As calls grow for Telugu Cinema’s ‘Sexual Harassment Probe’ report to be made public, a look at the chronology

This article is the first part of an in-depth look at the #MeToo movement in Tollywood.

Hyderabad: Since the release of the Report of the Hema Commissionwhich exposed structural problems within the Kerala film industry, attention has now turned to similar efforts in other regional film industries.>

This article is the first part of an in-depth look at Tollywood’s very own #MeToo movement, examining the chronology, context and backdrop of a struggle that began in 2018.

This process included the constitution of a commission tasked with investigating sexual harassment in Tollywood – the popular name for the Telugu film industry – which submitted its report in 2022, like Kerala’s Hema Commission. However, this report has not yet been made public.>

The spark that lit the fire

In April 2018, a young actress named Sri Reddy gave a YouTube video interview that would unexpectedly bring about a reckoning within Tollywood.>

Reddy revealed that she was denied membership of the Movie Artists’ Association (MAA) despite making an “undertaking” – a euphemism for sexual favours that influential men demand in exchange for film roles.>

Her candid confession unexpectedly opened the floodgates, exposing a long-ignored culture of sexual exploitation in the industry, putting Tollywood in an uncomfortable spotlight.>

At first glance, it seemed that Reddy was merely complaining about a “breach of trust” – that despite her “commitment,” the other parties were not fulfilling their side of the bargain. However, her bold confession went viral and caught the attention of activistsspecifically the Women and Transgender Joint Action Committee (WT-JAC).

The Telugu mainstream media, with its penchant for sensationalism and high ratings, also jumped on the story. It was in this charged atmosphere that Reddy decided to take a remarkable step.>

Escalation and industry backlash>

In a brave movementshe stripped half-naked in front of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce to protest against the widespread sexual exploitation in the industry.>

Her protest was not only a demand for accountability, but also a expression of the helplessness that many women in Tollywood face. She alleged that these women were routinely forced into sexual relations in exchange for work.

Her protest was a turning point for Tollywood as it not only exposed the pervasive ‘casting couch’ culture of the industry, but also the mechanisms that underlie it.>

The MAA fast responded by threatening to ban Reddy and dismissing her protest as a publicity stunt.

“At first she was shamed for it. But then activists said it was a disgrace to the industry. I even remember the MAA covering the protest site with gangawal to ‘purify’ it of its ‘polluting nature’, Tejaswini Madabushi, a member of Hyderabad for Feminism, said The thread.>

Political entanglement>

Around this time, Pawan Kalyan, a huge film star and also the brother of megastar Chiranjeevi, president of the Jana Sena party and currently deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, led a candlelight vigil for the Kathua rape victim in Hyderabad.

When asked by a journalist about his attitude towards Reddy and the other women protesting in Hyderabad, while he acknowledged his support for the victim in Jammu, Kalyan responded“They are adults; instead of going to the media, they can file a complaint at the police station.”>

Tejaswini told The thread“This offended the protesting women, especially the dialogue artists. They wondered why he could not demand that a commission be set up to investigate the matter and why he was shirking his responsibility, despite being a leading figure in the industry and a political leader himself.”>

This led to Kalyan’s fans attacking the women on social media.>

Turning point>

Frustrated by the industry’s dismissive attitude and Kalyan’s nonchalant response, Reddy’s anger reached boiling point. In a shocking live television appearanceshe threw an insulting slur at Kalyan and made an insulting gesture at him.>

This marked an important turning point: it changed the narrative and introduced a political dimension to what was initially a protest against sexual exploitation.>

Kalyan, along with family members including Chiranjeevi and Naga Babu, meet with artists at the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce. There he was accused Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh was responsible for Reddy’s insulting remarks and attacks on his mother.>

Kalyan did not stick with Reddy; he also criticised Ram Gopal Varma, who allowed to advise Reddy to abuse him, as well as media channels (TV9, ABN and Mahaa News). He alleged that these entities were part of a smear campaign against him, allegedly orchestrated by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).>

Varma responded on Facebook. While acknowledging his earlier vow to avoid negative comments about Kalyan, Varma felt compelled to respond logically to the allegations. He dismissed the conspiracy claims, comparing them to far-fetched Agatha Christie plots and questioning their credibility.>

As the political controversy escalated, public perception of Reddy changed. Her outburst, once seen as a desperate cry for justice, was now seen by many as impulsive and politically motivated.>

