It is a welcome change to have more women around me. But it is not about the number. If I have talent, then I should get the opportunity and not be discarded on the basis of my gender. That change is slowly happening. It’s good to see women getting their due. 

For far too long, the film industry and hairstyling department have been largely male-dominated. I’ve been here for 14 years and can say that there has been a significant rise in the number of women. I like seeing more women getting into the industry, doing great work. I believe there is equality now.

Women are becoming increasingly visible in the industry, notably in post-production departments. When I first started working, the only woman editor was Renu Saluja. I looked up to her and she was an inspiration to me since we didn’t see many women in that position at the time. More women are participating now than ever before.

Whatever the profession, there has to be equality and respect, for both men and women. Even families didn’t support women entering the industry earlier, but now there is so much awareness. And even in the field of costume design, there were very few women in the past. Bhanu Athaiya ji was the first, followed by Neeta (Lulla) and others. Now, it’s incredible to watch young ladies become great designers. 

When it comes to the industry, there are many women today working in all divisions, and I’m not only talking about stunts. Earlier on set, 80% of the crew were men, and women were only spotted in the costume department. That, however, has changed. Women are involved in every phase of the filming process, from lighting to art direction. The mentality has also become more open, with equal respect given to all. It is no longer a question of whether you work for a guy or a woman.

There was a time when hair used to be a woman’s thing and makeup was a man’s job. With time, we have all become comfortable with both sexes and have now become a team. Bollywood has been really accepting.

I began working in the film industry in 2014, and I now see more women on set than I did previously. Filmmaking is no longer solely a man’s domain. Fortunately, I’ve never experienced any type of gender bias in the profession. However, when I first started, I would see a man and a woman doing the same job as the second AD, but the man would get paid more. That, I believe, is beginning to change. To some extent, the battle for better pay has receded.

When I started in 2001 with production designer Suzanne Caplan Merwanji, there weren’t many girls working on the set of a mainstream film. I’ve witnessed a set transition from having no women to having so many of them. Despite this, mansplaining continues to exist. To this day, several studios lack clean women’s restrooms. I intend to continue working for these basic rights. However, the industry now has more educated, civilised people that respect me and my profession, which is a blessing.

People were hesitant to work with female technicians at first, but now they realise that women can handle all sectors. They are strong not just physically, but emotionally as well. I think the casting department belongs to women. Compassion, intuition and instinct come naturally to us. Most actors come and say, “You hear us out,” and that makes a lot of difference.

I consider myself more privileged than women before me. I’ve been on teams with no women, and now I’m on a team with a lot of women. So, times are changing. I’d also like to thank the Indian Women Cinematographer Collective (IWCC) for raising awareness about female cinematographers. Many young women write to me, asking for advice on how to pursue a career as a cinematographer. That is a great thing.