Hindi cinema has long been captivated by the magic of its leading ladies. However, in recent years, there has been a significant shift, not just on screen, but also behind the camera. Women are increasingly taking centre stage, not just as actors, but also as directors, choreographers, editors, art directors, and technicians, shaping the narrative and aesthetics of Hindi cinema.
Devika Rani, who is also known as the first lady of Indian cinema, was one of the people to raise the standards of Indian cinema. She was one of the founders of Bombay Talkies, a studio she co-founded with her husband Himanshu Rai in Mumbai in 1934.
She is known for breaking social norms in a number of ways. In 1933, Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai shared India’s first on-screen kiss in Karma, which defied societal norms. Her films targeted social stigmas and featured bold scripts that spoke about the hypocrisy of Indian society. Devika Rani’s projection of female dreams and desires was considered bold for its time.
Not just the production, but she even took care of certain technical aspects of filming that she had learnt. She was also the first recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969.
AWARDS SERVE AS VALIDATION FOR WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY
Taking inspiration from yesteryear’s female filmmakers, directors like Gauri Shinde, Zoya Akhtar, and Meghna Gulzar are leading the pack today, helming commercially successful and critically acclaimed films that explore diverse themes and redefine storytelling. Moreover, women have now been making the nation proud on the international stage, with Guneet Monga and Kartiki Gonsalves winning the Oscar for their documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, and Ektaa Kapoor becoming the first Indian to win the International Emmy Directorate Award.
“Awards bring momentum to careers. So, definitely, more doors have opened for us in India and internationally,” Guneet Monga, who heads the production house Sikhya, tells IndiaToday.In. “It’s incredible to have this strength and scale up our slate. We are working harder than before.”
When Ektaa Kapoor received her Emmy nomination, she had announced the news with a note that read, “Overflowing with humility and exhilaration as I receive this recognition. The award holds a cherished spot in my heart, symbolizing a journey that transcends work. Representing my nation globally through this esteemed platform is an honor beyond words. Television has been my compass of self-discovery, especially as a woman crafting tales for women. This accolade empowers me to stand for them and our shared achievements on the global stage (sic).”
Talking about how she created a safe space for women in the television industry, Kapoor said at a FICCI event, “Before we get into gender dynamics, it is just important to know that the commerce of film to television starts from the basic genesis of what story it is. When you tell more stories about women, there are more writers and directors. I’d love to be politically correct and say that every story is gender agnostic, but you sometimes need a female lens for a story and television, I though, created a lot of base for women to find a safe space for work because a lot of their stories were told.”
The next film that Kapoor is producing is ‘The Crew’, which stars three top female actors – Tabu, Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.
However, at the same event, she said how difficult it had been to make films headlined by women and revealed, “I am just making a film called ‘The Crew’ and there was so much love for the promo and I can’t even tell the number of people who asked me that ‘who will watch a film about three women’? This mindset can only change by changing the commerce of it.”
Singer and composer Jasleen Royal also pointed out the importance of winning an award for boosting one’s confidence.
“One empowering experience as a woman in the music industry was when I received recognition for my talent and creativity on my own terms, regardless of gender. This acknowledgement fuelled my confidence and inspired me to continue pushing boundaries in my music composition,” Jasleen Royal told IndiaToday.In.
“Knowing that my voice matters and can make a difference motivates me to keep challenging stereotypes and breaking down barriers for future generations of female composers. I am glad I didn’t succumb to it,” she added.
Cinematographer Modhura Palit also agreed and said that people in the industry started to take her seriously the moment she received an international award. She had received the Pierre Angénieux Excel Lens award at the Cannes Film Festival, the first Indian woman to have ever received the title.
She opines, “It didn’t really make a huge difference in their behaviour towards me, but they started taking me a bit more seriously. It always helps a woman to get a certain accolade. Nobody takes a woman very seriously in their own use or in their own scenarios. So, when someone validates from outside their mindset, of their socio-economic situation, then people take women more seriously. That is very important in today’s world, because nobody is actually willing to give you two seconds of extra time when you are trying to have a point. You have to fight it out to be heard.”
WOMEN PUT MORE HARD WORK TO BE TREATED AS AN EQUAL
Just like Modhura, Guneet Monga also agreed that she had to strive “twice as hard” to be taken seriously.
“I started producing films when I was 22 years old. I prayed for reading glasses, wore zero-power spectacles, put on sarees, and coloured my hair grey, just to be able to put my opinion out there and have it accepted. It has been an incredibly tiring journey, working twice as hard to just be able to be treated like an equal on the business side of it,” Guneet Monga told IndiaToday.In.
Jasleen Royal says she faced challenges and obstacles because of her gender in her career as a music composer.
“From being underestimated or overlooked to encountering biases in opportunities and recognition, there have been instances where my gender has been a factor in how my work is perceived and received. However, I refuse to let these challenges define me or deter me from pursuing my passion for music,” she told IndiaToday.In.
