It is a fascinating moment for Indian cinema. While acts of machismo still dominate the screen, Indian films, and film industries, are breaking out of their ingrained androcentrism. Across regions and languages, artists and directors—via nuanced, sensitive and lyrical explorations of the female experience—are broadening the boundaries of storytelling.
And while women filmmakers and actors are at the forefront of this change, some of these films are also beautifully helmed by male directors and writers, transcending biases linked with artistic endeavour.
For The Hindu Huddle, internationally acclaimed actor‑turned‑filmmaker Nandita Das (Manto, Zwigato), powerhouse performer Shahana Goswami (Santosh, Despatch) and visionary director-screenwriter Jeo Baby (The Great Indian Kitchen, Kaathal – The Core) sit down to discuss the many shades of womanhood and feminine power on screen.
The session — The female gaze: Redefining cinema on the global stage — will be moderated by Shilajit Mitra, film critic of The Hindu. The Huddle, a marquee event of The Hindu Group, is to be held in Bengaluru on May 9 and 10.
The speakers will delve into how the film industry, long shaped by patriarchal hierarchies, has, over time, seen women break barriers and assert their voice. But while women-led narratives are celebrated, is parity and acceptance being achieved? The discussion will also address issues of censorship and self-censorship. Films steeped in the politics of liberation — social, physical, sexual — often come under intense societal scrutiny. What, then, are the challenges of bringing these narratives to a wider audience?
Finally, the conversation will consider the rising global recognition of gender-sensitive cinema out of India. Even as soft power narratives dominate, how is an alternative view of Indian cinema reaching the world?
If you have any questions that you would like our moderator to ask the panelists, write to us at huddle@thehindu.co.in.
Published – May 01, 2025 03:55 am IST
