Choreographer Jani Master's National Film Award suspended amid Pocso charges

Choreographer Jani Master's National Film Award has been suspended due to the sexual assault allegations against him. The award committee issued a statement regarding this decision.

In Short

• Choreographer Jani Master was granted temporary bail on October 4
• The National Film Award Cell cancelled his award for Thiruchitrambalam
• Jani Master was arrested on September 19

Choreographer Shaik Jani Basha, popularly known as Jani Master, has had his National Film Award revoked in response to the sexual harassment case filed against him by his assistant choreographer. Jani Master was arrested in Goa earlier this month on charges related to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

In a statement released by the National Film Awards Cell of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Jani Master's award has been suspended. Furthermore, the invitation extended to Jani Master to attend the 70th National Film Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi has been revoked.

Read the statement here:

On October 4, Jani Master was granted temporary bail from October 6 to 10, with the condition that he surrender himself to the court by 10:30 AM on October 10. This interim bail was intended to allow the choreographer to attend the National Film Awards ceremony on October 8, where he was scheduled to receive the prestigious Best Choreography award for his work in the Dhanush-starrer Thiruchitrambalam.

However, there has been no update regarding the decision on his temporary bail.

Jani Master was arrested in Goa following a complaint filed by a 21-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh, who accused him of sexual assault while she worked as his assistant choreographer. According to the complaint, she met him 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.

The woman also alleged that Jani Master threatened her with physical violence if she reported the incident and mentally harassed her during photoshoots and rehearsals.

Written by Anisha Rao