Latest news with #Thangalaan
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Optional or essential? Does having female ADs in a film team make a difference?
Sruthi, who worked as an assistant director in Thangalaan (her first film as an AD), points out, 'My efforts would be recognised by most of the crew only if I put in double the effort as a male AD. When Dragon director Ashwath Marimuthu shared the list of assistant directors he had roped in for his upcoming films, it sparked a debate, as the list had no names of women. He quickly cleared the air that merit — not gender — guided his choices. But then the question is, is every director's room supposed to have at least one female AD? Until Chithha , SU Arun Kumar 's direction team was an all male crew. However, he felt it was essential to have women ADs when he began to work on Chithha 's script. 'But I don't hire someone just because they are a woman,' asserts Arun. He ropes in ADs based on their interest, talent, and the rapport they share. 'A FEMALE AD IN THE TEAM REPRESENTS THE PERSPECTIVE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE' 'Building a safer space is our duty,' Arun explains. 'My entire film was shot at night, but all of my female ADs felt safe enough,' he shares. A practice that directors adopt to ensure women feel comfortable is to have more women on the sets. When Arun decided to hire female ADs, he wanted two of them so that they would have company. Halitha Shameem shares that having a female AD brings in an added perspective to discussions. 'When a woman speaks up, not all directors understand that 'she' represents the perspective of a lot of people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Egypt: New Small Electric Car For Seniors. Prices Might Surprise You. Electric Cars | Search Ads Undo That said, the common belief that just because there is a female in a team, they will point out the political correctness is not entirely right. Even women can be politically wrong. Irrespective of gender, it's all about how much we unlearn and evolve.' 'SUCCESS OF FEMALE DIRECTORS MATTERS' Following this controversy, Aarti Sivakumar, who has been juggling different hats in the industry for 25 years, has launched an email initiative for women aspiring to get into cinema. In the past 25 years, the big change women have is accessibility, she says. 'We are still crawling, but the crawling is on a little stronger feet. And when we have an even higher success rate from female directors, we are going to make a difference. ' 'THE STRUGGLE IS UNIVERSAL FOR WOMEN IN FILMS' Sruthi, who worked as an assistant director in Thangalaan (her first film as an AD), points out, 'My efforts would be recognised by most of the crew only if I put in double the effort as a male AD. Since I work in mainstream films, my physical strength is equally important. I have read interviews of many female directors in foreign countries and I have come to realise that these struggles are universal.' 'CONTRIBUTION & CONFIDENCE CAN CONVINCE YOUR TEAM' Director Madhumita of KD fame recalls that it took three to four days for the unit to listen to her when she made her directorial debut with Vallamai Tharayo in 2008. 'I was the captain of the ship, but it took me four days to convince them that I knew what I was doing. When women in my team face the same today, I tell them to just do what they are meant to do on set — to contribute — and stay confident.' Meanwhile, Sruthi shares that people constantly ask if she'd stop working after marriage. 'This is not something male ADs would face,' she states. Written By: Harshini SV Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Malavika Mohanan slams male actors for faking feminism: ‘They know how to put on the mask of being woke'
Actor Malavika Mohanan has slammed the deep-rooted misogyny in the film industry. She has criticised male co-stars who pretend to be feminists, saying they "know how to put on a mask. Also read: Malavika Mohanan admits 'navel obsession' is very real in South films, recalls being trolled for being too skinny Malavika shared her views during an interview with Hauterrfly. Malavika said, "I don't think this disparity has ever ended in the film industry. I also think that men have really gotten smart, and I have seen this in a lot of male actors, suddenly, in the last 5–6 years, they know how to put on the mask of being woke." She added, 'They know exactly what lines to say that make them come across like a feminist, as a very forward-thinking person, someone who treats women as equals. And I have seen them go back from the public eye and become the most misogynistic person ever. It's hypocrisy." In 2024, Malavika starred in the Tamil film Thangalaan and the Hindi film Yudhra. She will soon share the screen with Prabhas in the Telugu film The Raja Saab. The film also stars Nidhhi Agerwal and Riddhi Kumar. Sanjay Dutt is rumoured to play a cameo in the film, though an official announcement has yet to be made. The film went on floors in 2022 but was officially announced in 2024. She will also be seen with Karthi in the Tamil film Sardar 2, apart from Hridayapoorvam in Malayalam. Malavika will be acting with Mohanlal for the first time in Hridayapoorvam, directed by Sathyan Anthikad. Recently, she hit back at fan pointing out 33 year age gap between her and Mohanlal. A fan wrote, '65 year old man playing the love interest of a 30 year old. What is with these veteran actors desperate to play roles that don't fit their ages?' Mohanlal is 64 and Malavika is 31. She hit back, asking them who said she was romancing Mohanlal in the film, 'who told you it's a love interest? Stop judging people and a film with your half baked baseless assumptions.'
India Today
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Malavika Mohanan calls out male actors for pretending to be woke, feminist allies
Actor Malavika Mohanan took a strong stand against male actors who maintain a facade of being woke and feminist. In a recent interview, the 'The Raja Saab' actor - who will soon be seen alongside Prabhas - called out the hypocrisy, saying that many men have become savvy in recent years and have learned how to project a fake feminist image. She expressed her shock and disbelief at their behaviour, calling it nothing short of an interview with Hauterrfly, Malavika Mohanan said, "I don't think this disparity has ever ended in the film industry. I also think that men have really gotten smart, and I have seen this in a lot of male actors, suddenly, in the last 5–6 years, they know how to put on the mask of being woke."She continued to explain, "They know exactly what lines to say that make them come across like a feminist, as a very forward-thinking person, someone who treats women as equals. And I have seen them go back from the public eye and become the most misogynistic person ever. It's hypocrisy." During the same interview, Mohanan also talked about South film industry's 'navel obsession'. She said, "I used to be very perplexed earlier, too, because I've grown up in Mumbai. It was a completely new phenomenon that navels are obsessed over so much. And then you'd see pictures of actresses on social media, where they zoom into their bodies. Navel obsession is a very real thing."Malavika Mohanan was last seen in the Tamil film 'Thangalaan', which co-starred Chiyaan Vikram and Parvathy Thiruvothu and released last Reel
