- 4 weeks ago
Actor Shweta Menon, speaking at India Today Conclave South 2025, talked about her journey so far on Tuesday. She gave an insight into her transition from being a model to an actor and now the first woman president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
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00:00So, Shweta, firstly, congratulations again for being elected as the first woman president
00:04of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists.
00:07You know, we are all living in a time when women are coming to the leadership friend
00:11and things are no different in the Malayalam film industry.
00:13She's heading the largest body for artists in the Malayalam film industry.
00:18Please give a round of applause to her.
00:20Thank you, Shibi. Thank you, everyone.
00:23It's a great honor to be part of India Today Conclave.
00:26It's something I think everyone has, somewhere down the line, the hidden agenda, to be part of it.
00:35Never thought so fast I'll be here, but I'm so happy.
00:38I'm representing a huge body of people and work.
00:42And thank you once again from all of us. Thank you.
00:46Okay, Shweta, let's start and talk about the circumstances under which you became the president of the organization.
00:52So, we had a bomb dropping last year in the form of HEMA committee report,
00:57which said about the condition faced by women in the film industry.
01:01There were allegations against the office bearers of the organization.
01:05The executive committee led by superstar Mohalala to resign.
01:08A year later, we had the elections and you became the president.
01:12What is the transition going to be like under your leadership in the organization?
01:15Shibi, it's too soon for me to say what's going to be happening under my leadership.
01:21But I just want to say that, you know, it was quite an eye-opening for many of us.
01:26And many things were, I think, which were like hidden.
01:32I just feel that HEMA committee just opened up many closets of many people's feeling and heart and everything.
01:42But I just want to say, I want to, again, I keep saying this, kudos to all the women who came forward and said about their working condition and everything.
01:51I really appreciate HEMA committee report, especially about the women working condition and, you know, the, well, I won't talk about pay disparity and all.
02:01Because it's a very individualistic thing because it's a relationship between a producer and an actor.
02:07But working condition, yes, we do need to work on it.
02:11But believe me, there's a huge change.
02:14And this started, this HEMA committee came in 2018.
02:18So, though the report came out last year only.
02:22So, post-COVID, many changes have already happened in our, in the whole atmosphere, the work atmosphere.
02:29Whether it's a woman or a man or the whole movie scenario, the working condition, everything.
02:35There's makeup van, which was not there earlier.
02:38So, many things have changed.
02:40But the report did come last year.
02:42So, it's an ongoing process.
02:44I won't say that, you know, just because I'm the leader, everything is going to be hunky-dory.
02:49Because I'm also part of it.
02:50And it's like a baby step.
02:51We need to work on it.
02:52But, yeah, and believe me, that's one of, yes, an agenda, if you want to know.
02:58Yes.
02:59I don't know if you noticed, I was taking the full form of the organization, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists.
03:04Because, you know, a few years ago, everybody called it AMMA.
03:08Now, there are people who refer it to us AMMA, saying that it doesn't deserve to be called as AMMA, which means mother.
03:15It's like this, that's because they don't know how the name was registered.
03:21It was always registered as AMMA.
03:23There was no dots between.
03:26But people wanted to, see, it's, I think, film industry is one of the industry which I think the media loves to play all kinds of game with.
03:38And we are all so used to it.
03:40But I just still want to say that AMMA, A-M-M-A, doesn't have any dots in between.
03:47So it's AMMA.
03:47We have the mother also.
03:48It's AMMA.
03:48And I am legal AMMA now of 504 children.
03:53Okay.
03:54You know, Shreda, let's be a bit practical.
03:57There is, it's ultimately, at the end of the day, it's a male-dominated industry and a male-dominated society still.
04:03You know, how free are you when it comes to making those decisions?
04:07Because earlier we had Mohalal, who literally carries the industry on his shoulders.
04:12How free are you when it comes to making that final call as the president of the organization?
04:18I think if you knew me for past 34 years, which has been my years in movie industry, you would not ask me this question.
04:27I've been a very strong and a very opinionated person.
04:31I have said my yeses and nos very loud and clear over the years.
04:36So, I've not been a mouthpiece of anyone.
04:40I have my own personality and I think that's what makes me different.
04:46And, yes, you're right.
04:49I'm sitting on the position where stalwarts like Murali uncle, Madhu sir, Innocent uncle and Lalit and Mohalal sir, all these people have sat over.
