BENGALURU: Karnataka’s Film Industry For Rights and Equality (FIRE), India’s first-ever cinema industry body to set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to tackle sexual harassment and ‘casting couch’, announced its 11 members on Sunday. Though it was formed in March last year, the ICC was formed only recently and its members formally announced it on Sunday.
FIRE is registered as a not-for-profit organisation under the Societies Act. Filmmaker Kavitha Lankesh will act as the chairperson of FIRE. The ICC’s 11 members include nine women and two legal experts. Actor Chetan is the Secretary of FIRE and actor Rekha Rani is the Treasurer.
The 11 members are chairperson Kavitha Lankesh, legal expert Jayna Kotahri, Rekha Rani, actress Panchami, Vijayalakshmi Patil, Vijayamma, Veena Sunder, Roopa Iyer, actress Sruthi Hariharan, legal expert Maruthi Jadeyar and actor Chetan.
FIRE plans to conduct gender sensitivity workshops, self-defence and film appreciation seminars not just for the film fraternity but also for youth in colleges.The association on Sunday said that any person associated with a film set, be it technicians, makeup artistes, stylists,supporting actors or dancers,
have the option of approaching them on cases of sexual harassment.
Survivors of sexual harassment can write to contact@fire-film.com. “To protect the interests of the complainant, the respondent, and the witnesses, confidentiality will be maintained in any investigatory process to the extent possible,” said actor Chetan. He added, “FIRE plans to conduct workshops and training programmes to spread awareness regarding sexual harassment throughout the Kannada film fraternity.”
“It intends to spread awareness outside of the film industry by imparting gender sensitivity through school and college workshops and cinema appreciation seminars. It also plans to organise self-defence seminars,” he said.
“Bollywood is the largest film industry in the country and they don’t have an ICC, but now Sandalwood does. Anything done laced with sexual overtones can also be harassment,” Jayna Kothari, legal expert said.
Kavitha Lankesh said, “One should not confuse the professional with the personal. As actors one may agree to intimate scenes but their consent is taken and is also included in the contract.”