Chairperson of National Commission for Women Rekha Sharma on Monday expressed her delight at the roles women are essaying in movies and dubbed it a big stride for women.
“But, there is persistent gender pay gap in the industry. The only way for for recognition of women’s worth is bringing equality in pay,” said Rekha Sharma while speaking at an event hosted along with Netflix and Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. The event centred around the theme of ‘Cinema as a Catalyst for Change’.
Telangana Director-General of Police Anjani Kumar said cinema is not merely for entertainment and that it is a catalyst for change. He cited examples of mainstream blockbusters shedding light on critical societal issues such as widow remarriage, the plight of sex workers and drug abuse. He stressed the importance of continuing the dialogue to reshape the narrative.
Member-secretary Meenakshi Negi echoed the sentiment that it is time for cinema to break free of stereotypes and portray women as strong, complex characters rather than damsels in distress. She called for a dialogue that transforms the way women are portrayed on the big screen, emphasising empowerment.
Dignitaries at the event included director of public policy, Netflix, Ambika Khurana; south content head of Netflix Abhishek Goradia; actress and NCW honourable member Khushbu Sunder; Parvathy Thiruvottiyur; and Supriya Yarlagadda.
This collaborative event marks a significant step in addressing gender disparities and advocating for diversity and inclusion within the film industry.
