‘Jani Master’s wife physically harassed me, assaulted me’: National award-winning choreographer in trouble after sexual assault case

HYDERABAD: Awarded with a national prize choreographer and one of the biggest names in the Telugu film industry, Jani Master, was arrested on Sunday on charges of sexual assault 21-year-old friend.
Jani Master, who won the National Film Award for Best Choreography for the 2022 Tamil film Thiruchitrambalam starring Dhanush and has worked with top actors from Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema, has been accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting the woman, who is also a choreographer, in his van, on film sets and during outdoor shoots since 2019.
Narsingi police station officer (SHO) G Hari Krishna Reddy told TOI that a case has been registered under case number IPC Sections 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 323 (intentional harm) based on a complaint by a woman who had previously worked with him.

“Jani Master’s wife committed abuse”

She said, “A few days ago, when I was returning home, unknown people threatened me. On August 28, a suspicious package was delivered to my house.” She also claimed that although she was hired for several projects, she was fired halfway through. Not allowing her to work individually, Jani Master would go to the places where she worked and threaten her, saying he would make sure she didn’t get any offers, she told police.
The choreographer, in his 40s, known as Shaik Jani Basha, met the woman after she appeared on a reality show. The woman said it all started in 2019 when Jani Master asked her to join his team as an assistant choreographer.
During her first visit to Mumbai to shoot with Jani Master and two other assistant choreographers, he allegedly sexually assaulted her in a hotel. He reportedly threatened her with dire consequences and warned her that he would destroy her fledgling career if she told anyone about the alleged assault.
According to the complaint, he then repeatedly harassed her at filming locations. Another time, in a vanity van, he allegedly demanded sexual favors. When she refused, he physically abused her. “Once, he barged into the vanity and demanded sexual favors. When I refused, he grabbed my hair and forced my head against the mirror,” she said.
On several occasions, he would come to her house, create rows, throw objects and ransack the house, she said. She alleged that apart from Jani Master, his wife also physically abused and harassed her. Initially, the Raidurgam police registered a zero FIR and forwarded it to the Narsingi police.
“We are gathering evidence regarding the woman’s complaint,” the officer on duty said.