An Ernakulam Munsiff Court on Friday, 4 July 2025, restrained the newly formed ad hoc committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) from functioning, directing that the Executive Committee headed by former President Shwetha Menon continue in office until further orders. The interim order, passed on a petition filed by Menon herself, marks the first judicial intervention in the escalating power struggle over control of the influential Malayalam film industry body.

Background to the Dispute

The crisis traces back to the Annual General Body (AGB) meeting held on 21 June, during which Shwetha Menon and her entire Executive Committee announced their resignations amid mounting opposition from a section of the association's members. The General Body subsequently approved a nine-member ad hoc committee — headed by Congress MLA Ramesh Pisharody and including former five-time MLA K.B. Ganesh Kumar — to manage AMMA's affairs until fresh elections could be held.

Menon's Legal and Procedural Argument

Hours before approaching the court, Menon issued a detailed statement on social media asserting that, under AMMA's own by-laws, an outgoing Executive Committee retains administrative authority until a newly elected committee takes charge. She argued the ad hoc committee had no legal basis and alleged that certain vested interests had attempted to mislead members and seize control of the organisation.

Menon further alleged that a group of members had arrived at the 21 June meeting carrying a pre-drafted resolution demanding her committee's resignation. She maintained that the resolution failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority prescribed under the association's by-laws, rendering it legally invalid.

The Mohanlal Precedent and Competing Claims

The dispute has revived comparisons with the transition that followed the resignation of the executive committee headed by veteran actor Mohanlal last year. Menon's supporters contend that Mohanlal's committee was permitted to continue in a caretaker capacity until elections were held. Those backing the ad hoc committee, however, argue that the present situation is distinct because the General Body had expressly voted to approve the interim arrangement this time.

Notably, the involvement of sitting and former legislators — Pisharody and Ganesh Kumar — in the ad hoc panel has drawn attention to the deepening intersection of politics and Kerala's film industry institutions.

What the Court Order Means

With the Ernakulam Munsiff Court's interim stay now in place, the ad hoc committee is barred from exercising any authority over AMMA's affairs. The Shwetha Menon-led Executive Committee is, for now, restored to its administrative role. The matter will return before the court for further hearing, and the outcome could determine whether fresh elections are ordered or the dispute is resolved through organisational channels.

The battle for control of AMMA — one of Kerala's most prominent film industry bodies — now appears set for a prolonged legal contest, with the court's next order likely to shape the association's governance for months ahead.