Sandalwood actress and politician Ramya, who joined the Congress party in 2012, voiced her concerns about the state of Kannada cinema during a panel discussion on Women in Cinema at the Bengaluru International Film Festival on Thursday.
Sandalwood actress and politician Ramya, who joined the Congress party in 2012, voiced her concerns about the state of Kannada cinema during a panel discussion on Women in Cinema at the Bengaluru International Film Festival on Thursday.Comparing it to Malayalam cinema, she pointed out the lack of diverse and meaningful roles for women in Kannada films.
“Malayalam cinema offers a wide range of roles for women, but sadly, Kannada cinema still lags,” Ramya lamented. “I don’t want to be a mere prop in a hero’s film anymore—I was doing that 20 years ago, and nothing has changed. I no longer wish to just appear in a few scenes, a couple of comedy sequences, and songs.” She urged Kannada filmmakers to take inspiration from Malayalam cinema and hoped for a shift in storytelling that would give women more substantial roles.
Ramya also criticized the overemphasis on hyper-masculine protagonists in Kannada films. “Our filmmakers equate vulnerability with weakness and fail to portray realistic characters on screen. But Malayalam cinema does this well. Women-led stories can make society more empathetic. A strong female character doesn’t have to be a police officer or a warrior—women are resilient in many ways, and their strength should be showcased in more relatable narratives.”
While advocating for more women-centric films, she acknowledged the financial challenges involved. She emphasized that the onus also lies with the audience, particularly women, to support such films in theaters. Responding to a question on why women in the industry should wait for male producers to back such projects, Ramya pointed to her own experience.
“I produced Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye in 2023, a film with a female lead. It won multiple awards but wasn’t a commercial success. The question is—how many women came to theaters to support it?” she asked, highlighting the need for stronger audience backing to drive change in Kannada cinema.
