Gender discrimination, not only in terms of remuneration but also other facilities in Kannada cinema, is as old as film industry itself. Aindrita Ray recently accused producers of not paying her even 5% of what her male colleagues get. Many female leads, who don’t want to air their differences in public, admit they fight to get what has been agreed after receiving their first instalment. They maintain silence, because they want to be in the film industry.
Avantika Shetty, who shot to fame with Anup Bhandari’s Rangitaranga, is now acting in his next titled Rajarathna. It was while working here that she accused producer K Suresh of dropping her from Raju Kannada Medium without “valid reasons.” Avantika also said she was a victim of ‘objectification’. Besides airing her grievance on social media, which went viral, she approached the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), and took legal recourse. Avantika says she does not want “any other girl to go through a similar situation.”
Though the issue, at the outset, looks like it pertains to remuneration, her note on social media titled “Are women safe in the film industry” shocks even those who nurture a dream of acting in films.
In her facebook post, she says, “I write this note not out of spite but out of disgust and a fair bit of helplessness for I have become yet another victim of the way women are objectified by certain kind of men in an industry. My illusion of perfect scenario shattered when I signed a film with Mr K Suresh — a well-known producer in the Kannada industry, an experience I would like to forget.”
Ask her what actually happened and Avantika replies, they expected her to be a “puppet, instead of acting”. The director too, she says, did not bother to protect her, when she complained of a film unit technician making passes and “touching without permission”. To protect herself, she decided to stay back in her trailer and got out only when the shot was ready.
There were even disagreements about her costumes. It reached a point, when she started “bringing my own costumes”. They allegedly told her ‘Bollywood artistes do everything, why can’t you?’ and called her “unprofessional” and a “small actor”.
However, Suresh has his version too. He says Avantika was dropped from the film for not complying with the schedule. “She gave us dates for 40 days, but attended shooting for only 15. It was difficult to get her out of the trailer for the shoot. Repeated reminders failed to improve her behaviour. Finally, it was decided to drop her from the film. The payment was stopped as the company paid only for the days she worked for the film,” he says. “She did not complaint of sexual harassment at the work place,” he adds.
“As an artiste, we wanted her to work with the team, but she did not do that. Though the reported incident happened three months ago, why has the issue popped up now, at the time of the film’s release?” asks Suresh.
Director Naresh Kumar also acknowledges the opinion of the producer and repeats his complaints that Avantika locked herself in her trailer and arrived late on the sets. “As an artiste, he expected her to work with the team, but she did not do that,” he stresses. Avantika refutes Suresh’s claims and argues that most of her portions, except one scene, were almost completed.
The issue has reached various negotiating platforms such as judiciary and KFCC — and one has to wait and see where the pendulum swings.
Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE), a newly-formed association aimed at making Kannada film industry a safe and healthy workplace for its members is all set to take up Avantika’s issue. It is a registered body that addresses issues of gender rights and equality in film profession. A group of professions from various fields including choreographers, writers, actors and directors with legal experts on gender issues came together to form FIRE.
Priyanka Upendra, who heads FIRE, says, “FIRE is ready to take up Avantika’s cause, provided, she files a formal complaint with the Association.” Actor Chetan, secretary of FIRE says, “an experts team of FIRE will investigate the matter. We will extend all help to Avantika. If the case pertains to remuneration, we will coordinate with the producers and artists’ associations.”
“In a patriarchal society such as ours, almost all professions are dominated by men. And, the film industry is no different. Those in a position of power in films are often of one gender. Also, the desire to make the films a box office hit by catering to a primarily male audience base is leading to further objectification of women on screen, resulting in prejudicial treatment against women at workplace, when the cameras are not rolling as well,” explains Chetan.
There is an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to address sexual harassment and the casting couch in KFI, Avantika has to register her complaint first to take this forward, he adds.
But, Avantika, who is busy clarifying facts and arguing her case, is thinking of approaching FIRE only after issues such as her dubbing rights and getting the remainder of her remuneration reach a logical end.
The controversy seems unlikely to die down shortly, as it is learnt that the producer has taken time till June 21 to take a call on whether or not to allow Avantika to dub her portion. And, she may not get any direction from the court on dubbing her portion or her remuneration.
