<p> Actor Shruti Haasan says she has learnt to navigate through the "lopsided" gender dynamics on a film set, where the hero gets preferential treatment, while most women use silence as a defence mechanism.</p>.<p>Shruti, who has worked across Tamil, Telugu and Hindi film industries, said she has had a combination of factors that have acted as a "protective barrier" for her in the industry, which included her surname.</p>.<p>"The combination of my surname and my resting b**** face has kept a lot of people at an arm's length. Now after many years, I feel comfortable and safe enough to open up and say whatever I want," Shruti told PTI in an interview.</p>.<p>The actor said in her initial years, she realised, "little" things on set which would be considered impolite.</p>.<p>"I chose silence and withdrawal as a protective mechanism. I think a lot of women on set feel that way. They'd say 'Don't keep reading a book, it looks impolite'.</p>.<p>"So I'd just keep going to the vanity van because I didn't know who to communicate with. It took me a long time to learn how to navigate things," she added.</p>.<p>Shruti said the gender dynamic is so imbalanced because of the patriarchal society, which will always look after the men first, even in a film.</p>.<p>"So the chair will be first kept for the hero. In my first few films, I was never offered a chair first, or on any other set. The guy always got the chair first. 'Oh the hero has come near the monitor, get him a chair,' they would say.</p>.<p>"It's the good men who said, 'No, you please sit first.' I don't face that anymore. But what I can do as a woman is sensitive to the women on set."</p>.<p>The 34-year-old actor currently features in the short film, "Devi", directed by Priyanka Banerjee and produced by Niranjan Iyengar and Ryan Ivan Stephen.</p>.<p>The film depicts how nine women belonging to different strata of society are brought together by circumstance and end up forming a sisterhood after they share their stories of abuse.</p>.<p>"The script moved me as a woman. It wasn't like a public service announcement. It's life represented beautifully.</p>.<p>"It also targets the mindset which is always quick to blame the survivor - 'What was she wearing? Why was she out?' Tragedy doesn't discriminate. A rapist doesn't quantify, qualify and calculate."</p>.<p>The "Behen Hogi Teri" actor said when she started her career, she felt her opinions weren't valued enough, but that has changed.</p>.<p>"Now I find myself in a position where I'm able to discuss things with my co-stars, directors. I have been heard and acknowledged and that feels wonderful. Maybe my approach to wanting to be heard changed.</p>.<p>"I was initially reclusive and I generally don't engage with men or women who don't learn the value of other people's opinions," she added. </p>
<p> Actor Shruti Haasan says she has learnt to navigate through the "lopsided" gender dynamics on a film set, where the hero gets preferential treatment, while most women use silence as a defence mechanism.</p>.<p>Shruti, who has worked across Tamil, Telugu and Hindi film industries, said she has had a combination of factors that have acted as a "protective barrier" for her in the industry, which included her surname.</p>.<p>"The combination of my surname and my resting b**** face has kept a lot of people at an arm's length. Now after many years, I feel comfortable and safe enough to open up and say whatever I want," Shruti told PTI in an interview.</p>.<p>The actor said in her initial years, she realised, "little" things on set which would be considered impolite.</p>.<p>"I chose silence and withdrawal as a protective mechanism. I think a lot of women on set feel that way. They'd say 'Don't keep reading a book, it looks impolite'.</p>.<p>"So I'd just keep going to the vanity van because I didn't know who to communicate with. It took me a long time to learn how to navigate things," she added.</p>.<p>Shruti said the gender dynamic is so imbalanced because of the patriarchal society, which will always look after the men first, even in a film.</p>.<p>"So the chair will be first kept for the hero. In my first few films, I was never offered a chair first, or on any other set. The guy always got the chair first. 'Oh the hero has come near the monitor, get him a chair,' they would say.</p>.<p>"It's the good men who said, 'No, you please sit first.' I don't face that anymore. But what I can do as a woman is sensitive to the women on set."</p>.<p>The 34-year-old actor currently features in the short film, "Devi", directed by Priyanka Banerjee and produced by Niranjan Iyengar and Ryan Ivan Stephen.</p>.<p>The film depicts how nine women belonging to different strata of society are brought together by circumstance and end up forming a sisterhood after they share their stories of abuse.</p>.<p>"The script moved me as a woman. It wasn't like a public service announcement. It's life represented beautifully.</p>.<p>"It also targets the mindset which is always quick to blame the survivor - 'What was she wearing? Why was she out?' Tragedy doesn't discriminate. A rapist doesn't quantify, qualify and calculate."</p>.<p>The "Behen Hogi Teri" actor said when she started her career, she felt her opinions weren't valued enough, but that has changed.</p>.<p>"Now I find myself in a position where I'm able to discuss things with my co-stars, directors. I have been heard and acknowledged and that feels wonderful. Maybe my approach to wanting to be heard changed.</p>.<p>"I was initially reclusive and I generally don't engage with men or women who don't learn the value of other people's opinions," she added. </p>