Professionalism in Films and Job-Orientation

Home , Madhur Bhandarkar, Mohini (Tamil actress), Subhash Ghai, Tapan Sinha, Tisca Chopra, Vijaya Nirmala

Role Name Affiliation Principal Investigator Prof. Sumita Parmar Allahabad University, Allahabad Paper Coordinator Prof. Sisir Basu Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Content Writer/Author (CW) Shri Arindam Roy Professional Writer, Allahabad

Content Reviewer (CR) Prof. Sisir Basu Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Language Editor (LE)

(B) Description of Module

Items Description of Module Subject Name Women’s Studies Paper Name Women, Media & Films Module Name/ Title Professionalism in films and job-orientation

Module ID Course – 10, Module – 32 Pre-requisites The reader is expected to have the knowledge about the status of the professional and working women in India. They should have an idea about the problems they face in promoting their cause. Objectives To make the readers aware about the long and arduous journey of women in the film industry, their low presence as technicians, such as, directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, etc. Also, the struggle for the industry to become organized and the harsh realities of the casting couch. What is the way ahead for women in cinema.

Keywords Bollywood, Hollywood, Gender, Male Gaze, Taboos, Conflict, History, Identity, Organized, Disorganized, Casting Couch, Exploitation, Parivarvaad, Star-kids, Hindi Cinema, Regional Cinema, Popular Films, World Cinema, Diaspora, Feminist Cinema, Women’s Films, Feminism, Feminist Auteurs, Post-feminism, Third Cinema, Reality, Fantasy, Media, Medium, Equal Opportunities, Filmmaking, Filmmaking Institutes

Professionalism in Films and Availability of Jobs for Women

1. Objectives

As stated earlier in the description of the module the purpose of this unit, in general, is to make the readers aware of the various job opportunities that are available for the women professionals in the Indian film industry. The specific objectives of this module are to:

• Describe the jobs that are available for the women;

• Explain the struggle that the women have to undertake to establish themselves in the so called men’s world;

• The struggle that the film industry as a whole has undergone to organize itself; and

• The realities of couch casting that stares at the women folk in the film industry.

2. Introduction

With USD two billion earnings from ticket sales, per annum, the Indian film industry is the largest in the world1. The Hindi cine industry employs more than 250,000 people, mostly contract workers, according to trade analysts. Women had to break the glass ceiling, fight taboos and break shackles. Their journey was arduous, replete with trials and tribulations. A small step in the last century by two women (mother-daughter duo as actresses) was to mark the beginning of a long journey by many more in over 100 years. Slowly women got their share of the sunshine.

In the previous unit, we have had discussion about the portrayal of women in various forms of films. We now have a fairly good idea about the types of representations that the films offer about the women in our film industry.

In this unit we shall discuss and analyse the job opportunities that the women professional have in Indian film industry; the struggle that undergo to establish themselves in various jobs; and the difficulties they face to organize themselves as professionals not forgetting the issue of couch casting that is prevalent in the industry.

3. Women Pioneers Break the Glass Ceiling

Dadasaheb Phalke had to cast male actors as female cast in his first film, Raja Harishchandra (released on May 3, 1913). The film was a runaway success. Raja Harischandra captured the nation’s imagination. Thus, Phalke was able to cast a mother-daughter duo, the first women actors of Indian cinema, Durgabai Kamat and Kamlabai Gokhle, in Mohini Bhasmasuri (released in November 1913). It’s a landmark film for another reason. Kamala, the heroine, performed the first ever dance by a woman on Indian screen, as Mohini, enticing the demon. It was Phalke’s second film. We were in the era of silent films then. Things were not easy for women. At that time, acting in films was a taboo for women. Women actors were likened to prostitutes.

1 News report, ‘Supreme Court says Bollywood must allow female make-up artists’, Nita Bhalla, Nov 4, 2014, Top News 2

Fig 1. Kamlabai Gokhle

Stage actress, Fatma Begum2, was to create history. She was India’s first entrepreneur- director. She established her production company, Fatma Films, later rechristened as Victoria-Fatma Films. Bulbul-e-Paristan (1926) was the first landmark Indian film that was directed by a female director. Two early women music composers were Jaddan Bai3 and Saraswati Devi4. Hailing from the family of Tawaifs, Jaddan Bai, an actress and singer, was to become the country’s first woman music director, with the film, Talashe Haq (1935). She is better known as actress Nargis’ mother. Born in a Parsi family, Khorshed Minocher-Homji, popularly known as Saraswati Devi, was the second woman music director of the country. She was associated with Bombay Talkies. She scored the music for the well known film, Achut Kanya, the following year, in 1936. Till 1961, she composed music.

