Tollywood Women Demand Release of Harassment Report

Women in the Telugu film industry are calling on the Telangana government to release a two-year-old report on workplace sexual harassment, following the public outcry generated by the Hema Committee report on similar issues in the Malayalam film industry. Led by prominent figures such as Samantha Ruth Prabhu, the collective known as The Voice of Women (VoW) emphasized the need for transparency to aid in formulating policies that ensure a safe working environment for women. The sub-committee report, submitted in July 2022, examined complaints related to harassment and workplace conditions but has not yet been made public. VoW's efforts draw inspiration from the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) in Kerala, which has been instrumental in bringing issues of exploitation in the film industry to light. The push for the report's release follows a history of activism, including protests led by actress Sri Reddy in 2018, which initially highlighted the urgent need for addressing sexual harassment in Tollywood. Industry voices argue that releasing the report could help implement necessary changes for women's safety in the industry.