Social media is furious with TV5 anchor comments on women working in film industry. They are questioning why there are no live debates on the topic by other media channels on this. They are asking why women activists are not responding on this issue.
For those new to the topic here is the gist.It all started with TDP MLC Babu Rajendra Prasad scathing comments on Tollywood industry for not coming out to support Special Category Status issue. His comments drew ire from Tollywood and Posani came for live debate to TV5. He justified industry’s silence on the issue by saying industry people are confused with various U-turns taken by CM Chandrababu Naidu over SCS , and that’s the reason why they didn’t come out to support this cause. During this debate, Posani attacked TDP for encouraging political defection and called it as political prostitution. At this point, Samba siva rao questioned “Doesn’t your film industry have brokers. Aren’t there prostitutes in your film industry?”. This final sentence aired on live and the people who watched it got shocked and some of them even complained police. (https://www.telugu360.com/section-ipc-509-case-on-tv5-anchor-samba-shiva-rao/). Later, people from industry ,like Shivaji Raja, Jhansi, Uttej, Hema and few other artistes complained in Jubilee Hills police station on this incident and requested the police to take strict legal action against the anchor..
Manchu Lakshmi tweeted on this issue and condemned those comments. She tweeted “NO ONE can use such words generalising & labelling women, no matter what. Targeting actresses, will be least tolerated by our fraternity. I condemn this & won’t let this go easy. #GetALife than gaining publicity by speaking derogatorily towards the women of the industry.”
NO ONE can use such words generalising & labelling women, no matter what. Targeting actresses, will be least tolerated by our fraternity. I condemn this & won’t let this go easy. #GetALife than gaining publicity by speaking derogatorily towards the women of the industry. https://t.co/PgD4C3dNrM
— Manchu Lakshmi Prasanna (@LakshmiManchu) March 25, 2018
But there is another interesting discussion happening in social media. Netizens are questioning where are those women activists, who make big issue about slightest suggestive dialogues in an entertainment program like Jabardasth. This is not to support Jabardasth program but while you make it a big issue about a dialogue in an entertainment program, how much more vociferous should you have been when such comments coming in news channel live show from male anchor. Surprisingly the women activists not seen anywhere. While people generally appreciate the work of these women activists on various issues, they are surprised why none of them coming forward to condemn this now.
Second question. Why the other channels choose to ignore this issue. Netizens say, had this comment been done from any other person like a small time artiste or small producer or even from someone who doesn’t belong to industry, channels would been made him fall on his knees and ask for apology. For a one liner in a Jabardasth program, some channels spared 8 hours of discussion (saturday and sunday combined) on a weekend. But this foul comment from media person is conveniently ignored by media channels.
When senior actor Chalapati Rao made a nasty comment, many media channels telecast continuous stories and made him to tender an unconditional apology. Now why these channels are keeping mum on Sambasiva Rao. Is it because he also belong to media fraternity? Or is there any other reason for this “selective response”. People are not supporting Chalapathi Rao’s comment either, but they are questioning this double standards of media, on social media platforms.
Same is the case with RGV. Women activists and media almost waged a war against his comments. Police cases were filed on RGV.
On the other side, it is surprising to see an educated person handling very responsible position, wearing suit and boot utter such foul language before camera and even after uttering that word, there was no regret seen on his face or words and he continued next 30 min of discussion casually. Its very pity on Telugu people to have to see such persons and follow them.
Finally, after these police complaints and all, TV5 channel started scrolling a couple of lines ‘expressing regret’ (not apology) for the words IF it has hurt anyone. Media is supposed to be watchdog of democracy. But one media person stooping to make such mean comments and other media channels ignoring that, will only make common audience lose faith on these channels. Moreover, people will come to conclusion that even women activists and media also attack only “soft targets” like small time artistes of Jabardasth and senior actors like Chalapati Rao. Forget about waging war, but they won’t even give a scrolling if such comments come from media persons or influential persons.
-Zuran
