Latest news with #PayalKapadia
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Women claim spotlight in India's macho movie industry
India's giant movie industry is known for its macho, men-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers is helping to break the mould. "More and more women are writing their stories, turning them into films," said writer-director Reema Kagti, who believes the trend brings a more "real and healthy perspective" to movies, with complex, outspoken women characters who are masters of their own story. The world's most populous nation churns out 1,800 to 2,000 films in more than 20 languages annually—and Hindi-language Bollywood is one of the largest segments, with more than 300 productions. Yet the films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. A 2023 study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences found that female characters in most chart-topping Indian films play the role of a romantic interest—and are "fair skinned with a thin body type and a small screen time". But industry insiders point to a slate of women-directed movies earning international acclaim that have also scored well at the tough domestic box office. Malayalam-language film All We Imagine as Light, a poetic tale about two nurses forging an intergenerational friendship, was the first Indian production to win the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Director Payal Kapadia shunned the one-dimensional portrayal of women on Indian screens which tends to mimic "unrealistic standards set by society", she said, in favour of one that allows women to "just be ourselves, authentic and true to how we are in everyday life". India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars was Kiran Rao's Lost Ladies — Laapataa Ladies in Hindi—a comedy which challenges convictions surrounding marriage and womanhood, a sign of a shift, even if it missed the final shortlist. 'More inclusive narratives' It's not only arthouse films that are winning hearts. Mainstream movies with strong women co-leads are filling up theatres as well. Stree 2, a horror comedy featuring Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor, smashed box office records last year, beating earnings by superstar Shah Rukh Khan's action flick Jawan. And Crew, a heist comedy about flight attendants, was widely seen as a win for women-centric movies. "Women still face challenges in telling stories from their perspective", said actor-producer Dia Mirza. "However, the increasing presence of female directors, producers and writers is paving the way for more inclusive narratives." Movies can also tackle the way regressive traditions manifest in the daily lives of Indian families. Mrs., a Hindi-language film released in February, dives into the unseen labour of a newlywed housewife, her silenced aspirations and the societal conditioning she struggles with. "Across social media, you can see people posting -- that the majority of women in India go through this turmoil," said Lakshmi Lingam, a Mumbai-based sociologist. She points out that there was no backlash to the film. "The voices of women saying, 'Yes, this is true and I can see myself there' is very high," she said. "So, there is that kind of ecosystem of women resonating with many of the ideas these women filmmakers are making." 'Still misogynistic' Industry figures suggest progress is being made, albeit slowly. Last year, 15 per cent of Indian movies surveyed hired women for key production positions, up from 10 per cent in 2022, according to a report by Ormax Media and Film Companion Studios. Konkona Sen Sharma, an actor-director who is a champion of women-oriented cinema, is cautiously optimistic about the role women will play in the future. Women are increasingly present in the film industry, but "we still don't have enough women in positions of power," she said. Filmmaker Shonali Bose points out that women directors need the independence and financial backing to tell new stories. "Our problem is not to do with gender, it is getting to make what we want to make," Bose said. "When we want to make world cinema, we are facing market forces which are getting increasingly conservative." Lingam, the sociologist, said that while moviegoers are being "exposed to the changing discourse", mainstream films are "still very male-orientated" and plotlines "still misogynistic". "Some of the women scriptwriters have great ideas, but producers don't want to back those stories," she said. "They intervene and make so many changes by converting the female protagonist into a male to make a 'larger-than-life character'. At the end of the day, the buck actually dictates what can be made and what cannot."