Figure 2: Jaddan Bai and Fatma Begum

In the Tamil cine industry Meenakshi Narayanan5 was the first woman sound engineer. She entered the film industry in the 1930s. Three other women actor-directors, pioneers in their own rights, became trendsetters as actor-cum-technicians in the cine world. They too were from the Tamil-

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatma_Begum 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaddanbai 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswati_Devi_(music_director) 5 News report in Hindu, Feb 22, 2014: http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/viswamitra-1936/article5716729.ece

Telugu film industry. The three legends were Thiruvaiyaru Panchapakesa Rajalakshmi (TPR), Kommareddy Savithri and Paluvayi Bhanumathi Ramakrishna.

The 1936-film, Miss Kamala, saw Rajalakshmi6, popularly known as TPR, multi-tasking as a writer, director, editor, singer and actor. She was a freedom fighter and was jailed by the British many times. Highly respected, she ruled the cine industry for many years. A wealthy lady, she had lost her fortune. She passed away ill and poor. Savithri7 started her career as a child artist but was noticed after her association with NTR’s theatre company. She was secretly married to Sivaji Ganeshan, an icon of the Southern cinema. In 1968-69, her directional career shined with films like Chinnari Papalu, Chiranjeevi, et al. Though she died in her forties, she paved the way for female directors in three southern languages. At 25, Bhanumathi8, a highly respected and no-nonsense actor-singer, became the director of the film, Chandrini (1953). She worked in 200 plus films. She was not shy of experimentation. Her gutsy portrayal of female sexuality is another feather in her cap.

For Arundhati Devi9, wife of filmmaker Tapan Sinha, the lines between real and reel lives blurred. Her real life unfolds like a silver screen drama. Her first film was Yatrik (1952). Fifteen years later she directed her first film. Megh-o-Roudra. She bravely challenged the boundaries of her times, paving the way for other women directors. Her celluloid journey came to an end in 1990, when she passed away.

Prema Karanth10, a well known dramatist and filmmaker, much like her celebrated husband BV Karanth, directed Phaniyamma, her directorial debut, in 1983. Before that she worked as a costume designer and art director too. She is an important female director of the Kannada films.

Vijaya Nirmala’s11 name figured in the Guinness Book of World Records 2000, as a prolific female director. She directed 42 films, the maximum number by any female director worldwide. With more than 200 films to her credit, she directed Meena, her first Kannada film, in 1973. She also directed Malayalam and Tamil films. Now, she stays in Hyderabad and manages Padmalaya Studios and Padmalaya Telefilms Ltd.

6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._P._Rajalakshmi 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savitri_(actress) 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhanumathi_Ramakrishna 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arundhati_Devi 10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prema_Karanth 11 http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/04/30/stories/2002043000330203.htm

Figure 3: Vijaya Nirmala

These bold-and-the-Beautiful pioneers braved the difficult times and paved the way for many new entrants into the showbiz. They rode over many contradictions and were not cowed down by the taboos and shackles of a conventional society. They stormed into the male bastion, breaking the proverbial glass ceiling.

4. The Inbuilt Conflict: Professionals in Unorganised Sector and Exploitation

When it comes to 'professionalism', the cine industry is offering employment to trained professionals. These people are replacing the errand boys, uneducated but street smart, who made it to the top, the traditional ‘Muqaddar-Ka-Sikandar syndrome’. Some of them are still around. Since they were exploited, they believe in perpetuating it. Things are now changing and that is the sunny-side-up for the industry. Women are on the rise among the technical workforce too.

Some celebrated insiders were exclusively interviewed telephonically or via emails.

Jyoti Madnani Singh, a prominent costume designer and stylist in Bollywood, in an email interview, said, “Let me first talk about the reason behind the unorganised nature of film industry. It is largely unorganised because people seriously don't pursue it as a business and don't think of it as a 'real' industry. Like every business has a plan, barring few corporate, no one has a business plan or road-map in Bollywood.”

