Streaming platform Prime Video hosted the first discussion of the latest session of Maitri: Female First Collective in Chennai on July 6. The session featured eight women professionals from the entertainment industry who discussed the gender dynamics in the industry and the challenges faced by female professionals.
Launched last year, the collective is an endeavor to create a safe space where women from the Indian media and entertainment industry can discuss their experiences, challenges and successes and offer their perspectives on bringing about a positive shift.
The session featured award-winning actors Malavika Mohanan, Aishwarya Rajesh and Madhoo; creator, writer, showrunner and producer Reshma Ghatala; writer and director Swathi Raghuraaman, cinematographer Yamini Yagnamurthy; Aparna Purohit, creator of Maitri and Head of India Originals, Prime Video; and Smriti Kiran, creator and curator of Maitri and founder, Polka Dots LightBox.
Sharing personal anecdotes on issues like stereotyping, colorism and ageism among others, the women noted that the problems were similar, whether they worked in front of the camera, behind it, or away from it in production or corporate roles.
The group agreed that true equality can be achieved when the industry stops tagging a particular role, a narrative or a job as woman-oriented or male-oriented. They also agreed that age-old conditioning often restricts women’s personal and professional growth potential, and can be changed only if internalized in one’s home and social environment.
The interaction also highlighted the critical role that streaming is playing in improving female representation and creating new opportunities for actors, regardless of their age, body size, or skin color, and for creators to tell all kinds of unique stories.
Aparna Purohit said, “Equitable representation opens up a new world for young girls to draw inspiration from, making it all the more important to have women in positions of influence, where they can provide a platform for newer voices and open up doors for more women.”
“However, we know that change is a gradual process. It is, therefore, important for us to continue having these discussions across the country, and we are thrilled to have hosted our first session in Chennai. Even though it is only a year old, Maitri has managed to drive change in the right direction. It is heartening to see people having a conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion when writing or planning their projects,” she added.
Speaking about the need to have such conversations frequently, Smriti Kiran said, “Creating an environment that allows women to share their experiences without judgement is the first step in enabling any change, whether it is in the industry or society. This is precisely why we have to keep the conversation going relentlessly. Thrilled that Maitri is in Chennai today, tomorrow it will be in another part of India. We will continue to connect women across sections and states through conversation and collaboration.”
A statement from Prime Video said that the streaming platform is committed to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within its content and productions, as well as with its partners in the creative community. With Maitri: Female First Collective, Prime Video aims to raise awareness of the pivotal role women play within the entertainment industry.
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