The Star
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Rewriting Bollywood's macho script
THE country's giant movie industry is known for its macho, men-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers is helping to break the mould. 'More and more women are writing their stories, turning them into films,' said writer-director Reema Kagti, who believes the trend brings a more 'real and healthy perspective' to movies, with complex, outspoken women characters who are masters of their own story. The world's most populous nation churns out 1,800 to 2,000 films in more than 20 languages annually – and Hindi-language Bollywood is one of the largest segments, with more than 300 productions. Yet the films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. A 2023 study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences found that female characters in most chart-topping Indian films play the role of a romantic interest – and are 'fair skinned with a thin body type and a small screen time'. But industry insiders point to a slate of women-directed movies earning international acclaim that have also scored well at the tough domestic box office. Malayalam-language film All We Imagine as Light, a poetic tale about two nurses forging an intergenerational friendship, was the first Indian production to win the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Director Payal Kapadia shunned the one-dimensional portrayal of women on Indian screens which tends to mimic 'unrealistic standards set by society', she said, in favour of one that allows women to 'just be ourselves, authentic and true to how we are in everyday life'. India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars was Kiran Rao's Lost Ladies – 'Laapataa Ladies' in Hindi – a comedy which challenges convictions surrounding marriage and womanhood, a sign of a shift – even if it missed the final shortlist. Changing landscape: Kagti (centre) says the trend of women filmmakers brings more authentic and healthy perspectives to the screen. — AFP 'More inclusive narratives' It is not only arthouse films that are winning hearts. Mainstream movies with strong women co-leads are filling up theatres as well. Stree 2, a horror comedy featuring Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor, smashed box office records last year, beating earnings by superstar Shah Rukh Khan's action flick Jawan. And Crew, a heist comedy about flight attendants, was widely seen as a win for women-centric movies. 'Women still face challenges in telling stories from their perspective', said actor-producer Dia Mirza. 'However, the increasing presence of female directors, producers and writers is paving the way for more inclusive narratives.' Movies can also tackle the way regressive traditions manifest in the daily lives of Indian families. Mrs, a Hindi-language film released in February, dives into the unseen labour of a newlywed housewife, her silenced aspirations and the societal conditioning she struggles with. 'Across social media, you can see people posting – that the majority of women in India go through this turmoil,' said Lakshmi Lingam, a Mumbai-based sociologist. She points out that there was no backlash to the film. 'The voices of women saying, 'Yes, this is true and I can see myself there' is very high,' she said. 'So, there is that kind of ecosystem of women resonating with many of the ideas these women filmmakers are making.' 'Still misogynistic' Industry figures suggest progress is being made, albeit slowly. Last year, 15% of Indian movies surveyed hired women for key production positions, up from 10% in 2022, according to a report by Ormax Media and Film Companion Studios. Konkona Sen Sharma, an actor-director who is a champion of women-oriented cinema, is cautiously optimistic about the role women will play in the future. Women are increasingly present in the film industry, but 'we still don't have enough women in positions of power,' she said. Filmmaker Shonali Bose points out that women directors need the independence and financial backing to tell new stories. 'Our problem is not to do with gender, it is getting to make what we want to make,' Bose said. 'When we want to make world cinema, we are facing market forces which are getting increasingly conservative.' Lingam, the sociologist, said that while moviegoers are being 'exposed to the changing discourse', mainstream films are 'still very male-orientated' and plotlines 'still misogynistic'. 'Some of the women scriptwriters have great ideas, but producers don't want to back those stories,' she said. 'They intervene and make so many changes by converting the female protagonist into a male to make a 'larger-than-life character'. 'At the end of the day, the buck actually dictates what can be made and what can't.' — AFP
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
From Alia Bhatt's debut to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's triumphant return, here's a recap of Cannes 2025
From Payal Kapadia's commanding return as a jury member to Alia Bhatt's show-stealing debut, the 78th Cannes Film Festival saw Indian stars, filmmakers, and influencers bring their distinct voice — and style — to the global stage. 1 / 10 India at Cannes 2025 was anything but quiet. From Payal Kapadia's commanding return as a jury member to Alia Bhatt's show-stealing debut, the 78th Cannes Film Festival saw Indian stars, filmmakers, and influencers bring their distinct voice — and style — to the global stage. Here are nine moments that defined India's presence on the Croisette. (Source; Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt/Instagram) 2 / 10 One year after her Grand Prix win, Payal Kapadia returned to Cannes — this time not with a film, but with a vote. The filmmaker looked razor-sharp in a deconstructed tuxedo jumpsuit by Rishta x Arjun Saluja as she joined the Juliette Binoche-led jury panel, for one of her looks (Source: Payal Kapadia/Instagram) 3 / 10 Alia Bhatt made her long-awaited Cannes debut in a sculpted cream Schiaparelli dress. But it was this — a canary yellow, monochrome Gucci look for press day — that had us floored. Bright, confident, and pure sunshine, Alia claimed her space with a style all her own. (Source: Alia Bhatt/Instagram) 4 5 / 10 6 / 10 Never knowingly underdressed, Karan Johar arrived in a Rohit Bal creation that took 410 hours to complete. Call it fashion diplomacy with maximalist flair. (Source: Karan Johar/Instagram) 7 Aishwarya Rai turned up in an ivory sari with striking sindoor — a symbolic nod to current headlines back home. (Read Operation Sindoor) (Source: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan/Instagram) 8 Red carpet or wedding aisle? Ruchi Gujjar's bridal ensemble — complete with a necklace bearing PM Modi's face — sparked more than a few headlines and hot takes. (Source: Ruchi Gujjar/Instagram) 9 Content creator Nancy Tyagi dazzled — but not without drama. One red carpet look landed in hot water over originality claims, with murmurs of a designer dispute still circling. (Source: Nancy Tyagi/Instagram)
