Who is Sanam Shetty? The Bigg Boss Fame Actress Who Exposed Sexual Abuse in Tamil Cinema

After the Justice Hema Committee report highlighted the challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, Tamil actress Sanam Shetty recently voiced similar concerns about the Tamil film industry. She claimed that both women and men are subjected to sexual abuse, based on her own experiences.

Speaking outside the Chennai Police Commissioner’s Office on Tuesday, where she sought permission to organize a rally against crimes targeting women, Sanam Shetty expressed her support for the Hema Committee’s findings. She said, “I am not fully aware of the specifics of the Hema Committee report, but I welcome this initiative. I commend the judge and the Kerala government for addressing the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Similar incidents occur in Tamil cinema as well. I speak from my own experience.”

Sanam Shetty also criticized the tendency to blame victims, questioning why they didn’t speak out sooner. She stated, “I strongly oppose the idea that ‘adjustment’ is the only way to secure work. Based on my own experiences, I urge others not to compromise their dignity for a job. If you believe in yourself, opportunities will come without the need for adjustments. So, be patient.”

While acknowledging that not everyone in the industry is problematic, she pointed out that both men and women face sexual and power abuse. Sanam encouraged other women in the industry to speak up, emphasizing that it takes courage to expose such issues. She urged women to stand together, stating, “We don’t need to wait for men to fight for us. We are strong enough to stand up for ourselves.”

Who is Sanam Shetty?

Sanam Shetty is an Indian actress and model known for her work in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films. She gained wider recognition as a contestant on Bigg Boss Tamil in 2020.

Born to a Tulu father and a Telugu mother in Bangalore, Sanam pursued computer engineering and later worked as a software engineer for Tata Consultancy Services. Her interest in fashion led her to modeling, and she participated in Miss Bangalore 2004. She eventually transitioned to acting, making her film debut in the Tamil movie Ambuli (2012), which was notable for being the first digital stereoscopic Tamil film.

Sanam's early career included roles in low-profile films such as Ravu (2013) and Vilaasam (2014), which did not achieve significant success. However, she appeared in the more prominent Malayalam film Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus (2014) alongside Mammootty. Despite signing on for several projects, including a Telugu film and a female-centric martial arts movie, some of her films were either delayed or never released.

In the mid-2010s, Sanam acted in small-budget films across South Indian cinema, including the Tamil films Katham Katham (2015) and Sadhuram 2 (2016). She also appeared in the Telugu comedy Singam 123 (2015) and the Kannada film Atharva (2018). Additionally, she ventured into production with the film Magie, although the project stalled.

Sanam was later crowned Miss South India 2016 after the original winner, Meera Mithun, was dethroned. Her participation in Bigg Boss Tamil in 2020 earned her praise for her straightforwardness. She was previously engaged to actor Tharshan Thiyagarajah, but their engagement was called off in 2019, leading to Sanam filing a police complaint against him for misuse of her funds.