Konkona opens up on lack of meaty roles for women
What's the story
Actor-director Konkona Sen Sharma recently opened up about the challenges women face in getting substantial roles. She said that while there have been some changes in smaller-budget and OTT films, big-budget movies still prioritize male heroes. "In some ways...to a certain extent, perhaps in smaller-budget films or OTT films, to a certain extent, yes." "But if you follow the money (laughs), then you will see that larger films will inevitably have larger-than-life male heroes," she told News18 Showsha.
Industry trends
Not a new problem, says Sen Sharma
Sen Sharma further added that this trend isn't new and has been around for many years. "I don't think this is necessarily a problem of today, but I think it's kind of been like this for many, many years." "Every year, you will find a handful of interesting films, films that don't follow trends or a certain formula, but those kinds of films are few and far between."
Role evolution
How streaming platforms have changed things slightly
Despite the challenges, Sen Sharma sees some hope in streaming platforms and short films. She said that these mediums have allowed female actors to take on more complex roles. "To a certain extent, with streamers nowadays, there are some projects in which you will have female cops and things like that, or you will have women in negative or complex roles." However, she noted that these roles are mostly played by older women.
New venture
Sen Sharma's upcoming series 'Welcome to Khoya Mahal'
Sen Sharma is currently busy promoting her upcoming series, Welcome to Khoya Mahal. The show, co-created by her and Jaydeep Sarkar, revolves around half-siblings Kanishk and Kanupriya, who are forced to run their family's heritage hotel, The Khoya Mahal. The Prime Video series also stars Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparna Sen, Harish Khanna, Barun Sobti, Master Luca Adhikari, and Dhruv Sehgal.