Figure 4: Jyoti Madnani Singh

She added, “The cine industry is relying on trained professionals because there is increase in number of educated people getting into industry. There's influx of educated people in industry. In general, the impression of 'Bollywood' has as well changed in society. There are lots of institutions at local and recognised level offering professional courses which can provide ticket to Bollywood. Young minds are pursuing those courses. Suddenly there's influx of young professionals. Now, when there's availability market certainly will pick the best and place the best. But the business-module hasn't changed. It is merely called industry but certainly it is still to achieve the status of genuine industry. Therefore, it presents an inbuilt conflict to the close observers.”

Alankrita Srivastava, film writer, director and producer, in an email interview revealed, “I think film industry is still a hugely disorganised space. So while the corporate have come in, on the one hand, the traditional feudal, dynastic dynamics have not changed. It is not a space of equal opportunity, because belonging to a film family is a game changer. However, having said that, the film industry is a place that very easily wipes out class distinctions. And anybody can rise and make it!”

Figure 5: Alankrita Srivastava

She adds, “As for trained professionals, we do have a host of filmmakers, actors, technicians who are formally trained. Most technicians came from institutes like FTII and were trained professionals. This continues to be the case. Though now there are many more private institutes as 6

well. How a filmmaker, a writer, an actor, a cinematographer gets work is still very haphazard. There are no guarantees, no proper system.

“With the advent of casting directors, things have become much better for actors. This is a very clear trend of the last few years. The film ‘industry’ remains a dichotomy. While there are corporate creating a trail of paperwork – things like contracts are clearer across the board. And while people working on films may be trained professionally, however, the industry continues to be unorganised. Bodies like the Film Writers’ Association need particular mention, for strengthening the rights and negotiation powers of writers.”

A renowned editor, Irene Dhar Malik, in an exclusive telephonic interview said, “Film is an unorganised industry. Almost the entire money goes to the stars. People are expected to work long hours. The technicians often get little or no money. If you want to be treated as ‘equals’ (read like men), you are exploited on that count too. Even at 2am or 3am, after finishing work, there are no facilities for dropping women-technicians home. We manage amongst ourselves, with male colleagues taking care of us.”

Financial exploitation and filching ideas is most commonplace. Without naming anyone, Irene agonised, “Well known names and large production houses pay smaller amounts. Many a times, a large part of the money might not be paid at all. This is because the stars and actors take the lion’s share. The smaller production houses promise smaller amounts and honour it.”

She said, “There is a steady increase of trained professionals in the industry. In 1989, when I was studying in FTII, Pune, there were only three girls among 30 students. But, in 2004, when I was teaching there, 40 per cent of the students were girls. In fact, women are mostly trained professionals. There are large numbers of girls among the assistants in various departments now. If not the mainline cinema, many women are documentary filmmakers now.”

Mrunalinni Patil, a doctor and social worker, is a passionate filmmaker. In a telephonic interview, the director from the Marathi film industry said that there has been a steady rise in the number of women in the cine industry. Though they hardly constitute any percentage of the male- dominated workforce, there are lots of assistants, in various departments of filmmaking. She opined that ‘highly qualified professionals’ are now trickling in the regional film industry too. She stated, “I have an efficient IT professional as my assistant. She is smart, intelligent and analytical in her approach. Though all women are naturally good in multi-tasking, a qualified woman-technician is a blessing. The growth of education among women in India is largely responsible for better ambience in the cine industry too.”

5. Counter Discourse: Cine Industry is Organised

Meghna Puri, director of Whistling Woods International, daughter of Subhash Ghai, in an exclusive email interview felt that the film industry is no longer ‘disorganised’. Professionals have professionalised the industry. She opined, “Actually, training is something that was never considered necessary for several years. Eighty to ninety per cent of talent working in the industry used to be untrained. They would simply learn on the job. It was only 10-12 years ago when the film industry was given industry status by the government. So only then was the concept of Film Insurance, Bonds, etc., was introduced. The opening up of regulations towards TV channels and radio stations led to several international studios setting up shop, here, in India. This led to varied content for the audiences. Audiences started to expect better in terms of overall content quality. They started to reject substandard films and TV shows. While there were two government-run institutes in the country they were mainly plagued with red tapes and bureaucracy, which led to strikes and inefficiency; it continues even now. Whistling Woods International started in 2007 with the thought of introducing trained ‘employable’ talent to the industry. Slowly, it is this trained talent that has now started to 7

influence the industry in a positive way. Several things are now working together to increase efficiency and organise this industry: (1) Corporate and large studios are investing in India and bringing in the best practices, (2) Talent that is trained is making films and TV content in an efficient manner, which is leading to overall cost savings; and (3) Distribution outlets such as Multiplex cinemas, TV channels, set-top boxes and the internet are providing various streams of revenue for content.”

