On-screen and off-screen, women in the entertainment industry are frequently pitted against each other. On the occasion of International Women’s Day today, actor Rakul Preet Singh dismisses this notion, claiming that it is far from reality.

“That is a perception I do not agree with (of women being pitted against one another). Women’s empowerment, in my opinion, is when all women, in some way or another, empower, support and are genuinely happy with each other’s accomplishments,” shares Singh.

The 31-year-old insists that the female brigade of Bollywood “cheer for each other” and are comfortable sharing the spotlight. “I have friends in the industry, and we keep rooting for each other. That’s true empowerment, and that’s how you will see a collective growth in the kinds of roles that women do in films,” shares the actor, adding, “When a female actor does well, it only pushes me to do even better.”

Singh says that she has been a witness to the “positive change” in the industry and that “women are finding a new voice in terms of scripts and roles that are being written for them”. The actor, who has projects including Attack, Thank God and Chhatriwali to look forward to, shares, “It is an exciting phase. It is the content that is driving the film right now. Be it (actors) Alia Bhatt, Taapsee Pannu, Anushka Sharma, everyone is getting to do such amazing work.”