Composer Anirudh Ravichander’s newly released independent track has drawn public criticism after choreographer Jani Master, who faces an ongoing POCSO case, was brought on board for the song.
The song and the controversy
Composer Anirudh Ravichander released his independent single “Aravindh” on June 14, 2026, through his label ALBUM Records. The song’s announcement was made on June 13, with Anirudh posting on social media that the teaser would arrive that evening and the full song the following day. The track was released in both Tamil and Telugu.
The song was well-received by fans initially. But the release soon attracted criticism. Choreographer Shaik Jani Basha, popularly known as Jani Master, was involved in the project. Jani Master is currently out on bail after a POCSO complaint was registered against him at the Raidurgam Police Station, Hyderabad, in September 2024, for alleged sexual assault and harassment. Social media users questioned why Anirudh chose to work with Jani Master while an active case against him remains unresolved in court.
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Who is Jani Master?
Shaik Jani Basha, known professionally as Jani Master, is an Indian dance choreographer who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He has also worked in Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi films. Over the years, he built a reputation as one of South India’s leading choreographers working with actors like Ram Charan, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, NTR Jr.
In 2022, Jani Master won the National Film Award for his choreography in the song “Megham Karukkatha” from the Tamil film Thiruchitrambalam.
The POCSO case
In September 2024, a 21-year-old woman choreographer filed a police complaint accusing Jani Master of sexual assault and harassment. According to a statement from Cyberabad police, the complainant alleged that she first came in contact with Jani Master in 2017, began working as his assistant in 2019, and was sexually assaulted in 2020 during a work trip to Mumbai when she was 17 years old. She alleged that the harassment continued and that he threatened her not to speak out.
He was arrested on September 19, 2024, and placed in judicial custody. In October 2024, the Telangana High Court granted him bail.
In light of the allegations, the National Film Awards Cell suspended the award that was to be presented to Jani Master. His invitation to attend the 70th National Film Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi was also withdrawn.
The case remains before the courts. The complainant, Shrasti Verma, stated in a post that she continues to pursue the matter through the legal process.
The complainant speaks out
Shrasti Verma has previously spoken out about industry figures continuing to associate with Jani Master despite the ongoing case. She wrote: “Despite the seriousness of the allegations and the fact that an industry POSH inquiry reportedly found him responsible for sexual misconduct, prominent artists and industry figures continue to associate and work with him.”
She added that such continued support sends a troubling message. “As someone seeking justice through lawful channels, I find this continued support deeply disappointing and troubling. I believe the entertainment industry should take allegations and findings of sexual misconduct seriously and uphold accountability and safety for survivors,” she wrote.
Recurring pattern
Anirudh is not the first prominent name in Indian entertainment to face public criticism for working with Jani Master after the allegations came to light.
AR Rahman faced similar backlash in November 2025 when he collaborated with Jani Master for the song “Chikiri Chikiri” from Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor’s film Peddi. Social media users called the collaboration “rotten” and criticised Rahman for associating with Jani Master while the case was still pending.
In July 2025, director Vignesh Shivan confirmed that Jani Master had been brought on board for his film Love Insurance Kompany, co-produced by Nayanthara. The announcement triggered intense backlash on social media.
The film Peddi also came under fire separately when the complainant raised concerns about Jani Master’s involvement in the project and questioned the industry’s willingness to work with him while legal proceedings were still underway.