Figure 6: Meghna Puri

On the issue of exploitation of the workforce, particularly women, Meghna emphasised, “In my opinion , I don’t think we have ever experienced ‘exploitation’ - it was probably not as organised but has definitely improved as better HR practices have been introduced by the industry. Women employees also have found a special place in leadership roles in the industry. We see several producers, cinematographers, directors, writers and editors doing extremely well.”

US-based Tula Goenka12 is a filmmaker, author, human rights activist and professor. She teaches courses in multimedia storytelling, film production and Indian cinema at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. She said, “Many, many filmmakers have received technical and academic training in India since the Film & Television Institute of India was opened, in 1960. And the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute in Kolkata was established, in 1995. Many actors have also been trained in these institutes or at the National School of Drama (NSD). Now, there are many private schools also, and filmmakers and actors also get training abroad. Trained professionals have worked in Indian cinema for a long time. But yes, the financing and distribution of cinema has not been formally structured but this has been rapidly changing since the government gave the film industry formal recognition, as an ‘industry’, in 2001.

12 http://newhouse.syr.edu/faculty-staff/tula-goenka

Figure 7: Tula Goenka

On the issue of exploitation of the workforce, in general, and women, in particular, Tula explained, “Indian cinema lacks strong trade unions for its workers, and it does not have a structured studio system like Hollywood. Therefore, producers can get away with paying low wages, demanding long hours of work, providing no benefits, etc. So yes, “exploitation” of workers is a reality in Indian cinema and women are a part of it.”

She added, “The Indian labour market has gone through a revolution in the last fifteen years, as globalization has become a reality. This has led to more women in the workforce, including cinema. More women are also breaking down societal barriers and getting trained in different fields, including cinematography, editing, etc. Families are also accepting the fact that their daughters and wives want to follow their interests and passion.”

6. Parivarvaad and Star Kids

Mrunalinni said that it’s difficult for non-filmy people to make a mark in the film industry. The game changer often is which family you come from. Politics and film suffer from the same malaise, parivarvaad or dynastic rule. If you are from powerful film family, people will take you seriously. Thus, it’s much easier for Farhan Akhar or his sister Zoya. The Kapoor clan has been ruling this industry for many years. This exploitation, lack of level playing field, gets underplayed often.

She explained that exploitation of actors, particularly women, is much higher, adding, “Stardom gives them a disproportionate wealth. They get paid far more than the effort they put in. To be a technician, one needs to be truly passionate.”

Bhakti Mayalu, daughter of celebrated Marathi film director Rajdutt, is an editor in Marathi films. Talking on telephone, this star-kid confessed, “It is easy for people with family background (read star kids) to get an entry in the films. You may reach the door easily, but the journey is your own. If you are not good, you will stop getting work. It is not enough to be Rajdutt’s daughter. One has to prove his/her worth too.”

7. Casting Couch: The Underbelly of Bollywood

The first recorded evidence of casting couch in Bollywood is in 195113. Life magazine’s photographer, James Burke14 had shot what went on behind closed doors in the showbiz world. These early pictures are from the auditions held by A R Kardar. In 2004, actress Preeti Jain alleged that director Madhur Bhandarkar had sexually abused her from 1999 to 2004, in lieu of a role in his film.

13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3HGL8smxLk 14 http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/ENT-stripped-unbelievably-shameful-1951-bollywood-casting-couch-caught-on-cam-4938165-PHO.html 9

The casting couch case gave details of two places where he had repeatedly had sex with her. Preeti had filed a police complaint.

Israeli model and Bollywood aspirant Rina Golan’s15 book took the film industry by storm, when she revealed the casting couch truth in her controversial book, Dear Mr. Bollywood: How I Fell In Love with India, Bollywood and Shah Rukh Khan, in 2011. Sex and sleaze is the film industry’s gory reality. This book stirred the hornet’s nest when the starlet stated that she was propositioned by Subhash Ghai. She also named Anoop Jalota, Aneez Bazmee and Dr Ali Irani, former physiotherapist of the Indian cricket team, in her book.

