On Women’s Day, After Hrs guest editor Anushka Sharma emphasises the need for gender wage equality
Sanaya Chavda (DNA; March 8, 2015)


She believes there will be a change now that women-oriented films are doing well. “These are all steps getting closer to that. Now, I would just like them to sit and actually pay some attention to this. But then, everyone needs to come and be united in this... You have a film like Queen that works only on Kangana and the story of a Mardaani or an NH10. So the heroine is important.”

For wage equality to become a real possibility across professions, there needs to be a change in mindsets, says Anushka. “Women are not treated as equal professionals. You know between Ranbir and Katrina, Katrina will always be asked way more questions about her relationship with Ranbir and he will be asked way more on his work and what he is doing. That’s the way it is. You’re not given that kind of equal respect.”

Viren Naidu (TIMES ASCENT; March 4, 2015)

Pay disparity, prejudices and poor representation in the total workforce actress Vidya Balan discusses some burning issues working women grapple with, as India Inc gears up for Women's Day

During Best Supporting Actress Patricia Arquette's acceptance speech at the Oscars, she made a pertinent point about wage disparity. Do you think working women will ever be able to enjoy pay parity?
If I've been made CEO of an organisation, I should be paid for that position. There is a huge disparity in the entertainment industry what female actors are paid is almost ten times lesser than what the male actors are paid. We have come a long way and yet there's still some way to go as far as equal opportunity and equal pay are concerned. The only acceptable form of discrimination at the workplace is one based on merit.

Over-sensitive and over-emotional - don't women still battle stereotypes that hamper their career growth?
Yes, many - a woman is hyper-sensitive, reactive, buckles under pressure and needs to be treated with kid gloves or she'll start crying. Also, post marriage or motherhood, they are made to believe that their capability is being challenged. And therefore, what ends up happening is that in this male-dominated system, we have to negotiate our femininity. I feel that if one is unapologetic about being a woman in the first place and embraces rather than compromises one's femininity and yet proves one's effectiveness and delivers results, these myths will become irrelevant. What we need to understand is that men and women are wired differently. So we work around the strengths and weaknesses of men and it should be the same with men. There is so much pressure on us because we are thrust into a hitherto male-dominated profession and so, we are constantly having to prove that we are good enough.

'Woman of the year'; 'India's top women achievers' - ­ aren't many women accomplishments in the entertainment and corporate sectors driven by gender?
I remember immediately after The Dirty Picture and Kahaani, I was asked about what being the fourth Khan felt like. I know it was supposed to be a compliment but there was a slight hint of sexism there. Historically, women have been at a disadvantage. We are commissioned to think and perceive them in a certain way. There are women who overcame those and others who never had the opportunity. These titles, in my view, do recognise their achievements and are also needed for applauding our efforts and pave the way ahead for many women who dare to venture out. However, it's always more motivating to be acknowledged as an achiever among everyone rather than being labelled as a 'woman achiever'.

Do you think sometimes women play it safe?
From the movie business point of view, I feel actresses should be unafraid of taking up films where the roles are challenging. I remember a co-actress telling me “I'd rather play it safe and do the big ticket films“. There is nothing wrong with doing big movies as long as one enjoys it but the part has to be meaty too. If one feels excited about one's craft, one shouldn't worry about consequences (read: how it is going to do commercially) and risk-taking is about overcoming these fears. I took up some films (Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica, Paa), which were unconventional and they actually paid off. The kind of movies I did were not a part of my calculated decision-making. Last year, women-centric movies like Mary Kom, Queen and Mardaani worked if we want to see that change, we have to be a part of that change.

What are the aspirations of the modern working woman?
She aspires to be treated as an equal and taken seriously. We don't need concessions or be patronised. We don't need men to pull chairs or open doors for us; just seat us at the table not as a favour but because it is our rightful place.