Telugu film industry’s #MeToo report: The Telugu film and television industry has been under scrutiny for sexual harassment and gender inequality issues. In 2019, following the brief #MeToo movement in Tollywood, the Telangana government set up a high-level committee to investigate these problems. The committee included police officers, government officials, and representatives from the film and television sectors.
A subcommittee was formed to specifically examine complaints of sexual harassment and the factors that contribute to an exploitative working environment in the Telugu film industry. The subcommittee led by journalist Ayesha Minhaz met over 20 times between 2019 and 2022. They interviewed 15 of the 24 crafts councils, including junior artists, dancers, makeup artists, and drivers, to understand working conditions, the presence of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs), and issues like nonpayment of wages and reported cases of harassment.
In June 2022, the subcommittee submitted its findings to the Telangana government. However, the report has yet to be made public. Despite multiple requests from civil society members since the Congress came to power in December 2023, the report remains shelved. The delay in releasing the findings has caused frustration among advocates for gender equality and safety in the workplace.
The release of the Hema Committee report in Kerala, which also addressed similar issues in the Malayalam film industry, led to significant consequences. The report encouraged young actresses to come forward with complaints against prominent industry figures, resulting in legal actions against director Ranjith and actor Siddique. The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) was also disbanded in the aftermath.
There are growing calls for the Telangana government to release the findings of its committee to prompt discussion and necessary reforms in the Telugu film industry, ensuring a safer and more equitable working environment for all.
