Jani, professionally known as Jani Master is a popular choreographer in the Telugu and Tamil film industry. Born Shaik Jani Basha in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, he is married to Ayesha, a classical dancer, and they have a son and a daughter. Recently shocking allegations against Jani Master and his wife surfaced, raising a lot of eyebrows. 

A 21 year old dancer who formerly used to assist Jani Master had filed a written complaint with the Telangana police, accusing Jani of inappropriate behaviour, sexual torture at workplace and otherwise, and mental torture by Jani's wife Ayesha. The copy of the police complaint suggests that Jani forcibly kept making moves on his young female assistant who met Jani Master in 2017 and began working as his assistant choreographer in 2019. And when resisted, Jani Master used to subject her to violent threats and mental abuse.

Star actor Allu Arjun promises work for the victim in #JaniMaster sexual assault case. The young female choreographer has already worked in Pushpa 2: The Rule, & has famously assisted in Tamil hit songs like Arabic Kuthu & Kaavaalaa.#AlluArjun in recent times had appealed for… pic.twitter.com/HrFxdZiROb

— MovieCrow (@MovieCrow) September 17, 2024

The police complaint even says that Jani's wife Ayesha was complicit in it, and the husband-wife duo kept pressurizing the victim to convert to Islam (presumably for Jani to marry the very young female assistant), and at one point they forcibly entered her home and Ayesha slapped the assistant for refusing to do so. 

When the police complaint made its way to social media platforms, Jani Master was suspended by the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce and a workers' union. Actor Jhansi, chairperson of the Chamber's panel to probe sexual harassment claims told the media that allegations against Jani master would attract charges under the POCSO, or Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (meaning the victim was a minor during instances of sexual assault).

Telugu veteran star Pawan Kalyan's political party Jana Sena also ousted Jani Master citing the police FIR. On Thursday i.e. September 19, 2024, Jani Master was taken into custody in Bengaluru and is in the process of being shifted to Hyderabad. 

Post the news of Jani Master's arrest hitting the headlines, the Jana Sena party which is allied with the ruling Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh, and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance at the centre, has however come in support of the National Film Award winning choreographer.

Naga Babu Konidela, the secretary general of the Jana Sena Party has taken to his official X account to post these in support of Jani Master:

Both X posts of Naga Babu Konidela have been put up with the comments turned off.