TV and film producer Ekta Kapoor on feminism and film-making
Ekta expressed the view that there is still resistance to talking about radical topics related to women on a conservative medium like cinema.
Movies used to be written with the heroes and the villains in focus, and the heroines were mostly there for songs.TV has changed that perception,” said Ekta Kapoor. Speaking at the ongoing FICCI Frames 2024 event, the TV and film producer said Television was a platform where a lot of women found a safe space to work in as their stories were told. “Unlike films, the TV focussed on heroines and vamps and heroes were there for sweet scenes or sometimes just for death scenes,” she said.
Noting that “Women have become stronger, and there is less gender bias,” she however added that, “when it comes to women having equal opportunities in movies, it’s becoming more and more difficult. It’s becoming difficult to make films about women-oriented subjects.” Citing an example, Ekta said, “I was making a film on three women and people told me, ‘Who will watch a film on three women? If there were three men, the film would have got more viewers.’ This mindset can only change if the commerce is changed, when we make female-centric stories. Only then can we see more women at work.”
According to her, TV has changed the scenario somewhat, but films still present a tough challenge.
“After COVID, the trend is films full of machismo. Celebrating feminism is still taboo,” the noted filmmaker said. Asserting that “as female producers, we are extremely dedicated,” she said, “we as women want to produce and want to support a certain type of storyline. Some amount of change has come about, but we are continuing to work at it.”
Ekta expressed the view that there is still resistance to talking about radical topics related to women on a conservative medium like cinema. “When I came in, people wondered how a lady could become a producer. There is a huge change now. Then, they felt I should use my dad’s name. Many felt that my mom and I were just ‘flunkies’,” she said.
She went on to recall an incident which showed that there’s still a long way to go. Ekta said, “I recently went for a meeting. The men, who were producers and executives, quickly made a circle, and I was left standing alone. It was a high-level meeting, and I was shocked. I asked a woman working in the organisation if this happened a lot. She said the men were often heard saying, ‘when these girls leave, I’ll crack a joke.’ I was so upset. It’s still tough for women to feel included.”
On the topic of feminism, Ekta felt the real problem was putting women on a pedestal. Quoting an incident where she was on a panel with three women who wanted to be revered and so wouldn’t associate with anything that had a sexual tone, she said they were creating an impression that only a ‘good’ girl was acceptable. “If I fly a plane, or achieve something, study, if I drink, and wear short skirts, then I’m a bad girl,” she said, adding, “the scary part is, every girl is trying to fit in, to be accepted. It’s time we stop putting people on a pedestal and expecting them to live there. So, I decided to go to the other extreme and tell stories about ‘bad’ girls, because I want women to know it’s OK to follow the unbeaten path, and get to where they want to be.”
Ekta concluded by telling women, “You don't have to fit in. Just be!”
Noting that “Women have become stronger, and there is less gender bias,” she however added that, “when it comes to women having equal opportunities in movies, it’s becoming more and more difficult. It’s becoming difficult to make films about women-oriented subjects.” Citing an example, Ekta said, “I was making a film on three women and people told me, ‘Who will watch a film on three women? If there were three men, the film would have got more viewers.’ This mindset can only change if the commerce is changed, when we make female-centric stories. Only then can we see more women at work.”
According to her, TV has changed the scenario somewhat, but films still present a tough challenge.
“After COVID, the trend is films full of machismo. Celebrating feminism is still taboo,” the noted filmmaker said. Asserting that “as female producers, we are extremely dedicated,” she said, “we as women want to produce and want to support a certain type of storyline. Some amount of change has come about, but we are continuing to work at it.”
Ekta expressed the view that there is still resistance to talking about radical topics related to women on a conservative medium like cinema. “When I came in, people wondered how a lady could become a producer. There is a huge change now. Then, they felt I should use my dad’s name. Many felt that my mom and I were just ‘flunkies’,” she said.
She went on to recall an incident which showed that there’s still a long way to go. Ekta said, “I recently went for a meeting. The men, who were producers and executives, quickly made a circle, and I was left standing alone. It was a high-level meeting, and I was shocked. I asked a woman working in the organisation if this happened a lot. She said the men were often heard saying, ‘when these girls leave, I’ll crack a joke.’ I was so upset. It’s still tough for women to feel included.”
On the topic of feminism, Ekta felt the real problem was putting women on a pedestal. Quoting an incident where she was on a panel with three women who wanted to be revered and so wouldn’t associate with anything that had a sexual tone, she said they were creating an impression that only a ‘good’ girl was acceptable. “If I fly a plane, or achieve something, study, if I drink, and wear short skirts, then I’m a bad girl,” she said, adding, “the scary part is, every girl is trying to fit in, to be accepted. It’s time we stop putting people on a pedestal and expecting them to live there. So, I decided to go to the other extreme and tell stories about ‘bad’ girls, because I want women to know it’s OK to follow the unbeaten path, and get to where they want to be.”
Ekta concluded by telling women, “You don't have to fit in. Just be!”
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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