The reel life of women

Participants of The First Festival, held recently in the city, tell why the film fraternity needs more women.

September 16, 2015 03:44 pm | Updated 07:20 pm IST - Chennai

Women artists who are trying to break in to the industry at a wmfindia screening. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Women artists who are trying to break in to the industry at a wmfindia screening. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

In 2013, when Vaishnavi Sundar made her first short film, Pava , she needed to shoot in an old-style barber salon. She traversed the city, looking for pockets that still hosted such shops, and visited many, seeking permission to shoot a film. Even as she stepped into them, the men there looked at her, stunned. And when she explained what she was doing, they gaped at her in confusion. “There’s little space for women film makers, and even lesser acceptance,” says Vaishnavi.

Artistes in the film industry have many hurdles to cross. Female artistes, have those, and then some more. So, earlier this month, Vaishnavi started a website, Women Making Films (wmfindia.com), to help women — writers, actors, producers, make-up artists, cinematographers, technicians — in the industry and at its fringes, help network and find work. This week, a clutch of them came together at the Goethe-Institut for The First Festival, to watch the screening of Red Mondays and Turquoise Twos , a short film by Mrinalini D.S., and also, to discuss why we need more women in the film fraternity.

“Filmmaking isn’t just a professional process; it is also an emotional journey that connects everybody in the crew. A woman really understands that much better,” says Karuna Vishwanath, a cinematographer and screenplay writer. The other woman in the discussion — Latha Sathyamurthy (actor), Chandini Tandon (make-up artist, and sets and costume designer), Mrinalini (director, editor and music composer) and Vaishnavi (actor and director) — nod in agreement. A woman’s emotional intuitiveness, lends itself to her art, changing the scope of what the final output can be. “Women also tend to look at all the minute components of a frame, and fuss over aspects like colour gradation, simply because they fret about perfection,” says Chandini.

A woman, most importantly, has perspectives to offer, stories to tell and interesting characters to introduce, which is much required for Indian cinema. “Balachander’s heroines in the 70s and 80s stood out, strong and bold, because he wanted to tell the hitherto untold stories of women and bring out their characters,” says Mrinalini. Now, more often than not, many female protagonists, in commercially-viable, hero-centric films, tend to be two-dimensional cardboard figures, who do no more than contribute to the glamour quotient.

“A strong woman is still one who resembles a man,” says Chandini, as Vaishnavi adds, “They wear a shirt-and-pant and know to fight, like, for example, Rani Mukherjee in Mardaani and Jyothika in Mozhi . But, a woman can be elegant and feminine, and yet a powerful protagonist.” Movies like Queen and English Vinglish , which aim to do just that, are few and far between.

“Producers are also hesitant to work with films where we explore a woman’s grey areas,” says Mrinalini. And it’s true — despite the number of times we have seen our heroes drink themselves into a stupor, how often do we have a graceful female protagonist who enjoys a drink in regional cinema? Stereotypes about women, if they are not propagated openly, are still subtly reinforced on screen. And perhaps having more women involved in the film making process will, at the least, add more colour and layers to the ones who are painted on screen.

Latha, who forayed into acting three years ago, says women directors are easier to work with, because they are more organised, while Vaishnavi adds that the sensitivity to accommodate women will only arise when there are more women on the sets. They have been trickling into the industry too, and there is now a noticeable change in numbers, even though the scales are still skewed. Chandini points out that while there are directors, editors and writers in the industry, not many women are involved in production work — managing budgets, arranging shoots, scouting for locations — because that is still considered a man’s job. “It is not a question of capability,” says Vaishnavi. “Sometimes, you may hesitate to take up a job as a lone woman in a crew of 20 men. And at other times, they dissuade you from doing your work, because it is considered too dangerous for women.”

Filmmaking is hard work. But, when one has to deal with sexist remarks and discrimination on an everyday basis, it only becomes harder. “People assume that women would make a good rom-com, whereas there are now examples, like Kathryn Bigelow, who make gritty, real-action films like The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty ,” says Mrinalini.

There are definitely more women working behind the camera now than ever before. And though the numbers are small, there is still help and inspiration at hand for the many who choose to walk the path.

Ready for action?

* Be honest with what you do; don’t succumb to popular culture.

* Work with more women. Employ more women.

* Keep fit; making a film is physically, and mentally, demanding.

* Don’t take no for an answer. Be aggressive in your pitch and marketing .

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