“Patriarchy manifests itself in various ways in the music industry, including unequal representation, gender biases in hiring and promotion, and the perpetuation of stereotypes about women’s roles and abilities,” Jasleen Royal added.
Producer Sarita A Tanwar, who has been behind shows like ‘Broken But Beautiful’ and ‘Never Kiss Your Best Friend’, said that she has had mostly pleasant experiences. However, she also faced gender bias and was not taken seriously by a director.
“While it’s been mostly good, I have faced gender bias when I wasn’t taken seriously by an established director. My writer and I would laugh about how he felt it was beneath him to get instructions or suggestions from a woman,” Tanwar told IndiaToday.in, adding, that her work equation with most male directors has been great.
Kiran Rao, whose recent directorial ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been winning love from audience and critics alike, feels that the industry is heading towards gender equality.
“To bring oneself to the level of equality or to be recognised is gradually happening. And ‘women director’ is a tag that people don’t like, but I have no problem with it because there are very few women directors. Actually, women’s participation is less compared to men’s in the industry. So, I feel proud that I am one of the women who are making strides in the industry,” Kiran Rao told IndiaToday.in,
CREATING MORE SCOPE FOR WOMEN
With women taking top positions, more opportunities are also being generated for women and gender biases are going down.
Guneet Monga, at Sikhya, tries to give opportunities to women. “I’ve actively tried to work with young female filmmakers, who have made their debut with Sikhya. Be it Puja Banerji (‘Conditions Apply’), Kartiki Gonsalves (‘The Elephant Whisperers’), Tahira Kashyap Khurrana (‘Pinni’), Vijayeta Kumar (‘Sunny Side Up’), or Zoya Pravin (‘Clean’), we’ve supported their vision, turned it into reality, and empowered them to benefit from the opportunities presented by all the platforms eager to host fresh content.” she said.
“Kartiki Gonsalves is the latest example of how we trust debutantes with momentous projects, because we believe in them. Someone out there gave me a chance for the first time, then a second time, and so on, and that’s why I am where I am today. So I do internally try to practice the same approach with women I meet on a daily basis,” she said.
It was with Kartiki that she accepted the Oscar for ‘The Elephant Whisperers’.
Sarita Tanwar also strives to have more roles carved for women.
“I make sure that there are enough roles for women in whatever I produce. Sometimes, the role of a lawyer, a cop or politician is written for a male. But, it can easily be a female character. It would not take away from the film/show. In two instances, I have asked the directors to rethink, and they have agreed to change the characters to female parts,” said Tanwar.
Jasleen Royal has also used her position to advocate for gender equality.
“I use my platform as a female composer to advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment in the music industry by speaking out against sexism, supporting initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion, and actively mentoring aspiring female musicians,” Jasleen Royal said.
“Through my music and activism, I aim to create a more inclusive and equitable industry where all artists are valued and respected for their talent and contributions, regardless of gender,” she added.
When Gauri Shinde works on a film, even an actor like Shah Rukh Khan exclaims, “Arre yaar, kitni auratein hain set pe (there are so many women on the set). It is so lovely to see”.
When working on ‘Dear Zindagi’ which was centred around a woman (Kiara played by Alia Bhatt), Shinde had a crew that comprised of a woman editor, women costume designers and not one but five female assistant directors because she believes women are more reliable and great at their work.
“For me, it is about the people I connect with. The men on my team are great, and I love them, but women are just more reliable, trustworthy and great multitaskers,” Gauri Shinde said in an interview with India Today magazine.
Modhura Palit feels that women are sometimes not ready to bear the volatility of the industry and hence don’t join the technical crew.
“Women are not there because everybody is not ready to bear the brunt and take that risk . There’ll always be male domination, but it’s in every kind of job. Maybe the film industry has a bit more of a disparity there. There are actually a lot of women filmmakers, but there should be more women working in any technical field,” Palit said.
The industry is also warming up to women in decision-making positions in the industry.
Actor Vikrant Massey who has worked with many women directors, including Konkana Sensharma (Death in the Gunj’) and Meghna Gulzar (‘Chhapaak’) said he loved working with female directors. He felt a difference in women’s perspectives.
“From my experience, I can affirm that I don’t really know how the women see the world like, but it seems to be quite different than how men do. One thing is for sure that women are far more compassionate, empathetic, sensitive and emotional in comparison to men,” said Vikrant Massey in an old interview with IANS.
In Guneet Monga’s words, “From when I first started in the industry many years ago, to the opportunities present for female filmmakers now, there has been a definite shift towards inclusivity. According to the O’ Womaniya Report (2023), in the top 25 Indian media & entertainment companies, women representation was only 13%. So there is still work to be done.”
Yes, there is a lot to be achieved, but the steps towards a brighter future have already been taken.
With inputs from Prachi Arya, Trisha Bhattacharya, Anindita Mukherjee and Anisha Rao.
Source Agencies
