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Sri Reddy row: Telugu Film Industry promises CASH committees, Helplines, Toilets and more

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Amid an ugly #MeToo movement when actress Sri Reddy bared her body in the public, the shocked Telugu film industry (TFI) has come up with a series of steps to ensure women’s safety.

In a statement, the Telugu Film industry said that it has decided collectively to deal with the matter with utmost urgency and in a wholistic manner. Despite several means to air one’s grievances, the statement said a few people have chosen “alternative platforms” to air their grievances that has caused concern.

Hence, the TFI said it has collectively decided to take a few short term and long term measures.

To begin with the Telugu film industry has decided to set up a Panel against sexual harassment. It comprises 50 percent non-industry members to give it a greater transparency and integrity. These members include doctors, members from NGOs, psychologists, educationists, ex-government officials among others. Currently, a legal framework of the the guidelines for this panel are being prepared by a team of legal experts, said the statement.

The industry bodies have given guidelines to producers council, MAA, and TFDA about the measures to be taken to enhance women safety, including setting up of CASH committees as per Vishakha guidelines, providing minimum toilet facilities and decent changing rooms to junior artists, character artists doing auditions only in in-camera facilities and in the presence of at least one other woman present, avoid using profane language in any form of communication.

The defensive Telugu Film Industry said it is in the process of conducting various meetings with women groups within the industry to be able to understand in greater depth their specific issues following which more concrete policies can be framed.

Interestingly, the panel against sexual harassment will have a direct hotline with women teams to take up swift measures. Besides, the helplines via email, phone, SMS have been set up so women can easily approach the panel with complaints, said the statement without giving further details about any hotline.

It said licenses will be issued soon to model coordinators so that the candidates are properly vetted and made accountable. It assured counselling for new actors who are wishing to enter the Telugu Film Industry.

#MeToo knocks the door of Indore as 2 men try to pull skirt of model on scooter

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Last week the #MeToo movement reached its peak in Hyderabad when an actress bared her top in protest against ‘Casting Couch’ in the Telugu Film Industry. Almost everybody familiar with the Telugu films were shocked to know the dark side of the film industry.

While many parents are swearing not ever send their children to act as models or actors in the film industry, an Indore incident has further gripped the pulse of the nation. The model was wearing a skirt and riding a scooter when two men on a two-wheeler tried to pull her skirt.

She fell down trying to stop them from doing that. "It happened on one of the busiest roads of Indore, and nobody tried to stop them," she wrote in her blog soon after the incident.

Now, an Indore-based model has come out with a narrated an incident of sexual harassment, wherein two men allegedly tried to pull her skirt while she was driving a two-wheeler.

She took to social media Monday to delineate the incident that took place on a busy road in Indore.

"This happened today. Two guys tried to pull my skirt while I was on my activa and said, ‘dikhao Iske niche Kya hai?’ I tried to stop them and lost control and met with an accident. It happened on one of the busiest roads of indore, and nobody tried to stop them."

She could not see the number of the duo’s vehicle. A passer-by helped her to get up but not without saying, "It’s because you’re wearing a skirt!", which left her more offended. "What I want to wear is my f**king choice. Those guys don’t have any right to harass me because WEARING A SKIRT DOESN’T GIVE YOU A RIGHT TO BEHAVE LIKE THAT," she wrote in a blog on Instagram.

She returned to the place of incident but found no CCTV cameras to cover the spot. "I’m registering a police complaint tomorrow. I don’t know if they will be able to find those guys, but if I don’t do it right now, it defeats my purpose," she concluded.

If this is in India, in Hollywood the #MeToo movement is gaining supporters and hecklers alike. Last week, Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director behind great brands such as Chanel and Fendi, disparaged the #MeToo movement asking models not to get in the profession if they "don’t want" their "pants pulled about".

He is no different from the uncle in Indore who said that the incident happened because the model was wearing a skirt. Perhaps, the mindset of the whole world, especially of the elderly men, should change.

Sri Reddy Leaks: Human Rights panel steps in as Govt mulls case against whistle blower

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When #MeToo movement reached the Telugu film industry, it has a different resonance compared to the wave it created in Hollywood. Here, the Telangana government and the central Information and Broadcasting Ministry were preparing to file cases against the whistle blower, forcing the Human Rights Commission to step in defence of the #MeToo actress Sri Reddy.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday served notices on the Information and Broadcasting ministry and the Telangana government, seeking detailed reports on the alleged sexual exploitation of women in the Telugu Film Industry or Tollywood.

The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of the recent protests by Telugu actress Sri Reddy who stripped in public in Hyderabad on Saturday against what is known as casting couch or sexual exploitation of aspiring artistes. Her act has sent shockwaves among the members of the Movie Artistes Association (MAA), an apex body of the Telugu film industry.

Not only did the MAA refused to make Sri Reddy a member of the body, but also threatened to file legal case against her. Sri Reddy followed the fight with her ‘SriReddyLeaks’ page on Facebook and started leaking the information about the people who had exploited her over the period. The former TV anchor has taken the Telugu film industry for a task that six names she had revealed have hit the roof.

The NHRC has sent notice to the MAA for not forming any committee to address sexual harassment complaints from women artistes in the film industry and even asked the state government to act on Sri Reddy’s complaints, instead of mulling cases against her.

