Sanjjanaa Galrani proposes the creation of SWAA in Kannada cinema

Sanjjanaa Galrani proposes to set up SWAA for women’s safety in Kannada cinemas. (Instagram)

With growing concerns over the safety of women in the film industry, actor Sanjjanaa Galrani has pushed for the formation of an independent body to focus on protecting the rights of women artistes in Kannada cinema.

The actor recently met the Karnataka State Women’s Commission to advocate for the formation of the Sandalwood Woman Artist Association (SWAA), an organisation dedicated to the safety and welfare of women in the Kannada film industry.

In an interview with ANNI-Sanjjanaa Galrani stressed the need for a dedicated organisation like SWAA to protect women in the industry.

She said, “In the Kannada film industry, we don’t have an independent body. From my foundation, Sanjjanaa Galrani Foundation, I have requested for an independent body to be set up so that newcomers to the industry are aware of their rights and understand what is appropriate behaviour.”

Earlier this month, Sanjjanaa Galrani also took to Instagram to call for the formation of SWAA. Through a formal letter to the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce, she urged them to consider implementing various safety measures for women working in the industry.

The letter was also addressed to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Women and Child Development of Karnataka.

Also read: Kannada actors call for a commission to tackle sexual harassment in the industry

Proposed Rules and Regulations

Sanjjanaa Galrani’s proposal includes a set of guidelines aimed at protecting female artists.

All new female performers must register with SWAA and receive a unique identification number before being allowed to work on a film set.
A rule book describing the rights and duties of female actors should be distributed in both English and Kannada.
Actresses should be educated about their rights and basic provisions.
SWAA should be available to address any issues female artists may have and provide them with contact information for immediate assistance.
Actresses must have the right to their own dressing room on set and must be accompanied by a family member for night or outdoor shoots. Transportation costs are paid by the producer.
Artists must also sign a legal agreement outlining compensation, work days, and other terms before they can participate in a project.
In addition, Sanjjanaa Galarani suggested screening new teams offering film projects for authenticity and warned actresses to be careful with unknown directors or producers.
EMI support should be offered to artists to pay the dues, in case they are not financially strong.

Response from Karnataka Women’s Commission

Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, chairperson of the Karnataka Women’s Commission, responded positively to the idea after meeting Sanjjanaa Galrani.

She stressed the legal obligation for every organisation with more than 10 women to set up a Sexual Harassment Prevention (POSH) Committee.

“This is the first time that the film industry has had a meeting to form a committee for women. A POSH committee will not hamper film production. If anyone faces harassment, he or she can approach the committee,” she added.

Nagalakshmi Chowdhary also confirmed that the film industry had 15 days to respond to the commission’s request to form a POSH committee.

Sanjjanaa Galrani’s call for the SWAA comes on the heels of the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed shocking cases of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.

The 235-page report, commissioned by the Kerala government in 2017 and published in 2019, found that a small group of influential male producers, directors and actors dominate Malayalam cinema.

The report also addressed the exploitation and abuse of women and led to the establishment of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further investigate these abuses.

(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)