Pressure mounts on Telangana govt to release public report on Tollywood | Hyderabad News

HYDERABAD: Two years after a sub-committee released a report on alleged sexual harassment And gender discrimination in the Telugu Film Industrya committee member said it was time to make the report public.
A Suneetha, who was part of the committee constituted by the previous BRS government in 2019 comprising senior bureaucrats, police officers and civil society members, told TOI, “Despite reminding the government three to four times after submitting the report, we have not received any positive response for making the report public.”
With the Hema Commission report on sexual harassment in Malayalam film industry in public domain (on August 19), demands of Tollywood Female actors are becoming increasingly vocal about the commission’s report on Tollywood, with Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Lakshmi Manchu leading the way.
“We had extensive discussions with women actors, camerawomen and women employees from the Telugu film and television industry and conducted over 20 sessions on the challenges they face at work and how they deal with them,” recalls Suneetha.
While not disclosing the committee’s findings, Suneetha said, “The power dynamics within the Telugu film industry were clear. Not a single prominent personality from the film or TV industry had come forward to interact with us. In the Malayalam film industry, senior actors and actresses had given their statements before the Hema committee.”
The panel’s report was submitted to the then State Secretary and the Telangana State Film Development Corporation on June 1, 2022.
Malayalam actor Mohanlal, who had resigned as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes soon after the Hema Commission report, claimed that he had appeared before the commission to give his version of the alleged sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.
The Joint Action Committee of Women and Transgender Organisations, which filed a PIL in 2018 over sexual harassment, plans to renew its demands to create a safer environment for female actors and employees.
Women activist and JAC member V Sandhya, who often raises issues of gender discrimination and sexual abuse at various forums, told TOI, “A delegation of women activists has already met the state commission for women in this regard. We are suggesting various initiatives to make the workplace safer for women actors.”
Sajaya Kakarla, also a JAC member, said that there should be at least one female casting director or female assistant director in each film shooting unit to prevent exploitation of female actors and workers.
TV presenter and actress Jhansi took to her Instagram account to say that there is a need to study the committee’s report to ensure a safe working environment for women in the Telugu film industry.