Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga led a "Women in Film - India Chapter: A New Vision" session during the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. She discussed the increasing role of women in filmmaking and the need for gender parity. She shared her experience with the Women in Film Organization and the need for a database to track women's contributions. The session also included panel discussions.
Guneet, the founder of Sikhya Entertainment, a film production house with notable works like The Elephant Whisperer, The Lunchbox, and Gangs of Wasseypur, acknowledges India's lack of women directors. She reached out to Women in Film (WIF) in Los Angeles, a non-profit organization that advocates for women working in the entertainment industry. She shared, "I have been a producer for the past 17-18 years and have many women working in my team. In my production company, we mindfully push women directors. Then there are these stats - less than 5 per cent of directors in India are women!"
Guneet Monga Kapoor, actress Tilotama Shome, and President of Media and Entertainment Jyoti Deshpande, along with Andria Wilson Mirza, director of International Programs WIF LA, and Aparna Purohit, CEO of Aamir Khan Productions, participated in the panel discussion at the IFFI. They discussed the importance of data and intention in building a structure for women in the industry. Jyoti highlights the progress made in promoting women in leadership roles. She highlighted the success of movies like Laapata Ladies and Stree 2, both women's stories that garnered wide popularity. Although equal pay remains a distant dream, the group is on a positive journey towards a more inclusive film industry.
