The world celebrates Women’s Day today. But what is a celebration if it’s not preceded by change? In the past few years, Bollywood has witnessed positive change as there has been increased representation of women on and off camera. But it’s a long road ahead to equality, finds out mid-day as we talk to women in different streams of filmmaking, including direction, editing, writing, and stunts.
Why are the basics elusive?
Mrs director Arati Kadav highlights that even in 2025, women on set often don’t have access to basic amenities like hygienic washrooms. “When I started out, there was one washroom for all the HoDs. I protested that I didn’t want to share washrooms with men. You have to ask for something that I thought was a given. If you are a director, you will probably have a better working condition. But if you’re a female AD or an assistant in any department, there are no special provisions made for you. Since I was given a separate washroom [as a director], I encouraged women crew members to use mine,” complains Kadav.
Kalyani Pandit
This is not restricted to sets. Leading editor Deepa Bhatia, who recently worked on Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous, shares that offices of studios and production houses too are lacking on the sanitation front. “Editors complain of poor sanitation maintained in the bathrooms,” she says.
Work hours
Screenwriter Kalyani Pandit points out that work timing is another issue. Apparently, many male writers like working late into the night. She notes, “When a woman joins the writers’ room, they try to keep the discussions [and writing sessions] during the day. But it’s made out to be such an inconvenience. If you’re adjusting, toh jata kyun rahe ho?” she asks. With representation becoming a part of the discourse today, more women writers are hired. But there’s a catch, says Pandit, who has written the dialogues of Unaad (2023). “They even hire women in writers’ room as tokenism,” she smirks.
Hrida Advani with Divyenndu
Safety concerns
Among the urgent issues that need to be addressed, safety forms a crucial aspect. Kadav stresses on a systemic change when it comes to women travelling to and from sets. “Sometimes, the pack-up happens at 1 or 2 am. The expectation is that the women in the crew will figure it out with their male colleagues. Sometimes, shoots happen in obscure locations, deep inside Film City. Those at the executive level should think about how women will come to set at early hours and leave so late.”
Bhatia echoes Kadav’s sentiment, noting that the physical safety of women working late at nights is not discussed enough. “Editing involves late working hours. [The production houses] don’t think about how the women are reaching home. I have a small WhatsApp group where whenever a member leaves, they drop a text, saying, ‘This is the rickshaw/cab number,’ and on reaching home, they leave another text. Simple things like making sure that people reach home safely [should be looked into]. Also, one needs to consider that when associates, assistant editors or even the editors are the last people to leave the establishment, is the right kind of staff present? I remember an incident where an office boy misbehaved with a woman in the team, and we had to get him out. So, we should ask: Is it safe when she is the last person leaving the studio or the office?”
Oddly, safety concerns also cost women opportunities. Pandit says, “I have heard how for outdoor shoots, productions try to avoid taking women citing safety concerns. This hampers opportunities for women.”
Genres have genders?
We have more women-centric stories on screen, and more women screenwriters. While that is a reason for celebration, the discrimination is evident in the smallest things, says Pandit. “Female writers aren’t even offered horror or [action movies]. They come to women writers for female-centric stories,” she rues.
The silver lining
There have been positive changes over the last few years. Make-up artist Hrida Advani notes that production houses now view make-up as an integral part of storytelling, making them feel more included on set. “It has been a long journey from being addressed as ‘parlour wali’ to a ‘professional artist’,” she says. Stunt artist Geeta Tandon acknowledges that work for stuntwomen is more than ever, and in a healthy environment. “There is either a vanity van or AC tents for women action staff. If we are in locations like Ladakh where these things are not possible, we are given rooms with toilets and other facilities. Earlier, when I would be on my period, I used to feel shy to ask for a break to change my sanitary pad. My clothes would get stained, but I would be asked to do one more shot. Now I can ask for breaks, and use the washroom as and when required.”
Meet spot didi on sets
Monisha Advani
“In our production house, we work hard to set an example of gender equality. We have recruited spot didis, who work shoulder-to-shoulder with spot dadas, traditionally a male-only function on set. Breaking the glass ceiling happens not just in boardrooms, and this is an example of that. That being said, provision of safety, security and hygiene facilities are the rights of both men and women on set. The latter tends to be ignored because it is assumed that women are in small numbers. We must strive to change that. ”
Monisha Advani, producer
