KOCHI: Film director Ashiq Abu on Friday, in strong disagreement and protest, quit the membership of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) within days after he criticised the delayed response of the Hema Committee report.
The filmmaker also criticised the federation’s general secretary B Unnikrishanan and President Sibi Malayil for their domination in decision-making.
He said that the FEFKA response after the release of the Hema Committee report was disappointing. “The silence of the association about the Hema committee report, the few words in the statement released and responses that emotional reaction is not apt and they can comment on it only after studying it, disappointed me as a member,” he wrote in the letter, criticising FEFKA and its leadership that they failed to fulfil their social responsibility.
Explaining the reasons for his distancing from the organisation, he said that the association that intervened in an issue with a producer demanded 20 percent of the amount as commission.
“I received only half of the claimed amount from the producer. The association demanded 20 percent of the amount as commission. I received three phone calls from the FEFKA office one day demanding the amount,” he added.
FEFKA REFUTES AASHIQ’S CHARGES
Responding to the allegations raised by Aashiq Abu, the FEFKA Directors Union said that the filmmaker had earlier made a false allegation that the leadership demanded a 20% commission from him for resolving a dispute between him and a producer. “It was in 2018. FEFKA had then refuted this fabricated allegation through the media with evidence. From his arguments, it is evident that his disagreement with the federation is not ideological but purely personal with some motive,” said Ranji Panickar, FEFKA Directors Union president.