Sinar Daily
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
Women claim spotlight in India's macho movie industry
The films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. 25 May 2025 07:01pm (L-R) Indian actress Kani Kusruti, Indian actress Chhaya Kadam, Indian director Payal Kapadia and Indian actress Divya Prabha pose during a photocall after she won the Grand Prix for the film "All We Imagine as Light" during the Closing Ceremony at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2024. India's giant movie industry is known for its macho, male-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers are helping break the mould. (Photo by Sameer Al-Doumy / AFP) MUMBAI - India's giant movie industry is known for its macho, men-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers is helping to break the mould. "More and more women are writing their stories, turning them into films," said writer-director Reema Kagti, who believes the trend brings a more "real and healthy perspective" to movies, with complex, outspoken women characters who are masters of their own story. Indian director Payal Kapadia (2nd R) arrives on stage after she was awarded with the Grand Prix for the film "All We Imagine as Light" next to US actress Viola Davis during the Closing Ceremony at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2024. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) The world's most populous nation churns out 1,800 to 2,000 films in more than 20 languages annually -- and Hindi-language Bollywood is one of the largest segments, with more than 300 productions. Yet the films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. A 2023 study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) found that female characters in most chart-topping Indian films play the role of a romantic interest -- and are "fair skinned with a thin body type and a small screen time". But industry insiders point to a slate of women-directed movies earning international acclaim that have also scored well at the tough domestic box office. Malayalam-language film "All We Imagine as Light", a poetic tale about two nurses forging an intergenerational friendship, was the first Indian production to win the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Director Payal Kapadia shunned the one-dimensional portrayal of women on Indian screens which tends to mimic "unrealistic standards set by society", she said, in favour of one that allows women to "just be ourselves, authentic and true to how we are in everyday life". India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars was Kiran Rao's "Lost Ladies" -- "Laapataa Ladies" in Hindi -- a comedy which challenges convictions surrounding marriage and womanhood, a sign of a shift -- even if it missed the final shortlist. 'More inclusive narratives' It is not only arthouse films that are winning hearts. Mainstream movies with strong women co-leads are filling up theatres as well. "Stree 2", a horror comedy featuring Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor, smashed box office records last year, beating earnings by superstar Shah Rukh Khan's action flick "Jawan". Bollywood film director and screenwriter Reema Kagti (C) attends a masterclass by American screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris and Bollywood actor and filmmaker Boman Irani in Mumbai on November 23, 2024. (Photo by Sujit JAISWAL/AFP) And "Crew", a heist comedy about flight attendants, was widely seen as a win for women-centric movies. "Women still face challenges in telling stories from their perspective", said actor-producer Dia Mirza. "However, the increasing presence of female directors, producers and writers is paving the way for more inclusive narratives." Movies can also tackle the way regressive traditions manifest in the daily lives of Indian families. "Mrs.", a Hindi-language film released in February, dives into the unseen labour of a newlywed housewife, her silenced aspirations and the societal conditioning she struggles with. "Across social media, you can see people posting -- that the majority of women in India go through this turmoil," said Lakshmi Lingam, a Mumbai-based sociologist. She points out that there was no backlash to the film. "The voices of women saying, 'Yes, this is true and I can see myself there' is very high," she said. "So, there is that kind of ecosystem of women resonating with many of the ideas these women filmmakers are making." 'Still misogynistic' Industry figures suggest progress is being made, albeit slowly. Last year, 15 percent of Indian movies surveyed hired women for key production positions, up from 10 percent in 2022, according to a report by Ormax Media and Film Companion Studios. Konkona Sen Sharma, an actor-director who is a champion of women-oriented cinema, is cautiously optimistic about the role women will play in the future. Women are increasingly present in the film industry, but "we still don't have enough women in positions of power," she said. Filmmaker Shonali Bose points out that women directors need the independence and financial backing to tell new stories. "Our problem is not to do with gender, it is getting to make what we want to make," Bose said. "When we want to make world cinema, we are facing market forces which are getting increasingly conservative." Lingam, the sociologist, said that while moviegoers are being "exposed to the changing discourse", mainstream films are "still very male-orientated" and plotlines "still misogynistic". "Some of the women scriptwriters have great ideas, but producers don't want to back those stories," she said. "They intervene and make so many changes by converting the female protagonist into a male to make a 'larger-than-life character'. At the end of the day, the buck actually dictates what can be made and what cannot." - AFP More Like This
