Film-maker Kavitha Lankesh has worked for nearly two decades in the Kannada film industry and was recently appointed chairperson of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), by industry body FIRE — Film Industry for Rights and Equity. The Hindu spoke to her on the fallout of the #MeToo campaign in the Kannada film industry.
Excerpts:
How do you see the industry responding to the recent #MeToo allegations against several male actors and technicians?
The instinctive reaction of industry bodies is to broker peace, which they call “compromise”. But today, women are assertive and fight for their rights. Women, if harassed, want to voice it and get a solution or at least some kind of respect at the end of it all. Sruthi Hariharan also did not ask for much, just an apology. Male star-centred power structure in the industry and their fans’ associations are a cocktail of toxic masculinity that reflects in our films too, further perpetuating it in society. Not just in Karnataka, everywhere. Sexual harassment is a reality from times immemorial .
Has a genuine conversation on the issue been initiated in the industry?
Sruthi has taken a bold step. If they don’t silence voices like hers and others coming out, hopefully things will change. The discourse has begun and slowly awareness has started. Probably they will be cautious making a move next time. For now, only the fear of public shaming seems to work.
There have been demands that the KFCC should form an ICC for the entire industry. What is your take on this?
Instead of an ICC, the KFCC is now talking of forming a Producers’ Complaints Committee, which is bizzare. There is a grey area in the industry defining workspace as it is unorganised. All work is freelance and the workspace can’t be just the sets. Most harassment happens outside the sets, asking women to come for audition, dinners, parties. I don’t see why the chamber must form a separate ICC. FIRE is also an industry body and they should collaborate with us. The chamber forming an ICC will again make us fall into the trap of the male-dominated space where women’s interests are routinely compromised.
What do you foresee for ICC and FIRE?
There is a new door opening. Television actors have also approached us with requests to allow them too to complain to us. Sexual harassment is rampant in the television industry too. Anyone can complain to us at – contact@fire-film.com within six months of the incident and we will ensure their identity is not disclosed and will give the other party also a chance to explain, and then proceed. I sincerely hope my job as chairman of ICC won’t get hectic.
