The executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), led by president Shwetha Menon, resigned following dramatic scenes and heated exchanges at the organisation's General Body meeting held at Chittilappilly Square in Kakkanad on Sunday.

The resignation came less than a year after the committee assumed office and followed growing dissent from members, including the tabling of a no-confidence motion against the leadership. Along with Shwetha, general secretary Kukku Parameswaran and the rest of the 13-member executive committee stepped down, paving the way for an ad hoc committee to temporarily administer the organisation.

In an emotional address during the meeting, Shwetha announced her willingness to resign and later confirmed that she was also relinquishing her AMMA membership altogether. Rejecting allegations that she had favoured either the BJP or the Congress in matters relating to AMMA's internal affairs, she maintained that claims linking her to the candidacies of certain actors were baseless.

"I have my own identity and am not prepared to be anybody's puppet," Shwetha said after the meeting. She alleged that attempts had been made to target and sideline certain actors through a pre-planned agenda. She further claimed that individuals facing allegations had effectively regained control of the organisation and that only those willing to remain "puppets" could continue within such a system.

The General Body meeting descended into turmoil after several senior members questioned the financial statements presented in the annual report by general secretary Kukku Parameswaran. Actors Siddique, Baburaj and Idavela Babu were among those who refused to approve the report, alleging a lack of clarity in the income and expenditure accounts.

Veteran actor and writer Renji Panicker also stated that a report containing accounting discrepancies could not be accepted. In response, Shwetha requested 45 days to examine and rectify the issues. However, members remained unconvinced, and tensions escalated.

One of the principal criticisms levelled against the committee concerned the alleged failure to present accurate financial records. Baburaj later claimed that accounts totalling ₹67 lakh had been incorrectly recorded and questioned the lack of proper documentation for AMMA's family gathering event. He also alleged that those responsible for auditing and certifying the accounts were unwilling to take responsibility for them.

Launching a scathing attack on Shwetha, Baburaj accused the outgoing leadership of repeatedly playing the "women's card" while failing to address complaints raised by women within the organisation. Referring to Drishyam 3 actor Ansiba Hassan's grievances, he said her complaint had not been heard despite repeated requests and described it as a grave injustice.

Ansiba, who had earlier resigned from AMMA's executive committee, also criticised the leadership during the meeting. She alleged that the committee had refused to hear her complaint and claimed she had been denied justice. According to her, she was initially denied an opportunity to speak at the General Body meeting and only secured one after intervention from other members.

Calling the day's developments historic, Ansiba said the primary issue before the General Body was the lack of transparency in the organisation's financial records. She urged the future leadership to formally invite back members, including the survivor who had previously resigned from the organisation, arguing that such a step was both morally and institutionally necessary.

As disputes intensified, former AMMA president and actor Mohanlal addressed the gathering in an emotional speech. He insisted that no personal differences would be allowed to destroy the organisation and asserted that AMMA would survive its current crisis. He also clarified that he was not aligned with any faction within the association.

Mohanlal was the most prominent senior star present at the meeting, while Mammootty and Suresh Gopi stayed away. During the discussions, MLA and actor K B Ganesh Kumar urged Mohanlal to clearly state his position on the ongoing disputes, prompting the actor's emotional intervention.

The General Body also witnessed criticism of the committee's organisational conduct. Actor Jagadish later said members were dissatisfied with several procedural lapses, including the failure to circulate financial accounts within the stipulated timeframe. He noted that internal disputes had increasingly been aired through the media rather than addressed within the organisation, contributing to AMMA's damaged public image.

Despite the criticism, Jagadish rejected suggestions that the administration had failed because it was led by women. He said individual members had worked sincerely but acknowledged shortcomings in organisational discipline and administration. According to him, the committee chose to resign after recognising the prevailing sentiment among members even before the no-confidence motion could formally proceed.

Following the collapse of the executive committee, an ad hoc panel was constituted to manage AMMA until fresh elections are held. Actor and MLA Ramesh Pisharody was selected as the convener of the committee after discussions led by Jagadish.

The nine-member panel also includes K B Ganesh Kumar, Suresh Krishna, Sadiq, Dr Ronnie, Krishna Prabha, Asha Aravind, Kalabhavan Shajohn and Devi Chandana. The committee has been entrusted with administering the organisation for four months, during which it is expected to conduct elections and facilitate the formation of a new executive body.