05:01So, yes, the responsibility is huge.
05:04But allow us to breathe in slowly, baby step.
05:08Don't expect miracles overnight.
05:10Also, like I want to talk about a case that was registered against you a few days before the election.
05:16It was very strange.
05:17Even the court said it's a very strange case.
05:20The complaint was that you acted in some offensive content with the intention of earning money.
05:25And in your bail plea, you said that I'm contesting for the presidential post and there's high chance that I'll be elected as the first woman president.
05:33And you believe this is a conspiracy.
05:35So, you do have enemies inside the organization itself.
05:38So, how do you plan to tackle them?
05:40More than enemies, I excel.
05:44Well, yes, the case was quite shattering as a person because I think the movies which the case, the person had written were the ones where I had won state awards and the ones which were done by all national award directors and the movies which came 12 years back.
06:05And it was quite, I don't think anywhere, any person on this earth has ever been exposed to this kind of a case.
06:15So, yes, I did have a kind of a, I was like a little confused.
06:23Should I back out of a case and just fight my, back out of the election and fight my case.
06:29But, I think my family's strong support, which is what made me feel that, you know, these are just small hurdles, need to surpass and go ahead.
06:41And that's what made me, then I became more fiery tigress.
06:47Okay, Shweta, the Hema committee report, apart from the sexual assault allegations, there were other serious issues that were raised by the commission,
06:56which includes locker room facilities, changing room facilities, washroom facilities.
07:01Now, these are facilities that's not provided to female artists, especially junior artists in the industry.
07:06These are also areas where organizations can interfere and find solutions.
07:10What is the action plan moving forward that you have in your mind?
07:13So, when Hema committee report, they had spoken to a few people, the complaint was of the era where they were like clothes,
07:25which they used to hold the saree and they used to change and everything.
07:30Oh, we have come much ahead in life.
07:32Believe me, there are changing rooms.
07:34It's, you know, it's an experience which they had some 10, 20 years back.
07:41But again, Shibi, I want to say one thing for sure, that it's a very individualistic fight which we all have to do.
07:50We all, women or men, we all have to have.
07:53But today, makeup ban is provided in our industry, which is a very small industry, you know.
08:00And the budget-wise, it's very small, but people are given the change room and everything.
08:07So, we are working on it and I think we are doing very good.
08:11And you won't be getting any of these complaints.
08:14Believe me, I'm sitting there.
08:17Okay.
08:17So, you know, there are now a lot of discussions regarding making fixed hours for women artists in the industry,
08:23especially new mothers.
08:25There's a counter-argument that this is not a corporate job, which you do from 9 to 5.
08:29Why? You have to look into the light factor, the weather factor, all of that.
08:33As a woman, as a mother yourself, what do you, how do you look at this?
08:38Again, see, you're asking a person, when I was pregnant, I did four movies.
08:43And I did have a working hours.
08:45I did say that, you know, I'm not, you know, I'm not very comfortable early in the morning.
08:50So, can I come at 9.30, 10 or something?
08:52And my directors did understand.
08:54See, it's a matter of communication.
08:56I've always believed communication is the key factor for many of the problems can be solved.
09:01But that's what people don't do it.
09:03And I was the first elected vice president before this, Amma Association.
09:09And that time, I used to come onto the stage and I used to keep saying to all the women,
09:14please come forward and talk about any of your problems.
09:17But none of them used to come.
09:18And I used to feel so sad.
09:20But, you know, also you need to understand everybody's background doesn't have the same kind of a support system the way I had, personally.
09:32So, I won't put an aspiration on them that, you know, they are not doing a good job.
09:37They need to come out and this thing.
09:38Because everybody's worried about, will the career or people will give them work or not.
09:43So, many of the personal, they have their own fight, individual fight which is going on.
09:49So, slowly, slowly, yeah, we will come up with many of these things.
09:53You mentioned about the remuneration part in the first question itself.
09:58But I still want to ask you about it.
10:00You know, there are women actors demanding equal pay.
10:05The counter argument is that the actor has a stardom, the male actor, and he brings that audience to the theaters.
10:11We recently had a film, Loka, which introduced the first female superhero in Malayalam.
10:16It was a small, it's a small industry, like you mentioned.
10:19It's grossed 100 crores in less than seven days.
