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In a heated meeting convened by the Karnataka State Women’s Commission on September 16, Kannada film producers voiced strong opposition to the formation of an Internal Committee (IC) to address workplace sexual harassment, as mandated by the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act.
had asked the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to establish such a committee, but producers claimed it would lead to financial losses in the industry.
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Leading producer Rockline Venkatesh argued that forming a committee like Kerala's Hema Committee, which addressed similar issues in the Malayalam film industry, would hurt the financial health of the Kannada industry. Another producer, Venkatesh, went as far as calling for a bandh, stating, "If PoSH comes into effect, we are finished."
Despite these objections, the Women’s Commission remains firm in its demand for the IC and has given KFCC 15 days to respond to its letter. The commission has also proposed conducting a survey to assess the prevalence of harassment in the industry.
The meeting saw limited participation from women in the film industry. Some female attendees, including actor Neethu Shetty, reported being silenced during discussions. Women's Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Chowdhary highlighted the low attendance of women in the meeting.
Tensions escalated when actor Sanjana Galrani attempted to address the media post-meeting, leading to a confrontation with KFCC members, further emphasizing the divide on the issue.