None of you stood up for me

Idavela Babu, who has been the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Cinema Artists (AMMA) for the last 25 years, delivered a candid farewell speech at the body’s annual meeting in Kochi.

In his speech, Idavela Babu expressed disappointment over the lack of support from his colleagues during a cyber attack he faced, saying, “But none of you spoke for me. I have a limit to speaking for myself while holding this position.”

Idavela Babu, who was replaced by Siddique as AMMA general secretary, also responded to allegations that she is a “paid secretary”, saying: “Some people accuse me of being a ‘paid secretary’.

The actor further said that it was Jagathy Sreekumar who first suggested that he should get a salary for his work in AMMA.

Idavela Babu explained how he managed his salary: “From there, I paid Rs 20,000 to my driver and Rs 20,000 for my accommodation.”

Highlighting his contributions to AMMA, Idavela Babu highlighted the smooth running of shoots under his leadership, saying, “Shooting was never delayed under my leadership.” He also revealed that Rs 6.5 crore had been allocated for AMMA’s future operations.

In her farewell speech, Idavela Babu called for support for the new leaders, emphasizing the need for unity within the organization.