Film Chamber Panel to Probe Poonam’s Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Trivikram

Hyderabad: Following allegations against Tollywood choreographer Jani Master, actress Poonam Kaur alleged that she was sexually abused by noted director Trivikram Srinivas. She took to ‘X’ and pointed out the inefficiency of the Movie Artistes Association in the matter even after they brought the incidents to the notice of their acquaintance.

Members of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC), producer T. Tammareddy Bharadwaja and anchor Jhansi, said the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) committee is investigating the matter and will submit a report within 90 days.

The actress said that if MAA had taken her complaint seriously, she and many others like her would not have faced political suffering. “I was ignored rather silently,” she said. “I want the big shots in the industry to question director Trivikram.”

Jhansi added: “We understand that it is not just workplace sexual harassment but something more serious and severe because she was a minor at that time. There needs to be another mechanism and legal support.”

Bharadwaja said, “The incident is being investigated by the committee, which will look at evidence and structural proofs. This platform should be a safer place for the artistes to come and work. We are trying our best to make the industry a safer place to work.”

The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce issued a press release stating: The panel has received a complaint from a female choreographer who is a member of the Telugu Film and TV Dancers and Dance Directors Association against a popular choreographer. The committee has been constituted to look into the matter and the investigation is underway. The committee has submitted an interim report to place the alleged president’s post of the male choreographer in Union on hold until the investigation is completed.

Support for the victim of the attack has been pouring in. The Telangana All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) has appreciated the brave step taken by the victim to file a complaint against the established choreographer, Jani Master.

ALIFA, pointing out that the Telugu film and television industries are notorious for their misogynistic content against women and sexual exploitation, stated in a press release: “Television channels have been reported to the National Broadcasting Corporation several times for their anti-women and anti-sexual minorities programmes.”

It was said that Sri Reddy’s protest in 2018 motivated many dialogue artists to come forward with their stories of exploitation in the Telugu film industry in the name of ‘bonds’. “Due to lack of support from the industry, no complaints were filed with the police,” the association said.

The high-level committee on sexual harassment and gender discrimination, set up in 2019, looked into both sectors and made recommendations by 2022. In light of the Justice Hema committee report on the Malayalam film industry, the HLC report is also being discussed, the association said.

ALIFA demanded that Telugu media and YouTube channels stop revealing the names and details of the victims and that authorities pay attention to the issue and take action.