Sandra Thomas’s nomination for the Producers Association elections was rejected over eligibility claims. She alleges bias and rule manipulation, citing her involvement in nine censored films, and has accused officials of procedural injustice.
Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam actor Mammootty has come under scrutiny for his alleged decision to drop out of a project produced by Sandra Thomas, who was reportedly asked to withdraw her complaint regarding the rejection of her nomination in the Producers Association elections. The incident has stirred controversy online, with critics pointing to the power dynamics within the Malayalam film industry. Some argue that Mammootty’s move, whether intentional or pressured, reflects a troubling silence in the face of institutional injustice. In an interview, Sandra Thomas stated that actor Mammootty called her, urging her not to pursue complaints against producer Anto Joseph (involving alleged harassment and insult). He cited emotional and career impacts but later said she should decide. Mammootty then withdrew from her film project, she said.
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Earlier, Sandra Thomas had approached the Ernakulam Sub Court challenging the rejection of her nomination for the Producers Association elections. In her petition, she argued that she is fully eligible to contest, citing the association’s bylaw, which requires candidates to be permanent members and to hold censor certificates for at least three films. Sandra maintained that she meets both criteria, having more than three censor certificates in her name. She further pointed out that the appointment of the returning officer for the election violates the bylaw, arguing that the same individual has been repeatedly entrusted with overseeing the elections for over 20 years — a move she believes undermines the fairness of the process.
What is the Controversy?
Sandra’s nomination was rejected on the grounds that, according to the association’s bylaws, a candidate must have produced at least three films to contest for top executive positions. The returning officer claimed that Sandra had only produced two films under her banner, Sandra Thomas Productions—namely Little Hearts and Nalla Nilavulla Rathri—making her ineligible. However, Sandra strongly objected, arguing that she is the managing partner of other production ventures and that nine films have censor certificates issued in her name, thereby fulfilling the eligibility criteria. She cited her involvement in Friday Film House, a company she co-founded with actor-producer Vijay Babu, which had produced several films during their collaboration. She asserted that these films should also be counted toward her qualification.
The situation turned tense during the nomination scrutiny, with Sandra and senior figures like Suresh Kumar and Ziyad Kokar engaging in a heated argument. Sandra alleged that the scrutiny process was being manipulated and described the behavior of the returning officer and others involved as “hooliganism.” According to Sandra, the association’s own rules mention that a permanent member with three censor certificates is eligible to contest—not just someone who has “produced” three films as per a narrow interpretation. She criticized the rejection as an act of discrimination and procedural injustice.
Meanwhile, office bearers of the Producers Association have defended the process, stating that appointing an electoral officer is standard practice in any democratic election, and accused Sandra of lacking understanding of the procedures.