Bollywood Icons Rally for Gender Inclusivity in Cinema

Mumbai (Maharastra): Bollywood celebrities highlighted the need for promoting gender inclusivity in films at an event organized by Breakthrough Trust in Mumbai. The event "Reframe by Breakthrough: Reimagining Pop Culture" featured prominent figures, including actor Huma Qureshi, writer and director Vijay Krishna Acharya, director Vikramaditya Motwane, writer and director Varun Grover, film editor Shweta Venkat Mathew, screenwriter and director Nitya Mehra, screenwriter Atika Chouhan, and film critic Mayank Shekhar.

The event witnessed the coming together of many influential voices from Bollywood, who collectively underscored the powerful impact of cinema in shaping societal attitudes and cultural norms. They emphasized that films have the ability not only to entertain but also to reflect and influence how gender roles and relationships are understood in society. The speakers called for an urgent transformation within the industry, advocating for the creation of a more gender-sensitive environment that promotes equal opportunities, diverse representation, and inclusive narratives. They stressed that fostering such a culture is essential for dismantling long-standing stereotypes and biases, ultimately driving positive social change through storytelling.

Acclaimed actor Huma Qureshi said, “A lot of choices I make today are because of the shifts that have come in the industry. There is a shift and I can sense this when I am discussing a script with someone. I should have that choice as an artist. We were told you have to work with heroes to become a star. But do I get to be the hero?” We have examples of men being okay with not being macho, being in their ‘soft boy era’ as we call it. But still a lot needs to be done.” Vijay Krishna Acharya pointed out, “We need to understand why something is working. Why is something that is reprehensible to me, working for the larger audience? People will be patriarchal and all of it, but name calling will not get us to change anything.”

Varun Grover and Sucharita Tyagi with the Breakthrough team at the event

 Vikramaditya Motwane said, “Compared to where we were 15 years ago, industry has witnessed progressive evolution. But one size- fits all does not apply anymore. Women have been leads in many shows and movies. To be able to have women as leads for a lot of content is a sign of progress change.”

As the entertainment landscape continues to develop, the demand for gender-sensitive content has never been more pressing. Sohini Bhattacharya, CEO, Breakthrough Trust said, “As the entertainment landscape continues to evolve, we want to partner with it to enable more gender-sensitive content. I think this call in not ours alone but women themselves are demanding such content. This call to action marks a significant step toward reshaping the future of cinema and promoting gender equality in the industry. We are trying to build a community and find a common ground to work on the value of gender progressive stories and why they matter, together as a group. Building allyship is the first step towards this.”

The event marked the beginning of meaningful change in partnership with the most influential voices of Bollywood, ensuring that inclusive storytelling becomes the standard rather than the exception. This unified call to action marks a significant step toward reshaping the future of cinema and promoting gender equality in the industry. The path ahead is clear: by amplifying inclusive storytelling, Bollywood can lead the charge in redefining societal norms and inspiring positive change.