Former wife of director, Shekhar Kapoor, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi16 has written a book on casting couch, titled, Drama Queen. Riya Sen17 has also based her fiction, Bollywood Striptease, which she said was 75 per cent true (see video link). The fourth book on this issue, Acting Smart: Your Ticket to Showbiz, has been penned by Tisca Chopra of Taare Zameen Par fame. Her book is how to avoid the casting couch. Having faced a casting couch like situation herself, she was reported in a newspaper, saying that both men and women get ‘accosted’ in Bollywood and there are ways to avoid it. In a newspaper report18, she confessed that she "devised a cunning plan and managed to escape from the situation."

Doe-eyed Madhuurima, a Mumbai girl, an upcoming actress in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Bollywood, said in a telephonic interview, “Some people are preferred because they ‘obliged’ and ‘cooperated’ or were star kids. People from the film fraternity have a distinct edge. I lost many chances to them. The casting couch is partly true. Those who do not want to take shortcuts face problems.”

8. Exploitation of Women in Cine Industry

Responding to the perpetuation of 'exploitation' of the workforce, particularly women, Jyoti revealed, “Here in Bollywood there are two major kind of exploitation: (a) Financial exploitation, wherein you are not paid right remuneration, dues are not cleared on time, or you are not paid at all; and (b) Emotional exploitation: you are not respected and considered professional, your work of art is stolen, you are promised work and then later cheated, etc.”

Talking of her personal journey, trials and tribulations, Jyoti stated, “My personal journey has been decent. Because I studied in premier institute of India, I was looked at with respect and I soon got good opportunities. But I too went through cheating and derogation. At times I was not paid the promised amount, I was promised moon and was kicked out at opportune time, I was asked to bed for exclusive benefits and recommendations. Later, when I got married, I was asked if I believed in polygamy. Picking chances to take undue advantage (physical) is regular phenomena in Bollywood. Women working here have to put a stone-face dipped in arrogance for their betterment and peace.”

Alankrita opined, “I don’t think the film industry perpetuates the exploitation of women in the workforce. I think films tend to under represent women in stories. And films tend to objectify women on screen. And films tend to perpetuate myths, stereotypes and regressive ideas about women. But in the workforce there is no real exploitation of women. There is discrimination in terms of hiring them. There is less access for women to enter the film industry. It’s a difficult working environment, so there are few women cinematographers for instance. Very few women are in sound recording. And

15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLTxrs6Mm3A 16 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLwCdunhehQ 17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyGjVpfi_P8 18 http://www.hindustantimes.com/tabloid/both-men-women-face-casting-couch-in-bollywood-tisca-chopra/article1-1307719.aspx 10

only now, many women are becoming directors. There are of course many more women who are writers, production designers, editors and costume assistants. There are quite a few women who are producers. And there are many women who are assistant directors. There are hardly any female music directors and hardly any women who are lyricists. Till very recently women were not allowed to work as make-up artistes in films. And they are still not allowed to work as dress assistants/ setting assistants/ spot boys. Also, as a rule female actors get paid less than male actors, even if they are at par. Women still have a long way to go in the film industry.”

Irene said, “If one is looking for acting work, there is greater (sexual) exploitation, but it isn’t much for women on the technical side. There are many random things happening in this industry.”

Choreographer Shabina Khan opined, “Exploitation of women is rampant all over. At many places, they are not safe in their homes. After marriage, they might be sexually exploited by jeths (husband’s elder brother) and sasurs (father-in-law). In corporate sectors, among teachers and lawyers too, I have known such cases. Dignity depends on a woman. I have led a dignified and respectable life in Bollywood. Therefore, I know. These days girls are smart too. They too know how to use their sexuality. It takes two to Tango. People compromise, Kuchh mahol ne badal diya, kuchh halat ne badal diya (Ambience change something, conditions change something). Different minds, different thoughts.”

Figure 8: Shabina Khan

Jyoti said, “Out of my experience and what I observe around, yes women are still exploited though there has been a decline with coming of new age educated men and women who are focused and concerned about their career.”

