As another ‘Women’s Day’ arrives — with the theme ‘Pledge for Parity’ — the spotlight falls on empowerment of women yet again. The questions of gender-balanced roles, equal pay and inclusive work culture have been a matter of debate for long, more so, in the film industry. On the occasion, actress and dancer Lakshmi Gopalaswamy takes time out to share her thoughts with Anupama Ramakrishnan.
What changes would you like to see in the role of a woman today?
In today’s world — an increasingly competitive one — more women should be celebrating their qualities as a woman rather than storming male bastions. One needs to develop the inherent feminine qualities and nourish them, and there should be an urgency about it. At a mundane level, it is all about celebrating a woman’s worth. By that, I do not mean going out for an all-women buffet. I would say it is about being aware of the struggles of those women who are trying to make ends meet. They never cease to amaze me.
Male actors earn more than women. Your take?
Definitely. Having said that, at the cost of being politically incorrect, I would say, it is ultimately a commercial enterprise. It is market-driven and some heros rake in more money. Although I am all for equal pay, equal roles and most importantly, equal facilities, it is all about commerce.
Male actors play heroes for most of their careers...
It is a rather sorry state. But things are much better now and women are getting good parts. However, there need to be more roles written for women. The maturity of cinema comes out when such roles are created.
Your thoughts for the day...
Celebrate being a woman! Sometimes, urban women, like us are actually in a privileged position. But I would say living in a man’s world, a woman should not lose her innate qualities — of being kind, compassionate, strong and creative. She should be sensitive towards the surroundings and never lose her self-respect.