Implications of Hema Committee Report: Kannada Film Industry Members Push for Inquiry into Sexual Harassment Faced by Women
Kavita Lankesh, filmmaker and president of Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE). | Photo credit: Thulsi Kakkat
Two weeks after the K Hema Committee report sent shockwaves through several Indian film industries, artistes of the Kannada Film Industry (KFI) have reacted to the ongoing issue. After actress Shruti Hariharan demanded a Hema committee-like panel in Sandalwood, members of the Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE) asked the Karnataka government to form a committee headed by a retired judge to study and report on issues faced by women. including sexual harassment in the industry.
FIRE was formed during the #MeToo wave in 2018 when Shruti accused actor Arjun Sarja of sexual harassment. FIRE, a non-profit organization under the Societies Act to combat sexual harassment and casting couch in the industry, is chaired by filmmaker Kavita Lankesh, the panel president. Actor Chetan is serving as the non-violent secretary.
On Wednesday (September 04, 2024), FIRE submitted a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding “comprehensive measures to create a safe and equitable working environment for all women in the industry.” The 153-member panel includes notable names like actors Ramya, Kishore, Vinay Rajkumar, Shruti Hariharan, Shraddha Srinath, Pooja Gandhi, Aindritha Roy, Diganth Manchele, Chaitra J Achar, Yukta Hegde and filmmakers B Suresha, Manyasur, K, M, Chaitrasore has and Pawan Kumar.
Kavita said, “Women have been harassed in the film industry since time immemorial. “Those who did not yield to the whims and ambitions of the powerful were ostracized from the industry. Women who question injustice face the danger of losing opportunities. Same happened with Shruti,” he said.
Three years after her complaint against Arjun Sarja, the police closed the investigation for ‘lack of evidence’. “Women have complained in the past, but industry bigwigs have pacified them. Some female artistes get involved in legal battles that drag on for ages and their careers suffer,” says Kavita.
FIRE called for a “full investigation into the systemic issues faced by women at KFI, including sexual harassment.” The agency called for “development of policies to ensure a healthy and equitable working environment for women in the industry”.
“We propose to head the committee a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge who has shown strong commitment to gender justice. FIRE has sought immediate action from the government on issues faced by women in the film industry,” the letter said.
Also read:Now, women in the Telugu film industry want to publish a 2022 report on harassment
abuse of power
Allegations of sexual harassment by multiple women have rocked the Malayalam film industry. Prominent artists from the Tamil, Telugu and Hindi film industries have responded to the controversy, stressing the need for a safe working environment for women artists. Cinematographer Preetha Jayaraman, who has primarily worked in the Kannada film industry, talks about how people in power abuse their positions.
Cinematographer Preetha Jayaraman. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K
“Though I have always worked on a professional film set where there are all the basic requirements for women, there is no denying that there is a huge harassment factor when it comes to actresses and junior artists,” said Preetha, a FIRE member. “Most of them in the industry know how production executives treat actresses and where it goes wrong. People in positions of power exploit those day laborers in the film industry. We must have zero tolerance for unfair expectations from women,” she opined.
elephant in the house
Writer and screenwriter Sandhya Rani said it is a known fact that women are subjected to harassment in the film industry. “It was the elephant in the room. Only after the Hema committee report was there an open discussion on the issue,” he suggested.
“Women in the film industry are vulnerable because a film set does not work with fixed time and guidelines. Men in powerful positions create rules that work in their favor even if they cross the line. That’s why you see accused people getting jobs and those who question them walk out of the industry,” he added.
It is important to treat everyone equally on a film set, says Kavita. “I have heard stories of women being asked to work long hours even during menstruation. How you treat women and junior artists determines how safe your film sets are.”
