Kannada Actors Want Hema Committee-Like Probe In Karnataka, Meet CM Siddaramaiah

On Wednesday, social activist Vijayamma, actor Chethan, Sruthi Hariharan and others met Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and requested to form a committee like the Justice Hema Committee in Karnataka.

Amid growing calls for greater accountability and transparency in the Kannada film industry, a group of Karnataka actors and social activists met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday to demand the formation of a committee similar to the Justice Hema Committee in Kerala. This proposed committee would investigate sexual harassment and abuse within the industry.

On Wednesday, social activist Vijayamma, actor Chethan, Sruthi Hariharan and others met Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and requested to form a committee like the Justice Hema Committee in Karnataka.

 

The demand has been supported by the Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE), an industry body in Karnataka, which has called for a government-backed committee to investigate and report on these concerns. They also wrote to CM Siddaramaiah regarding the demand. This initiative is inspired by the recent findings of the Justice Hema Committee in Kerala, which exposed rampant sexual harassment and abysmal working conditions for women in the Malayalam film industry.

The Justice Hema Committee, formed in Kerala, shed light on widespread sexual harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The report, made public through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, revealed numerous allegations of abuse and exploitation, highlighting a deeply troubling side of the industry.

Meanwhile, several celebrities including Chaitra J Achar, Samyuktha Hegde, Hitha, Sudeep, Chetan Ahimsa, Diganth Manchale, Ramya, Kiran Srinivas and Kishore have voiced a similar demand in Kannada industry. 

Apart from Kannada, Telugu and Tamil film industries have also called for a probe to investigate the issues especially sexual issues faced by women in the industry.