Film writer, director and producer, Alankrita, felt, “I don’t think women are being exploited in the film industry. I don’t have any real details on actors. Yes, aspiring actors have it hard and are easy prey.”

Tula opined, “Everyone is exploited in the film industry, including women, especially young actors. There is an immense pressure to look a certain way and behave a certain way.”

Director of Whistling Woods International, Meghna stated, “Once again I feel there is a certain amount of exploitation in every industry. The film industry itself remains a soft target.”

9. Influx of Women in Bollywood 11

On the issue of influx of women in the film industry, including the technical side, she felt it was caused by a mixture of factors. Jyoti enumerated, “The reasons are: (a) Career in cinema is no more considered a taboo to the extent it was considered earlier, (b) The great Indian middle class is willing to educate girl child. Education opens window to the world, (c) In an era of 'world wide web' the youth is aware. It aspires and dreams, (d) Bollywood is a short cut to fame, popularity. India is dreaming big and so are the girls of India, and (e) In the communication and connection era, it's not that tough today to give a shot to your dream and chase them. Ideally, in my opinion, now the question for study and survey should be, what percentage of women continue to work in Bollywood after first three to five years and post-marriage? Here in, I am talking about technicians as well as executives.”

Meghna quipped, “I feel education and exposure to careers in the Media Industry and organised training Institutions like Whistling Woods and to some extent FTII have led to this growth.”

On the other hand, Bhakti, an editor of Marathi films, stated that the reason for the presence of lesser women on the ‘technical side’, in India and abroad, is that they have an aversion to anything technical. “Women, in general, are not comfortable with gadgets, cables, consoles and switches. Some of those who stormed through this mental block are not only comfortable being a ‘technician’, they excel too. Despite all these, more and more women are making their presence felt”

Alankrita explained, “The influx of women has happened around the time that Corporate sector entered the industry. It has happened because of the rise of more educated, younger filmmakers working in a more organised fashion…I also think women have been paving the way for others. When someone works with a female technician and she’s good, the next time round he/she will be more open to working with another female technician. And so, brick by brick things have been changing. Also, as more women work on a set, the all-male boys’ locker room atmosphere starts dissipating, and it becomes a more comfortable space for women to work in. I started out as an assistant director on Gangaa Jal, in 2003. That time there were only three women on set. One was a hair dresser, one was a costume assistant and there was me. Amongst a crew of over 200 people, only three were girls. Though the ratio is still very stark, at least the number of women on a set has changed a lot. Though I’m sure there are still people with biases, and people who feel women can’t do the job as well as women. But I think the mindset is undergoing a shift. It’s slow, but it’s there. But yes, I think women often have to work harder to prove themselves and they sometimes have to struggle to be taken seriously.

10. Working Conditions for Women

Alankrita stated, “As for working conditions not being conducive to women technicians, I’m not sure. I think the conditions are the same. Sometimes when you’re shooting there are issues of no rest rooms being available for women. And definitely there are no daycare facilities for women with children. And maybe it’s a crew that cracks a lot of sexist, misogynistic jokes. I’m sure a union dedicated to women’s working conditions would help. But I don’t think that’s the real answer. The answer lies in the market becoming more open to content that is created from a female perspective. That will encourage more women to work in films. And that will change the situation.”

Tula rued, “As far as I know, motion picture trade unions are not strong (if they exist), and these are really needed to improve working conditions for everyone involved in the film and television industries.”

Meghna echoed Tula and said, “There are unions and all members are protected under this; men and women. Also the HRD Ministry of India has launched a program to regulate the media industry by introducing norms and regulations which will ensure that best practices are followed.”

11. Women in Indian & World Cinema

Despite the government and the courts being in favour of women, they still remain a minority. This is true of the Indian and the world cine industry. A study on Indian Cinema, The Dark Side of Bollywood: Study Reveals Shocking Facts about Women in the Indian Film Industry19, by Priyambada Bhagwati, published in Youth ki Awaz (October 3, 2014) revealed startling facts. It reported, “India tops the chart in showing attractive women in its movies and as much as 35% of these female characters are shown with some nudity, finds a first-ever UN sponsored global study of female characters in popular films across the world. The study, commissioned by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, reveals deep-seated discrimination, pervasive stereotyping, sexualisation of women and their under-representation in powerful roles by the international film industry. While women represent nearly half of the world’s population, less than one third of all speaking characters in films are female, and Indian films are at the bottom of the pack.”

