Sandra Thomas expelled from Kerala Film Producers’ Association

Expulsion on charges of having breached disciplinary norms

Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) has expelled producer Sandra Thomas from its fold on charges of having breached the disciplinary norms.

She has been suspended from the primary membership after an executive committee meeting held on October 28, 2024 found that she had “defamed” the committee members by raising baseless allegations. She had also continuously flouted the rules and regulations of the association and the committee found that her response to the show-cause notice issued for the alleged violations was not satisfactory, it said.

‘KFPA anti-women’

In her response, Ms. Thomas alleged that her expulsion has reiterated her earlier criticism that KFPA was “anti-women” and it had failed to protect the concerns and issues raised by the women members. “The decision to expel me from the body is a pointer to the undemocratic practices, especially against women who speak up against the autocratic leadership,” she said.

The rift between the association and Ms. Thomas widened after she had written a letter to the executive committee blaming the office-bearers for their silence over the findings of the Hema Committee report on the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.

She had also alleged that a meeting called by the association on September 6 to discuss the problems faced by women producers was an eyewash.

The differences turned worse after the Ernakulam Central police registered a case on October 10 against 11 office-bearers and members of KFPA based on a complaint by a woman producer.

The special investigation team (SIT) formed in the wake of the Hema Committee report to probe complaints against film personalities had recorded the statement of the survivor and directed the Ernakulam Central police to register a case. The case was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (acts, words, or gestures that are intended to insult a woman’s modesty).

Some of the recent movies produced by Ms. Thomas included Little Hearts and Nalla Nilavulla Rathri.

Published - November 05, 2024 12:04 pm IST