Choreographer Jani Master receives interim bail to attend National Film Awards

Choreographer Jani Master, accused of sexual assault, received interim bail to attend the 70th National Film Awards. Following this news, singer Chinmayi Sripaada voiced her disappointment over the decision on social media.

In Short

• Choreographer Jani Master has been granted bail to attend the National Awards
• Singer Chinmayi Sripaada criticised bail amid assault allegations
• Jani Master had previously admitted to sexually assaulting a junior colleague

Choreographer Jani Master (Shaik Jani Basha) has been granted temporary bail from October 6 to 10, with the condition that he surrenders in court by 10:30 am on October 10.

The interim bail allows Jani Master to attend the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8, where he will receive the prestigious Best Choreography award for his outstanding work in the Tamil film Thiruchitrabalam.

However, this decision has faced criticism from singer Chinmayi Sripaada, who expressed her disappointment on her X handle.

Chinmayi Sripaada wrote, "Jani Master confessed to sexually assaulting a minor. He gets bail to receive a National Award. India (sic)."

Jani Master was arrested in Goa following a complaint by a woman from Madhya Pradesh, who alleged sexual assault while working as his assistant choreographer.

According to the 21-year-old complainant, she met Jani Master at an event in 2017. Two years later, he offered her a position as an assistant choreographer, which she accepted. The alleged assault occurred at a hotel in Mumbai where they were staying for a show. On September 19, Jani Master was taken into custody in Bengaluru and later transferred to Hyderabad.

The woman also accused him of threatening her with physical violence if she filed a complaint, and said he mentally harassed her during photoshoots and rehearsals.

The complaint also states that Jani Master forced the victim, who was 16 at the time, to convert to his religion and marry him. The police remand report indicates that she was sexually abused multiple times over four years.

Jani Master has worked on films such as Baahubali and Pushpa: The Rise and is a member of actor-politician Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party. On October 8, he will share the National Award with Choreographer Sathish Krishnan.