Renowned Malayalam actor Siddique stepped down from his position as general secretary at AMMA following serious allegations by actress Revathy.
Malayalam film actor Siddique resigned from his position as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on Sunday, following grave allegations of sexual assault made by Revathy Sampath, a young actress.
Revathy Sampath accused Siddique of sexual assault in 2016, labelling him a hardcore criminal. Recounting her ordeal before TV news channels, she stated, “Siddique initially reached out to me via social media, calling me ‘mole’ (daughter) in his messages. Two years after completing my higher secondary education, he contacted me again. He continued to refer to me as ‘mole’ (daughter). At that time, I was too naive to suspect his intentions. He inquired if I had an interest in acting or films. I was unaware of his predatory nature, as such individuals are often manipulative and deceptive.”
She Added,“At the age of 21, I attended a local theatre in Thiruvananthapuram for the preview of the Malayalam film “Sukhamairikkatte.” Siddique invited me to a well-known hotel in the city centre to discuss aspects related to the film. I was locked in a room. He abused me physically and told me it was okay if I didn’t allow him to cross the limits. After that, he grabbed and overpowered me, for a moment several things passed through my mind. The mirror in the room is testimony to my traumatic experience.”
She further revealed that she opened up about her ordeal back in 2019 and has again gained the courage to talk about the issue in public.
She also recalled how Siddique told her that he was quite powerful and she could do nothing against him. Meanwhile, the incident with Revathy dates back to 2016.
After the allegations surfaced online, the filmmaker was as expected under the radar and scrutiny. Many members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists agreed to the director stepping down and the Chairman Jayan Cherthala said it was not right on his part to indulge in such reprimandable actions.
Before Siddique, Malayalam director Ranjith was accused of misconduct by a Bengali actress named Sreelekha Mitra. She revealed that during the filming of Paleri Manikyam somewhere around 2009-10, she was assaulted by the renowned figure.
However, Ranjith denied such allegations and took a firm stand against her. Talking to regional media, he revealed that the actress was suitable for the part following which she was removed from the film. There was nothing wrong on his part.
