Tollywood 'Me Too' campaigner stages semi-nude protest

Sri Reddy, a Telugu actress in news for the last few weeks for talking about casting couch in Tollywood, staged a strange semi-nude protest at the Movie Artists Association (MAA) office in Hyderabad on Saturday. Onlookers were shocked to see the artist stripping off her top and bottom and sitting in her minimum clothes outside the MAA office.

The Banjara Hills police removed her from there and took her to the police station.

Sri Reddy, who had acted in a few films, had been alleging that women face harassment for chances in the industry. She started the campaign in March, by giving an interview to a Television Channel. A few days ago, she alleged that Indian idol singer Sriram had harassed her. Earlier this week, she targeted popular director Sekhar Kammula. However, Sekhar demanded an open apology for her failing which he would initiate civil and criminal proceedings against her.

Kammula said he lives by his character and dies by it. Asserting that he had never seen her, Sekhar tweeted, "I could never imagine in my wildest dreams that a woman whom I don't know, have not seen or never spoken to in person or on the phone, can suddenly make these baseless allegations. Whatever might be their intentions and whoever might be involved in this diabolic act, I would like to say that it is WRONG, IMMORAL and CRIMINAL". Sri Reddy was unmoved. She replied saying she would not succumb to money power.

Apparently inspired by the Me Too campaign that began in Hollywood and spared across the globe, Sri Reddy vowed to expose the harassment meted out to women in the industry.

The actress two days ago posted on Facebook that she wants to meet KCR and discuss the casting couch in Tollywood. She threatened to go nude in public if the CM did not bother to listen to her concerns about the happenings in the industry.

Banjara Hills assistant commissioner of police K Srinivasa Rao said Sri Reddy refused to give a formal complaint about her grievance against the film industry. "She said she is denied opportunities. We assured her that we would take action if she gives us a specific complaint. But, she is reluctant", he said.