Regarding sexualisation of female characters in global film industry, the study finds, “Indian films are third, behind German and Australian movies, in showing females in ‘sexy attire’, and at 25.2%, India tops the chart in showing attractive females in its movies.”

Priyambada, quoting the study added, “Prevalence of female directors, writers and producers in Indian films was low. India had 9.1% female directors, slightly above the global average of 7%, while its percentage of female writers was 12.1%, significantly lower than the 19.7% global average. Female producers in India were only 15.2%, way below the 22.7% global average. This data of gender prevalence behind the camera translated into a gender ratio of 6.2 males to every one female in the film industry in India.”

Ashwini Kamble, in the article, Women still far behind20, in Power Politics, says: “Where do Hollywood and the World cinema stand on this aspect? The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) lists five women among top 100 directors of the world (2012). Reputed British daily Guardian compiled a list of top 40 directors of all time, only two women figure in that. In the 85 years history of Oscars, only four women got nominated for the ‘Best Director’ award, and there is only one winner so far. She is Kathryn Bigelow (for the film The Hurt Locker, 2010).”

The Road Ahead

Jyoti does not mince words. Reacting to a question, if things have improved for women and what’s the road ahead of them, she says, “…certainly things have improved and are looking to improve further. Road ahead, well the 'flesh trade' is more organised here in Bollywood then film industry. When people will start treating Bollywood as real entertainment industry, certainly things will improve. More serious people will come in and traditional seth-sahukars-money lenders would be cornered. Then the prestige of the industry will be on count and it would be salvaged.”

Meghna pointed out, “Today women are leaders in the industry. People like Ekta Kapoor, Farah Khan, Zoya Akhtar, Ashwini Yardi are all people who have made a mark for themselves in the

19 http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2014/10/women-in-bollywood/

20 http://www.powerpolitics.in/page70.php 13

industry and I know several of my alumni, who are doing extremely well, for instance, Chaitally Parmar, who is the Associate Director of the film, Queen, and Aahana Kumra, who acted with Mr. Bachchan in a TV Series called Yudh. I am certain women will do very well in this industry, as they are great in multi-tasking and our films could do with a more feminine approach to them.”

Alankrita echoes Meghna’s ‘feminine approach’ and adds, “Through what prism, are we telling our stories? Even films with female protagonists tend to be seen through the male gaze. And just because a woman is making the film, does not mean that her perspective is female. She very well is also looking at stories through a male gaze. I feel that is what needs to change: the stories and the story tellers. Merely having more women in films will not mean anything, unless it means the stories we tell and how we tell them changes.” Tula said, “Yes, things have improved (for women). But we have to keep on striving for change and equal working conditions.”

Let Us Sum Up

Since its beginning days, the film industry has largely been a male workforce dominated bastion. Despite hostility within and outside the industry, few women pioneers like Fatma Begum, Arundhati Devi and Vijaya Nirmala among others made their presence felt holding positions of power including as directors. However, representation of women in other divisions of filmmaking remained almost non-existent. One of the reasons for the absence of female technicians is the prevailing stereotyping notion that women cannot be techno savvy. Unorganised nature of the film business is another major factor that makes it difficult for women to get into and succeed.

Of late, the industry has started to realise the importance of trained workforce. This has led to democratisation of the film business opening up territories hitherto kept inaccessible for women. Female professionals are now earning recognition as film editors, cinematographers, sound engineers, choreographers and costume designers. Working professionals feel that increasing corporatisation of the film industry is a major factor facilitating the influx and acceptance of trained women professionals. Opening of numerous institutions imparting training have been churning out this new breed of woman professionals.

Though, working in the film industry is no longer a taboo for women as in the early days of cinema, female technicians often have to deal with hostile situations and sexist, feudal attitude of male co-workers. Several actresses have reported the prevalence of casting couch. Despite some improvement in the condition, women’s representation continues to be very low on and behind the screen as compared to men. The problem is global. Studies reveal that the condition in other parts of the world is not better.

With the increasingly organised nature and corporatisation of the film business, women professionals believe conditions would continue to get better. It is expected that more women in the filmmaking process would also help break the stereotypical representation of women onscreen.