Mumbai: Prime Video launches the latest season of ‘Maitri: Female First Collective’ hosting its first discussion in Chennai. Launched last year, this collective endeavors to create a safe space where women from the Indian media and entertainment industry can come together to discuss their experiences, challenges and successes, and present their vision to drive positive change Are.
The session featured 8 eminent women from various entertainment industries in India, ranging from award winning prolific actors working across languages like Malavika Mohanan, Aishwarya Rajesh and Madhu to producers, writers and women who have made a lasting impression behind the camera like Malavika Mohanan, Aishwarya Rajesh and Madhu. Showrunner and producer Reshma Ghatala, writer and director Swati Raghuraman, and cinematographer Yamini Yagyamurthy, besides Aparna Purohit, producer – Maitri and India Originals, head of Prime Video, and Smriti Kiran, producer and curator of Maitri and founder, Polka Dots Lightbox.
Watch the latest season of Maitri: Female First Collective here –
cre trending stories
Sharing personal anecdotes, the participants discussed current gender dynamics in the film industry, challenges faced by women professionals, including stereotyping, colorism, ageism and more. Surprisingly, the women noted that the issues were similar whether they worked in front of or behind the camera, or whether they worked in production or corporate roles. The keynote also touched on the true essence of feminism and empowerment, what gender-equality really means for the pioneers gathered in the room. An interesting insight that everyone shared was that true equality can be achieved when the industry stops tagging a particular role, narrative or job as female-oriented or male-oriented. The group as a whole agrees that age-old conditioning often restricts women’s personal and professional growth potential, and can only be changed if it is assimilated into one’s home and social environment.
The conversation also highlighted the important role that streaming plays in improving female representation, creating new opportunities for actors regardless of their age, body size or skin color, and for creators to tell unique stories of all kinds. I was performing
Aparna said, “Equal representation opens up a new world for young girls to look up to for inspiration, making it even more important to have women in influential positions where they can provide a platform for new voices and more women to be heard.” Can open doors for Purohit, Producer – Maitri and Head of India Originals, Prime Video. “However, we know that change is a gradual process. Therefore, it is important for us to continue these discussions across the country, and we are thrilled to host our first session in Chennai. Even though it is only a year old Maitri has managed to drive change in the right direction. It’s heartening to see people having conversations about diversity, equality and inclusion when writing or planning their projects.”
Speaking about the need for such conversations to happen again and again, Smriti Kiran, creator and curator of Maitri and founder of Polka Dots Lightbox, said, “There is an undeniable need for spaces where women can tell their stories without fear. Creating an environment that allows women to share their experiences without judgment is the first step in enabling any change, whether in industry or in society. That’s why we have to keep the conversation going. Thrilled. I am sure Maitri is in Chennai today, tomorrow she will be in another part of India. We will continue to connect women from different walks of life and states through dialogue and collaboration.”