Hyderabad: The Telangana government has formed a high-level committee to look into the issue of sexual harassment of women artistes in Telugu film and television industry and make recommendations.

According to an April 1 order, the Chairman of Telangana State Film Development Corporation would be the chairman of the committee. Ram Mohan Rao is the current Chairman of the Telangana State Film Development Corporation.

It may be recollected that a starlet named Sri Reddy caused a sensation by stripping in front of the film chamber's office in Jubilee Hills alleging sexual exploitation of women in the regional film industry and lack of adequate opportunities to local artistes. For this act she was refused membership to Movie Artists Association (MAA), an entity which looks after the welfare of movie and TV artists. They MAA team had also said that actors who work with Sri Reddy, would also be suspended from the association. It was only after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognizance of the actress's Sri Reddy’s allegations of sexual exploitation that the Movie Artists’ Association (MAA) lifted the ban on her. Apart from lifting the ban, it also announced setting up of a Committee Against Sexual Harassment to look into the complaints. NHRC had also sent notices to the Telangana government and the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry over Reddy’s allegations. The rights body took cognizance of media reports about the allegations raised by Sri Reddy and a lack of grievance redressal mechanism for women in the film industry.

Panel Members

Tollywood director Nandini Reddy, film and TV artist Jhansi, Y Supriya of Telugu film chamber of commerce, artistes Preeti Nigam and Supriya, writer Paruchuri Gopalakrishna, directors N Shankar, and Tammareddy Bharadwaja, are among the members. The committee is directed to furnish the recommendations to the government for taking necessary action for protection of women artistes in film and television industry, the order said. With inputs from the PTI

Sri Reddy took to FaceBook to express her thanks to the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for coming out with this panel to look into the welfare of female movie artists.

Also Read: Sri Reddy Produces Video Evidence To Prove Her Claim!