Amidst the ongoing MeToo movement in Kerala, actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has urged the Telangana government to release a report on sexual harassment in the Telugu film industry. Drawing inspiration from the Justice Hema Committee report in Kerala, which has led several actors to speak out about the abuse they faced, Samantha emphasized the need for similar transparency and accountability in Tollywood.
Taking to Instagram, Samantha praised the Hema Committee report and commended the efforts of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) in Kerala, which has played a pivotal role in advocating for safer working conditions in the industry. She expressed the hope that the Telangana government would publish the findings of a similar sub-committee report on sexual harassment, which she believes could help establish industry policies to ensure a safe working environment for women in the Telugu Film Industry (TFI).
“We, the women of the Telugu film industry, welcome the Hema Committee report and applaud the persistent efforts of the WCC in Kerala, which has laid the path to this moment,” Samantha shared on Instagram. “We hereby urge the Telangana government, to publish the submitted sub-committee report on sexual harassment, which can help frame government and industry policies, to establish a safe working environment for women in the TFI.”
The Justice Hema Committee report, which spans 235 pages, was commissioned by the Kerala government in 2017 and submitted in 2019, but it had not been made public until recently due to legal challenges. The report highlights that the Malayalam film industry is predominantly controlled by 10-15 male producers, directors, and actors, underscoring the need for systemic change.
Samantha suggested that the Telugu film industry could significantly benefit from a similar committee, as it would pave the way for much-needed reforms and protections for women working in the industry.
Samantha was last seen in the film “Kushi” alongside Vijay Deverakonda and has several upcoming projects, including “Bangaram,” which she announced on her birthday, and the highly anticipated series “Citadel: Honey Bunny,” directed by Raj and DK, co-starring Varun Dhawan, Kay Kay Menon, and Sikandar Kher. The series is expected to release in November this year.