The National
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Ishaan Khatter on Homebound, Cannes and Martin Scorsese: 'I don't want this dream to end'
On the 6th floor rooftop terrace of the Cannes Film Festival's famous Palais, it's blowing a gale. 'We almost flew off,' laughs Ishaan Khatter, 29, the Mumbai-born Bollywood star, who is managing to keep his cool on this particularly blustery day. Famed for his role in Netflix Hindi-language TV series The Royals and The Perfect Couple, the actor is as dashing as you might expect. But today, he's in Cannes to show very different side to him. Screening in the Un Certain Regard sidebar, Homebound is a nuanced tale of friendship. Already gaining acclaim from its early reviews, Homebound is another impressive entry in the recent renaissance of Indian cinema. After last year's Cannes Grand Jury prize-winner, Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, the movie industry from the subcontinent is experiencing its own wind of change. 'It's a beautiful time,' Khatter tells The National. 'I think this global spotlight on Indian cinema…it's brighter than it's ever been before. Because we're seeing such diverse work.' Neeraj Ghaywan, the writer-director of Homebound, concurs, paying full tribute to Kapadia. 'She broke the glass ceiling for all of us. She's the hero that we all need.' Ghaywan is also no stranger to Cannes, his 2015 debut Masaan similarly playing in Un Certain Regard. 'Honestly speaking, just returning to Cannes was the thing, where it all started for me. This was my homecoming journey, in a way.' Set in a village in Northern India, Homebound follows best friends Shoaib (Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), who both apply to be police constables, with the hope that such an esteemed public role will render them immune to caste or religious discrimination. The statistics, however (very real, according to Ghaywan), count against them. There are 714 applicants for every position available. It's a chase for work that will eventually come between them. 'I was really struck by the way that Neeraj was able to weave all these things into the story,' says Khatter. 'It's a very rare kind of film. I don't think many actors get the opportunity to play something quite like this. "As a character, I thought Shoaib was deeply complex, beautiful and human. I thought that there was a persistence to this character, despite all odds, that almost made him feel like an optimist in the beginning. When you start seeing the cracks, you start seeing him getting beaten down by those societal, systemic pressures, and your heart really breaks for him and for their friendship.' Ghaywan says the film came loosely inspired by a real-life story in The New York Times. 'When we speak about people of colour, like any ethnic and religious minorities, sexual minorities, even migrants, we're always calling them as a statistic,' he explains. 'We're never asked to humanise them. "What if we actually pick up these two migrants and see where they came from? What did they love? What was the friendship? What was the family? What were their homes like? What were their dreams? What did they leave behind? What did it take for them to reach this point? Maybe then we will have empathy and we'll see humanity in the whole situation.' Intriguingly, the film is produced by Karan Johar, the hugely successful Indian producer whose company Dharma Productions is behind some of the biggest Bollywood movies. 'Karan and I formed this bonhomie, because he also a person who has deep empathy, and he gets moved by things, and he loved Masaan,' says Ghaywan. 'And he said, 'I just want to do something with you. Can we collaborate on one film?' I said, 'Of course.'' That Johar was also willing to give him artistic freedom ('no meddling') was a dream. 'Imagine you get studio money to make an independent film,' the director marvels. Even better, Homebound is also executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Like Johar, the acclaimed director behind Goodfellas and Raging Bull was also a fan of Masaan. This time, after Ghawyan's team approached him, he got more involved, giving feedback on the script and watching several cuts of the film. 'I'm literally living the dream of every independent filmmaker,' Ghaywan tells me. So how did Khatter feel, knowing that Scorsese was sitting in his screening room watching his work? 'It was absolutely surreal,' he replies. 'He's the North Star in the world of cinema, and even from whatever I'm privy to of his notes and the kind of influence that he has had on this film, it's just such a masterful gaze. Somebody that doesn't come from a removed or outside perspective, but comes from deeply educated perspective. It's a dream, and I don't want this dream to end.' For Khatter, he feels a film like Homebound also brings him back to his roots, when he made 2017's Beyond the Clouds with the Iranian auteur Majid Majidi, playing a street hustler and drug dealer in Mumbai. 'That was an extremely rooted, grounded film and I would say that socially, I was playing a character that was from a similar section of society. And I could find a lot of parallels in the process that I undertook with Neeraj.' Shooting Homebound in Madhya Pradesh, in Bhopal, Khatter and his co-star Vishal Jethwa enjoyed what Ghaywan calls 'a massive immersion exercise', in which they met and mixed with locals. 'Neeraj made it very clear that we can't take for granted that we will understand these characters,' says Khatter. 'So there was a lot of research. We would sit down with people and try and get a sense of the lives that they have, the struggles that they have, the daily obstacles that they have to deal with.' The results are there for all to see, with Ghaywan suggesting he wanted to stay true to his cinema-verite roots. 'You can't wing it. That feels dishonest,' he states. It's why Khatter couldn't even devote time, as much as he wanted to, to signing autographs for the crowds that would gather. 'I wanted to stay as immersed as I possibly could. So while I wasn't rude…it was a smile and wave and then go to work,' he says. Whatever the case, his fans are going to be astonished when they see him in Homebound.
