What female producers want? 

India Today Digital spoke to the leading female producers in the Hindi film industry to understand how they work differently than men, their creative conflicts, ideation processes, choices, and their idea of championing a change in the industry.

In Short

• Women in the film industry push for gender equality and inclusivity
• Kriti Sanon started a production house to encourage better female roles
• How female producers bring empathy and empowerment to filmmaking

All the talks about women empowerment, gender equality, pay parity and inclusivity are easier said than done. Especially in a film industry which has been dominated by men for over 100 years now, it's challenging to bring a change. But, an attempt has begun. While female actors are more mindful about choosing roles which have a meatier presence in a narrative, many production houses are increasingly trusting female writers to bring a more inclusive perspective to their stories. For something to change at a bigger level, though, the shift has to happen at the very core of the process. In filmmaking, that begins with producers.

India Today Digital exclusively spoke to leading female producers in the Hindi film industry to understand their idea of a change. Actor Kriti Sanon, who recently launched her production house, Blue Butterfly Films, said this shift is necessary for women to be heard more. Her first film, Do Patti, started streaming on Netflix on October 25, and she mentioned that the decision of turning into a producer stemmed from the fact that she could not see a lot of good stories being written for female actors like her who want to do something beyond conventional.

"Create opportunities when you don't get one"

She said, "For me, after Mimi (a film that won her a National Award), I was craving to find a script like that. It's difficult for you to find a script that has a lot of heart or that excites you as an actor, and that challenges you at the same time. There's not a lot of content being written which is as exciting as Mimi's. That's when I collaborated with Kanika Dhillon, who's both the writer and the co-producer of Do Patti. I believe you have to create opportunities if you are not getting them in the industry. You can't always wait for them to fall down in your lap. I did that."

The idea is to be present and bring that inclusivity to every aspect of filmmaking. Kriti underscored the need to be involved in the entire creative process, and expand her reach as an actor. She said, "I believe I am very creatively inclined. When I am on set, I like getting into everything and that was one of the reasons I thought I wanted to produce and make films with stories that I want to tell. I didn't want to just be an actor, wanted to evolve beyond that - whether it's in music, scripting, or how a film is shot - all of it."

"Who will document our lives and beliefs?"

While Kriti is an actor-turned-producer, Kanika Dhillon is a writer-turned-producer. What is the need for a writer to take control of the filmmaking process? And what kind of value can a female writer bring with her production skills? In an interview with us, Kanika kept it very straight. She didn't mince her words in explaining how there's a dire need for female representation in every aspect of filmmaking, because who else is going to "document our lives and our beliefs"?

She explained, "I want to back stories that spotlight strong women, women's narratives, their important issues, that are also entertaining and make you think. With Kathha Pictures (her production house), the aim is to tell those stories and I believe that we don't have stories to document our lives, our beliefs. It's almost like we never existed. So, stories that are extremely important."

For Kanika, who has written some celebrated stories like Manmarziyan (2018), Kedarnath (2018), Dunki (2023), and the entire Hasseen Dillruba series for Netflix, a female producer brings in more empathy and conviction on the sets as compared to the male producers.

"Women at the top make other women feel empowered"

She shared, "When you have a woman at the top making decisions, the other female employees feel empowered, safer, heard and represented. That's a great symbolic win to see a woman leading a project. In my struggling days, when I would see a female in a superior position, somebody that I was reporting to, I would feel empowered. If there's a woman shining in any field or hierarchy, she is winning for all of us. That brings cheers."

Kanika continued, "I think female producers are more empathetic than the male producers, simply because of how they are made. It is actually a big strength. They can multitask and empathise, can connect a little more deeply with others. I think they make better producers. We have very few female producers. I hope the tribe grows. I hope we represent half the world. I hope that is also reflected in professions like ours, so that we can claim half of these jobs. I think we've made a good start. There's also a responsibility to bring more women to the fold."

When asked what female producers really want, she stated that it's all about telling stories because that's the only power they have which can be used to bring a larger change in the industry.

"Stories are all we have. My production house is named Kathha Pictures, so stories are at the centre of everything. Stories are all that we are here for. As a female storyteller, it will always be a distinctive lens to write female-led stories. Not to say that I am not going to do stories which have male characters. But, the broader idea is to be inclusive. The idea is to make thought-provoking stories that are inclusive, entertaining, keep you on the edge, unpredictable and connect with the audiences. With Kathha Pictures, we can have that kind of warrior work that is remembered and leaves a legacy," she explained.

"Not easy for women to be a producer"

Writer-actor-director Tahira Kashyap, who has not yet ventured into production, feels it's not easy for any woman to turn into a producer and make herself heard in the film industry. While speaking to us, she mentioned that she would love to produce a film one day, but it's difficult. A lot of actors often say that they didn't get the kind of scripts that they always wanted to do and that's what prompted them to become producers. For Tahira, "that's easier said than done."

She explained, "I think it's easier said than done that when you are not being offered enough, you kind of turn to production. I feel you have to toe the line for a very long time, have your say, have a seat at the table and then go ahead and do the kind of thing you want to do. Then, it's also very important, essential and that's what you slog for, that's where the hardwork goes into - reaching a position where you can say yes to the kind of material you want to direct or produce."

She added, "Having said that, personally speaking, I always want to do things which resonate with the kind of ideology that I have, but at the same time, I want to be entertaining and engaging. Everybody has their genre and their way of creating stuff. Mine would be to make something which is easily palatable, digestible, and which reflects what I have to say."

Tahira also recalled the time when she was pushed to make her first directorial more male-centric. Her film, Sharmajee Ki Beti, is the story of five women, and she was told about putting these women in the background in a fresh narrative.

"Was told to have a male protagonist instead of five leading women"

She elaborated, "When it came to Sharmajee Ki Beti, it took me seven years to finally make it. I, too, had been suggested many times to alter the script, to have a male protagonist lead the project, and all my five women go in the background and be the secondary characters. That is something I didn't succumb to. There were days when I wrote the draft, very honestly. You do want your work to be seen. But, I am just glad that those drafts never saw the light of the day."

Tahira said it's important for women to not be influenced by the 'experts' of the industry and lose their control and their dreams about filmmaking. It's important to stick to what she wants to tell and have a strong conviction while making a film.

She shared, "My conviction was way too strong, and I felt I wasn't convinced about those drafts, they weren't landing well. So, the script where my five women lead is what was made. I really wish for a time and the kind of change where women are allowed to make and produce the right stuff with their own conviction. That's what brings uniqueness. It's important to have a woman's lens, which doesn't necessarily mean morbid and sad. It's just a perspective that the world probably doesn't know that much."

Kiran Rao, Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar, Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor - there are more women in the industry who are keenly looking out for stories that could break the glass ceiling. The idea is not to limit themselves to only women-led pieces, but to introduce a narrative that makes people realise that even she has a perspective of her own, a beautiful and a relevant one. And you need to hear it, watch it, think over it and live with it, sometimes.

What does a female producer want? Well, to simply let women be, to give them equal control over creativity, and understand their vision of the world.