Latest news with #BegumsofBinge:HowStreamingisEmpoweringWomen
India Today
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Shefali Shah on stereotyping in films: Dug my grave playing wife to much older man
Actor Shefali Shah recently shared her views on how women are stereotyped in cinema. She further confessed how the OTT has changed the entire game altogether. Shah also opened up about the industry's ageist mindset and how roles for women drastically shrink once they cross a certain actor spoke about the same at the Women Summit during her session titled: Begums of Binge: How Streaming is Empowering Women alongside actor Bhumi Pednekar and Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix. Shefali recalled the challenges of being typecast early on and how the advent of OTT platforms finally gave her the space to flourish as a leading actor in her feel lucky because, at one point, there was simply no space for women in cinema after a certain age. After 25 or 28, you are considered inconsequential. I know that might sound rude, but it's the truth. If you look back at the films of the '60s, women of all ages were celebrated. If you take a look at films like 'Chandni' or 'ChaalBaaz', for instance, the heroines were fierce, powerful, and appreciated for who they were.' She further added, 'Then came a phase where a woman's role was reduced to merely being eye candy. She was there to beautify the screen. It's sad that makers didn't realise that women have so much more to offer. After marriage and children, it was like, go home, your part is done.'Having said that, Shah looked back on the time when she played the role of Amitabh Bachchan's wife in 'Waqt: The Race Against Time' at an early age.'I dug my own grave when I played the mother or wife to a much older man. If someone had told me I'd be playing lead roles in my 40s, I would've laughed it off. And yet, it actually happened. What changed everything for me was OTT. I only wish it had come earlier as I lost out on a lot,' she on the work front, Shefali Shah will next be seen in 'Delhi Crime' Season 3. 'Delhi Crime' is directed and written by Tanuj Chopra. It is bankrolled by Apoorva Bakshi, Michael Hogan, Florence Sloan, Aaron Kaplan, Jeff Sagansky, Matt Aragachi, Sanjay Bachani, Pooja Kohli, Kilian Kerwin, Shefali Shah, and Tanuj Chopra. Other than Shah, the series will also mark the return of Rasika Dugal and Rajesh Tailang.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Shefali Shah, Bhumi Pednekar on pay parity: OTT fairer to women
Actors Shefali Shah and Bhumi Pednekar recently opened up about pay differences in the entertainment industry, and how OTT is slowly changing things for women. Shah said that the gap in pay is often more about star power than gender, while Pednekar shared that her experience with streaming shows has been more fair, where actors are paid based on their work and two shared their views during a session titled: Begums of Binge: How Streaming is Empowering Women at the Women Summit, where they were also joined by Tanya Bami, Series Head at Netflix. The discussion was about the continuous change of women's roles in web shows and how OTT are giving them more chances to be seen, heard, and express themselves the long-standing issue of pay inequality, the 'Darlings' actor said, "Honestly, I don't even know if its pay parity between gender. I think it's between a star and actor. So you could do a film and play the lead. If there is a star opposite you, you will never ever get paid that kind of money. But on OTT, it does kind of change. I don't really think it's about a man or a woman per se." Bhumi Pednekar agreed with this and spoke about her own experiences in the industry. She said, "I have my fair share of experience. Obviously, when there is somebody who has a lot of experience who is working with you, then this conversation is redundant. So if you are working with somebody who has achieved credibility like yours, who has done similar work like you, then there is a parity in that phase which is true. However, my experience with my first outing has been different. We were paid for the value that we had."Both actors admitted that OTT is giving better chances to women to play strong and meaningful roles. They also believed that the digital sphere is also giving them the respect they didn't always get in the the work front, Shefali Shah was last seen in 'Three of Us', starring alongside Jaideep Ahlawat and Swanand Kirkire. She is set to return in 'Delhi Crime' Season 3 with Rajesh Tailang and Rasika Pednekar recently starred in Netflix's 'The Royals', a romantic comedy drama where she played a fierce startup founder opposite Ishaan Khatter. The show, which also featured Zeenat Aman, Dino Morea, and Sakshi Tanwar, has been praised for its fresh portrayal of modern romance. Up next, Bhumi will be seen in 'Daldal', a gritty web series for Prime Video, where she plays a police officer. The show has wrapped filming and is awaiting a release date.- EndsMust Watch
