When singer Pranavi Acharya came across a casting couch in Tollywood

After the advent of the Me Too movement in 2018, cases of sexual harassment in Bollywood increased. It started after actress Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. In the South Indian film industry, the issue flared up after actress Sri Reddy appeared topless in front of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad and demanded justice for the casting scandals in the film industry. Some other South Indian actors who have alleged sexual misconduct since Reddy are Sriranjini and Chinmayi Sripaada. Telugu singer Pranavi Acharya, who came into limelight with her songs in Sri Ramadasu, Happy Days, Yamadonga and Lion, also spoke about her experience on the casting couch.

Singer Pranavi Acharya, who is now happily married to choreographer Raghu Master, made headlines when she spoke about sexual harassment in the film industry. In an interview on a website quoting TOI, the singer, when asked about her thoughts on casting, said that early in her career, she was asked for sexual favours to get a chance to sing in a film. She further said that she takes a stand and firmly says ‘NO’ to such offers.

Talking about a particular incident, the singer said that she was once asked by a director to sleep with him for a chance to sing in the film. Pranavi said she was very young at that time and told the same to the director. According to The Wee’s report, the singer said the director remained adamant even after she strictly told him ‘no’. When he tried to persuade her again, she said she would hit him with her slipper. She also claimed that the director with whom the conversation was related was married at that time.

Pranavi married choreographer Raghu Master in 2016. The couple was blessed with a girl. Raghu Master got his first break from the dance show Dhee and rose to fame with his choreographies in Arya 2, Mirchi Jil and Akhil. In Bigg Boss Telugu 2020, the couple was supposed to enter the reality show as a couple but reportedly dropped their name due to family pressure and other reasons.