Choreographer Jani Master’s National Film Award Suspended By I&B Ministry Over Allegations Of Rape Of A Minor

Choreographer Jani Master’s National Award win was reversed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Friday. The beleaguered choreographer was in prison till recently for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman who worked with him.

Jani Master, whose real name is Shaik Jani Basha, had won the National Award for Best Choreography for Megham Karukkatha, the song from Thiruchitrambalam. The win was shared with the song’s other choreographer Sathish Krishnan. However, on Friday, the National Film Awards Cell of the I&B Ministry issued a statement that the award was suspended.

Jani Master’s National Award win suspended

The letter, signed by deputy director Indrani Bose, reads: “In view of the seriousness of the allegation and the matter being subjudice, the Competent Authority has decided to suspend the National Film Award of the Best Choreography for the Year 2022 to Shri Shaik Jani Basha for the film Thiruchitrambalam until further orders.”

The cell also withdrew their invitation to Jani Master to attend the National Film Award ceremony, due to be held in New Delhi on October 8. Incidentally, Jani was given interim bail this week so that he could attend the National Film Awards ceremony.

The allegations against Jani Master

Jani Master was apprehended in Goa by the Cyberabad police on September 19 and brought to Hyderabad and produced before a city court which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody.

A woman, who worked as Jani Master’s assistant choreographer, in a complaint with the police, had alleged that Jani Master had sexually assaulted her in 2020 during a work trip to Mumbai and continued sexual harassment and also threatened her not to disclose it to anyone.

On September 15, the Narsingi Police had registered a case under sections 376(2)(n), 506, 323 of IPC. On recording her statement, it was disclosed that she was a minor at the time of the alleged offence. Therefore, a relevant section of the POCSO Act, 2012, was added, police said.

As per the victim’s statement, the accused committed sexual assault on her multiple times from 2020 at various places–different shooting spots and locations, including the victim’s house and harassed her, demanding sexual favours besides allegedly forcing her to marry him.