Cinema row, Mammotty strikes conciliatory note

ALAPPUZHA: Breaking his silence over the controversy sparked by Malayalam cine actor Thilakan, superstar Mammootty Saturday said mainstream artistes were eager to settle the issue through a dialogue within the framework of the actors\' body, Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).



\"We don\'t have any quarrel or animus against Thilakan. We have not imposed any ban or ever said we will not co-operate with him,\" Mammootty told a press meet here.



Striking a conciliatory note towards Thilakan, who triggered the feud by fulminating against \"superstar domination\" in Malayalam filmdom, Mammootty said AMMA\'s position was that all issues should be settled through dialogue.



\"AMMA is an organisation of artistes. Whatever issues are there, they should be resolved through a dialogue,\" the national award winning actor said.



Mammootty, who declined to take questions from reporters, said AMMA would no longer indulge in any public debate on the issue through the media.



The long smouldering frictions in Malayalam cinema flared up two months back with Thilakan alleging he had been dropped from a film after being offered a role in it, under pressure from a \'superstar\'.



He went on to allege that Malayalam filmdom was now dominated by a \'mafia\' controlled by superstars, an apparent reference to Mammootty and Mohanlal.