a film project, where he then sexually assaulted and raped her.
The resignation comes in the context of the recent release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which investigates sexual abuse and harassment within the Malayalam film industry. The report was commissioned following a 2017 incident where a prominent actress was kidnapped and assaulted, with actor Dileep facing charges of conspiracy in the case.
Despite Siddique’s support for the report’s recommendations, he has denied the existence of systemic issues like the “casting couch” in the industry, attributing such incidents to “isolated cases.”
The allegations and Siddique’s resignation have sent shockwaves through the Malayalam film industry, raising serious concerns about the safety and treatment of women within the sector.