Meanwhile, MAA has boycotted her and asked the members not to give her any role or work with her. The commission has taken a serious note of it and said such move by MAA violates the actress’s "right to livelihood and live a life with dignity." Instead of addressing the root-cause of the casting couch in the film industry, the government and the film body are acting against the whisle blower, noted the Human Rights commission in its notice served on MAA and the Telangana government.

“The Commission has also observed that reportedly, legal action against the actress has been taken under section 294 of IPC but it is nowhere mentioned, if action on the serious allegations of casting couch and sexual harassment, levelled by her, has been taken by the authorities. Therefore, it appears to be an attempt to muzzle the voice of whistle blower both from the sides of MAA and the State authorities,” said NHRC in a statement.

Sri Reddy Leaks: Director Kona Venkat latest, 2 more later, says Telugu #MeToo actress

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Sri Reddy, the Telugu actress who is naming the Telugu film industry celberities in her allegations of couching cast row, has named director Kona Venkat as the latest whom she claimed to have exploited her.

The name of Kona Venkat is the latest in the list of Sri Reddy, which had mentioned the name of Abhiram Daggubati, brother of Telugu actor Rana Daggubati of Bahubali fame. Prior to that, she had named director Sreeram Chandra and Sekhar Kammula.

Speaking to a Telugu TV channel Mahaa News, Sri Reddy claimed that Kona Venkat had asker to go over to a guest house to meet VV Vinayak for a role and it ended up as another case of sexual exploitation, she said. In support of her allegations, she has made available some screenshot of their conversation on social media, though authenticity of them is not verified so far.

Kona Venkat, in his response, demanded a police investigation and sought the judicial process to punish the guilty. "I demand the government to conduct through police investigation in these allegations and punish whoever are guilty," he tweeted. He described the allegations as cheap tactics to embarrass film personalities who have become "soft target."

However, he quickly added that he definitely support the demands of Sri Reddy who is seeking more Telugu artistes to be hired for roles in Telugu films. "I definitely support taking Telugu artists in our films.. In Geethanjali u find only Telugu artists," he reasoned it out.

Here’s the Saga of sri Reddy’s Leaks in the last two weeks:

Sri Reddy, a Telugu actress first appeared named famous director Sekhar Kammula in the so-called casting couch row, speaking to some TV channels. Soon, the director tweeted:"APOLOGIZE and take back every word that was posted against me or be ready to face legal action, which will include criminal/civil proceedings."

He said he never knew Sri Reddy and had been impartial in giving roles to actors in his films. "People who know me and my work would be aware of the kind of importance I give to equality of women and their empowerment. I live by my CHARACTER and die by it," he said. "I could never imagine in my wildest dreams that a woman whom I don’t know, have not seen or never spoken to in person or on the phone can suddenly make these baseless allegations. [sic]"

Next in the allegations of Sri Reddy is Telugu singer Sriram Chandra, who she accused of sending lewd messages and asking her to send images of her private parts. The actress soon shared their alleged conversation on WhatsApp.

Abhiram Daggubati, son of producer Suresh Babu and younger brother of Rana Daggubati, was named by Sri Reddy. She said Abhiram called her to a studio that belongs to the government and meant to help talented people. But Abhiram chose it as a venue for his sexual exploitation, she alleged.

Latest WhatsApp Telugu videos fame Viva Harsha was also one of the names she has alleged in her sri Reey Leaks.

#MeToo movement hits Telugu film industry, Sri Reddy leads it the nude way

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The heatwave generated by the “Me Too” movement in Hollywood is now sweeping the Telugu film industry when TV journalist-turned-actress Sri Reddy removed her clothes in protest against sexual harassment by brokers and middlemen.

She was arrested immediately for creating nuisance in public space but she was able to dent the image of the worsening Telugu film industry with allegations of “casting couch” or sexual harassment being as common as putting on make up before the clap of a scene.

Sri Reddy Leaks preceded Saturday street show (Sri Reddy/Facebook)

Sri Reddy has her own demands, some personal and many for the industry’s new entrants. She has been denied membership in the Movie Artistes Association (MAA) but her overture has left many Telugu film directors and producers in a shock. Her candid interview on a TV channel recently left viewers wondering how many women artistes end up washing sperms off their bodies every morning.

The actress has long been making allegations that the Telugu film industry is denying local Telugus the genuine roles and encouraging imported heroines from the north or Bollywood, while Mumbai ill-treats Telugu artistes or relegates them to minor roles. Despite sending nude photos, rarely they get any role befitting the promise made to them, she says.

Her “Sri Leaks” on Facebook has been raging over the last 10 days and the actress is openly challenging directors, brokers and middlemen for not honouring their word to get roles for local Telugu artistes but paving the red carpet for imported non-Telugu actresses.

One director Sekhar Kammula, whose name she revealed openly, has warned her of a defamation case. In his Facebook post, the director said: “APOLOGIZE and take back every word that was posted against me or be ready to face legal action, which will include criminal/ civil proceedings (sic).” He was known for his Telugu hits such as ‘Fidaa’ last year and ‘Happy Days’ earlier.

Undaunted, Sri Reddy is adamant as ever. She said she is ready to fight legally as she has every proof to back all her allegations. That’s where the ill-reputed industry is caught clueless.

Following the Saturday street nude show by Sri Reddy, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce rushed to a closed-door meeting in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad where Rakul Preet, Manchu Lakshmi and director Nandini Reddy among others, discussed the impact and action to be taken against her.

But Hollywood #MeToo movement has reached Hyderabad much earlier than expected.