Speaking to the Times of IndiaReddy expressed her frustration over the way the film industry responded to her issues, but only after she used an insulting word against Kalyan. She pointed out that she had been raising her concerns about sexual harassment and the casting couch for over a month, but no one paid any attention to it until she called Kalyan names.>

She admitted that Varma had advised her to use the swear word and that she had indeed done so, but that her intention was not to hurt anyone but to draw attention to her case.>

Reddy also accused Kalyan of trying to divert attention from the real issue — her protest against sexual harassment in Tollywood — by portraying it as a conspiracy.>

Fallout: Changing Public Perception>

This astonished most people, including activists.>

“Senior members of civil society like Babu Gogineni have withdrawn their support for her,” Tejaswini of Hyderabad for Feminism told The thread.>

Amid the political storm, Reddy’s original cause – the fight against exploitation in Tollywood – began to fade from public attention. Given the remarkably subversive and disruptive nature of her protest, Reddy and other women were already under immense pressure, with many routinely questioning their “character” and “intentions.” >

Tejaswini added: “In a sense, the whole system was against her – they were just waiting for her to make a misstep.”>

Reddy’s strategy backfired. This turn of events seemingly deprived the issue of its feminist core. Public shaming and attempts to discredit Reddy increased. Interviewers peppered her with demeaning questions, probed her sexual history, and challenged her right to dignity. The initial public support she had received quickly evaporated.>

“She did not fit the mold of the ideal victim nor did she express the ‘right’ feminist rhetoric. Some activists saw her act as radical and subversive, while others found it impetuous and irresponsible,” Tejaswini said. The thread.>

Reddy emerged as the wrong woman with the right case. “Yet she is a hero to me personally,” Tejaswini added.>

Institutional response: formation of a high-level committee⁠>

While Reddy’s personal campaign may have failed, her protest sparked institutional responses.>

In October 2018, the WT-JAC took a major step by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court to investigate the exploitation of women in the industry. Vasudha Nagaraj, a JAC member, argued the case and the judge responded favourably.>

At the same time, the National Human Rights Commission intervened and ordered the Telangana government to conduct an inquiry into the matter.>

In April 2019, the government responded by setting up a high-level committee (HLC) to investigate sexual harassment in the Telugu film and television industry. Through government order GORt.No.948, a 25-member committee was formed, comprising senior figures from the film industry, police officials, government representatives and women’s rights activists. The mandate of the committee was to unearth the magnitude of the problem and recommend concrete steps to address it.>

The committee’s tough battle⁠>

The nature of these challenges, the frequency of committee meetings, the terms of reference, the degree of active participation of committee members, the number of meetings, the people interviewed, the documentation collected, the internal working methods of the committee and the reasons for establishing a subcommittee to handle the actual work: all these factors show that this undertaking lacked substantial power from the outset.>

Understanding these details provides insight into the committee’s effectiveness and commitment to addressing the problem.>

Like many committees in India, this HLC has faced numerous challenges from the very beginning. In the very first meeting, there were alleged attempts to trivialize the mission of the committee and hamper its proper functioning, processes and procedures. >

“We were extremely worried. We quickly realised that it was going to be incredibly challenging. The full and proper functioning of the committee, with all its procedures and processes intact, was going to be an uphill battle,” said A. Suneetha, a subcommittee member of the HLC, feminist researcher, JAC member and one of the petitioners. The thread.>

Looking ahead: the crucial role of the committee>

The establishment of the HLC initially seemed like a promising step towards tackling systematic exploitation in Tollywood, but soon became entangled in bureaucratic hurdles. >

From the outset, the committee’s mission appeared to be compromised by internal divisions, a lack of clear direction and insufficient political support.>

Nevertheless, a core group of dedicated members – particularly women’s rights activists – remained steadfast and determined to seize this opportunity for justice.>

Once the dust had settled and Reddy’s protest had seemingly faded into the background, the committee’s work became crucial. To truly address the deep-rooted problems of exploitation, the committee had to overcome significant bureaucratic and political hurdles.>

In the next part, we delve into the complexities behind these challenges through an interview with A. Suneetha, who is also a leading campaigner against sexual harassment in the Telugu film industry. In our conversation, she revealed the systematic resistance and shaky victories that have marked their journey behind closed doors.>

This article is the first part of an in-depth look at the #MeToo movement in Tollywood.>