'3% is abysmal': Konkona on lack of Indian female directors
What's the story
As International Women's Day approaches, actor Konkona Sen Sharma and director Anubhuti Kashyap discussed the dearth of female directors in India with Variety India. The discussion was held ahead of their Netflix film Accused. Last year, Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor revealed that only 3% of the 2,500 films made in India were directed by women.
Gender disparity
Sen Sharma: 'It should be at least 50%'
Sen Sharma called the gender disparity in directing a "sad reality," adding, "The numbers are very, very small - 3% is abysmal." "It should be at least 50%. Anything below that is not acceptable." "Is it better than before? Probably. But that shouldn't be the benchmark. We must focus on where we need to go." "Often, decisions are driven by economics rather than the goal of building a more equitable society and that gets in the way."
Diverse views
'Patriarchy has been strong for a long time'
Kashyap cautioned against rejecting the system outright. "I think we are on the right track. In my personal experience, I haven't seen instances where people weren't chosen because of their gender." "It also has to do with how our country and system have functioned. Patriarchy has been strong for a long time." "The numbers are just beginning to grow stronger...But I don't think, at present, it's because someone is consciously choosing not to pick women."
Hope for the future
'At the end of the day, it's about representation'
Sen Sharma concluded on a note of cautious hope, saying, "At the end of the day, it's about representation." "At the end of the day, it's about representation. We need more women stepping forward and choosing these careers." Sen Sharma added, "Let's hope the next reports are much brighter - much, much brighter." Meanwhile, Accused, co-starring Pratibha Ranta, is set to release on Friday.