No one to approach if anything happens to women in Sandalwood, says Sanjjanaa Galrani

Bengaluru: Popular South Indian actress Sanjjanaa Galrani on Friday said that there was no one and no mechanism to approach in the case of a female artist facing sexual harassment on shooting sets in Karnataka.

Galrani submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday demanding a committee on the lines of Kerala's Hema panel to address the sexual harassment cases in the Kannada film industry, also known as Sandalwood.

Speaking to IANS about her proposal, Sanjjanaa Galrani strongly advocated for the formation of the Sandalwood Women Artistes Association, emphasizing that it is the need of the hour. The Bengaluru-based actress had separately submitted her memorandum to CM Siddaramaiah on this matter.

She stated, “In the Kannada film industry, there is an association for artists, but it is not active at all. There are only male members, and there is absolutely no presence of female members. There is no female artist wing ensuring security for women or a women artists' association.”

“If there is a small incident or an issue, whom should we contact? There is no phone number or in-charge person. Therefore, I envision forming the Sandalwood Women Artists Association, and along with it, any new artist coming here to become a film actor should be required to become a member of this association,” she said.

She added that membership should be obtained before the beginning of film shooting and that artists should be provided with a rulebook and made aware of their rights. At the very least, they should have access to information regarding their safety, Sanjjanaa said.

“My experience in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada film industries has been good. However, what often happens is that when young women enter the film industry, there is a chance they might get trapped. As they gain experience, things become better. In some cases, they manage successfully, while in others, the girls leave the industry,” she pointed out.

Sanjjanaa noted that when girls enter the film industry at the ages of 16, 17, or 18, if they are aware of their rights and basic safety measures, as mentioned in the memorandum, there will be better protection. If the Sandalwood Female Artists Association takes shape, a PDF format of the safety measures can be created. "This is the age of WhatsApp, and it could be sent to them," she stated.

She continued, “There is no need for a rulebook. If you get a membership, they will be given a PDF copy. New girls often don’t know the basics. If any suspicious person, not from the film industry, claims to be a producer, a new girl might spend three to five months with him, not knowing what happens during that time."

The girl believes that the person will make her a star, but her life may get spoiled. At that tender age, whom should they contact when they are exploited? Everything gets hushed up," Sanjjanaa stated.

"For new girls coming from poor families, there is a need for them to be educated about these matters. They should be made aware that they should not attend shootings alone for at least the first four to five films. "It is basic that the girls demand a one-plus-one ticket for outdoor shootings, abroad or in distant locations," Sanjjanaa suggested.

“My demand is simple: the Sandalwood Women Artists Association is the need of the hour. There is already a five-story office in the Chamarajpet locality in Bengaluru. In that building, we need a small room to start our association. There is no need for extravagant expenditures or fancy requirements. Kindly allow the office of the women’s wing in that building. At the very least, let there be someone available on the phone when something happens to a woman artist on set,” Sanjjanaa pleaded.

“We should not take as long as it took for the formation of the Hema Committee in Kerala. The discussions went on for seven to eight years in Kerala. Prevention is better than cure,” she emphasized.

“I feel bad for these girls. The law and order system is weak in this country. Yes, there are life-term convictions and capital punishment. The Nirbhaya case has tarnished India’s image internationally. India is seen as the rape capital of the world. It took nine years to bring the culprits to justice in the Nirbhaya case. One of the accused did not receive capital punishment because he was a minor. This is not a joke,” she noted.

“We have to learn from other countries. If a rape incident happens today, the forensic examination should be done tomorrow, and DNA reports should be available the day after. In 5 to 10 days, you should hang the rapist and broadcast the news on social media,” she suggested.

“I am a proud Indian, but at the same time, I feel ashamed that I come from a country where the law and order system is so weak that anyone can commit rape, and even children are not spared. When you read the newspaper reports, it is traumatizing. The situation is getting worse day by day. Why is it not improving?” Sanjjanaa questioned.

“There hasn't been a case of rape in Saudi Arabia for 30 years. Are they not human beings? Are they robots? Do we lack technology? Why are we lagging? We have to take responsibility. All our hands are tied,” she opined.

“The law is not efficient in dealing with ‘Me Too’ cases. These things are going to have no impact. There will be tough retaliation for the girls who come out in the open. Some interviews will be taken from them, and they will receive appreciation. But what will happen to the personal lives of those actresses? Will their husbands accept them? How many of them are broad-minded? It is a male-dominated industry, with 95 to 98 per cent of technicians being male,” Sanjjanaa concluded.