KCR Govt on Panel Findings on Sexual Harassment in Telugu Film Industry

Actor Sri Reddy created a stir in 2018 by protesting half-naked outside the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce in Film Nagar, Hyderabad.

Following this, the Joint Action Committee of the Women and Transgender Organisation approached the Supreme Court, requesting it to order an inquiry into the exploitation of women in the film industry there.

In April 2019, the then KCR government constituted a high-level committee comprising directors, producers, police chiefs, officials from the women and child welfare department, and representatives from the Telangana State Film Development Corporation, film industry trade unions, television industry and other stakeholders.

This body in turn formed a subcommittee which subsequently held at least twenty meetings with a large number of people, including young female actors, supporting actors, supporting actors and dancers, who, according to the committee, are the most vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Yadav was one of the people who oversaw the work, along with Public Relations Commissioner Arvind Kumar.

According to I.EMost of the respondents reported that they were harassed about payments, that there were no written employment contracts, that there were unequal pay and that the working conditions were poor. Several women reported that there were no separate rest rooms or toilets for them.

Although Covid hampered the subcommittee’s functioning, its work continued until 2022.

The report Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination in Telugu Film and Television Industry was submitted in June 2022, but the government decided to shelve it.

The publication revealed that many women interviewed by the subcommittee refused to name the people who had demanded sexual favors from them, nor did they want to specify the forms of harassment to which they had been subjected.

However, Telugu stars have also raised these issues in the past. For example, Anushka Shetty in 2020 stated that the casting couch is a reality in the industry and that she had ‘protected’ herself from exploitation.

Satyavati noted that the Telugu film industry is largely an unorganised sector.

“There is no accountability. There is no one to take complaints, especially about sexual harassment. Sexual favors are sought to provide work. Young female artists are the most exploited,” I.E she reported.