10:22So, ultimately, doesn't it prove that it's all about content that attracts audience to the theater?
10:27I've always believed.
10:28Because I think I've done many of these female-oriented, like Radhi Nirvedan, Salt and Pepper, many of these women-oriented movies.
10:35And I think even in earlier days, Sheila Ma, Jabardia Ma, they all have done so many, Shobna, Chichi.
10:42All of them have worked.
10:43So, I've always believed, it's not, I think movie means it's not a man or a woman.
10:49It's more of a content-oriented.
10:50But to get the right content matters a lot.
10:54So, yeah, Loka, today's top point is Loka.
11:01Yes.
11:02Okay, now let's talk a bit about your movie career.
11:05You know, today, Malayalam cinema stands apart.
11:09It's appreciated globally.
11:11We talk about the new age in Malayalam cinema.
11:13But it all started back in 2010-11.
11:16And there was one film of yours, Salt and Pepper.
11:19If anybody has not watched, I would recommend because it explores matured romance using the language, love language of food.
11:26So, yeah, we've got some issues of it also.
11:28Right?
11:29Yeah, so, Salt and Pepper was one of the path-breaking films that started this new age in Malayalam cinema.
11:36Now, how do you look back at the last few years, the growth of Malayalam cinema as somebody who was part of that change?
11:42So, I think every five to ten years, the cinema keeps changing, you know.
11:48But end of the day, it's cinema, you know.
11:50Content matters.
11:52So, I'm very happy that when we did Salt and Pepper, we never thought that it'd be part of a kind of a, you know, path-breaking new era and blah-blahs and all.
12:02But we're very happy that, I mean, I'm very happy that I was part of it.
12:06I'm waiting for another something happening for myself.
12:10But, yeah, so, good.
12:13I'm very happy, you know, Loka has created that woman thingy.
12:16Yeah.
12:17Also, you know, I want to touch about the same topic.
12:21But you need to understand, Loka was supported by a man, Dulkar Salman.
12:25So, we need a man to support us also to make this big voice and noise.
12:30Okay.
12:30You know, I want to ask, you had that beautiful face in 2008, 9, 10, 11.
12:37You won two state awards for best actress in Kerala.
12:41Pali Rimanikim, Salt and Pepper, Redi Nirvedam.
12:43You took up beautiful roles.
12:46Where has the Shweta men and the actor disappeared in the last few years?
12:50Even I'm asking, where is the Shweta men and actor gone?
12:53I'm waiting for some good scripts to happen.
12:55I really need to because, you know, I've understood one thing about our industry.
12:58The moment, you know, you get married, then you become mother, the whole outlook changes.
13:07So, but the thing is, because I have always believed in that, you know, something is waiting for me and I'm waiting for that something to happen.
13:16So, it'll happen for sure.
13:19You think it's the right time, Malayalam cinema is like promoting female artists, female-oriented films also?
13:24No.
13:24Malayalam is not promoting any gender thing.
13:27It's only promoting cinema.
13:29Content.
13:30That's it.
13:30So, I want to ask you about a film that you did, Kalimanna, in which your journey as you were actually pregnant, your journey of pregnancy, your delivery were all part of that film.
13:45You were literally scrutinized during that time.
13:47But today, we have YouTubers, influencers showing their journey, educating people, including men, what is it like to be a woman when you're pregnant.
13:59Do you think the society has changed?
14:02How do you see?
14:02Like today, if you had done that film, I don't think you would have been scrutinized.
14:05Do you think so?
14:06No, I can see the huge change in Kerala.
14:10The society has changed.
14:11I think I walked a decade earlier for everywhere.
14:16So, I can't help it, you know.
14:18It's just that I was one of those lucky ones.
14:20I was genuinely lucky.
14:22I got some really lovely movies with lovely filmmakers and I could do it a decade before.
14:29And so, I just, I don't know what is my going to be next surprise from my side.
14:36I have no clue.
14:37I'm waiting.
14:37You started your career in Hindi and then you had a shift to Malayalam cinema.
14:44You worked with all the big stars in Bollywood in your initial days.
14:48What was the change like from Bollywood to Mollywood?
14:51What difference did you feel during those times and even now?
14:54I want to correct you.
14:56I started from Malayalam movies when I was in school.
14:59And my first movie was Anashwaram with Mr. Mamuti.
15:01And, yeah, big, yeah.
