Karnataka film fraternity urges CM to form panel to address sexual harassment in industry

Bengaluru: Over 100 film professionals on Wednesday urged the Karnataka government to appoint a committee led by a retired judge to address the sexual harassment issue in the Kannada film industry.

In a letter addressed to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, sent on behalf of Film Industry for Rights & Equality (FIRE), 153 film professionals, including actors Kiccha Sudeep and Ramya, demanded the government to “conduct a thorough investigation into the systematic issues faced by women in KFI, including sexual harassment”.

The letter, dated September 4, comes in the wake of the Justice K Hema Committee report that is taking the Malayalam film industry by storm with many survivors coming forward to name the preparators.

FIRE, led by film director, screenwriter and lyricist Kavita Lankesh, has been pushing for reform in the Kannada film industry following the #metoo wave as well.

FIRE also urged the government to “develop and recommend policies to ensure a healthy and equitable work environment for all women in the industry.” It wanted a retired judge of the High Court or Supreme Court “who has demonstrated a strong commitment to gender justice over her/his years of service be appointed to head the committee.” Incidentally, FIRE has been instrumental in establishing India’s first-ever film industry Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), advocating for survivors of sexual harassment.

“We recognise that more comprehensive measures are needed to create a safe and equitable working environment for all women in the industry,” said the letter.

Despite many attempts to reach Lankesh over the phone, she was unavailable for comment.