15:05So, Anashwaram.
15:06And then I became Miss India and I went to Bollywood.
15:09And then I came back.
15:10So, it was a big, huge circle.
15:12I came back to Malayalam.
15:13Again, I came back to Mohanlal and Mamuti movies.
15:17And then I got my first state award.
15:19So, I think I have gone through this whole journey.
15:22And some beautiful memories.
15:24And some beautiful moments which I cherish.
15:29Also, you mentioned about your Miss India days.
15:32For the uninitiated, she was one of the finalists alongside Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Singh
15:37during that iconic Femina Miss India 1994.
15:40She was the third runner-up.
15:42Do you have any fond memories from those days?
15:44Only good memories.
15:45I think life has been fantastic with me.
15:48I was a roomie of Ash and Sushmita was the winner.
15:54Ash was first runner-up.
15:55I was the second runner-up.
15:57I went for Miss Asia Pacific.
15:59A normal small-time girl from Calicut had gone to Philippines for Miss Asia Pacific.
16:06Had no costumes, no dresses, nothing.
16:09I had no budget.
16:10There was no sponsors that time.
16:13But I still managed to get third runner-up there.
16:15But it's just that I, you know, I mean, I think the kind of energy and excitement what
16:25we had, today I find it in every girl.
16:29You know, I mean, I see it in my daughter.
16:30She's going to be 13 now.
16:32So I see it in her also.
16:34So, but I think we were one of those privileged ones, you know, who, you know, when you used
16:41to say like, okay, how many models are in India and all.
16:44So it used to be only say 20 or 30.
16:47But today I think everyone is a model.
16:50So they have more of competition.
16:52I hardly had one.
16:53Yeah, so from modeling to cinema, was this always the calling?
17:01Everything.
17:02Everything.
17:03The freedom, the expression, the money and the exposure.
17:10See, I come from an Air Force.
17:12I'm daughter of an Air Force officer.
17:14So automatically I was exposed to a better life than many of them.
17:20So for me, obviously, I didn't want it to be just a housewife, just get married or go
17:26ahead in life.
17:27So I think I went to, I just wanted, I never stuck to a one medium.
17:33I was in movies.
17:35I was in modeling.
17:37I was in, what do you say, television.
17:40I was on stage.
17:41I did reality shows.
17:43So everything I was on, because I just went on.
17:46I wanted to keep learning and exploring.
17:49I still love to be participating in a reality show as a contestant.
17:53Though I keep losing it in first couple of weeks, but it's okay.
17:57I love it.
17:59I love the energy.
18:01So where do we see Shweta Manan in the next 10 years?
18:0510 years?
18:05Shweta Manan, the actor, what is the kind of role that you look forward to playing?
18:11Wow.
18:13No, I'll not expose my...
18:15No, I mean, well, I want to be, of course, part of some good cinemas with good filmmakers.
18:23I want to be everywhere.
18:25And I want to learn, keep learning.
18:28I'm learning right now, Amma, my duty.
18:31And I hopefully, it's something, it's a tenure for three years.
18:37And hopefully, we should come up with some good stuff.
18:39Also, what was the reaction of the two superstars, Mamuti and Mohan Lal, when you were elected as the president?
18:44I think yesterday, we had a film chamber meeting.
18:47First time in Malayalam industry, where all the fraternities came under one roof.
18:51And we had some really nice chit-chat.
18:56And that's when I was told that Mohan Lal, Lal sir, just recently, I think one of his interviews, did say that, you know, we support the new committee.
19:06So I was very happy.
19:08I mean, that's a big thing.
19:09That's a big blessing.
19:10To have these patrons of, you know, above us, that is Lal sir, Mamuti sir, Suresh Gopi.
19:19That's what we want.
19:21Amma is like a baby for them.
19:23And they wanted over the baby to you.
19:25Yeah, and they just suddenly found a mother there, me.
19:30Shweta, thank you so much.
19:31We're running out of time.
19:32Yeah, thank you.
19:33Thank you so much.
19:35Congratulations again.
19:36And you have a major challenge ahead.
19:38You have to, like, literally clean up the industry in some way or the other.
19:42I'm sure you're going to do a great job, like how are we doing?
19:44Thank you so much for joining with us.
19:46Thank you, Suresh Gopi.
19:46And thank you, everyone.
19:47Thank you so much.
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