The Cannes Film Festival, which began on May 8 of this month, ended on Saturday. Filmmakers gathered from all over the world, people associated with the film business and film journalists must have returned to their countries. Soon, the films shown in this festival will reach the audience through the festival of various cities of film-loving countries around the world including India. The Cannes Film Festival is the most prestigious film festival in the world, where filmmakers from all over the world want to reach with their films.
This year, Nandita Das’s film ‘Manto’ from India was selected in ‘Un Certain Regard’. Apart from this, some other films reached there in different categories. The importance of this festival has also increased in India. Filmmakers have started arriving there to release the first look of their films.
Mixed Coverage
The Cannes Film Festival has a very mixed coverage in India. If the pulse of the festival is not dealt with, then the coverage does not indicate which films were officially selected and which films were only for spectacle? If you look at the media coverage, then activities other than films are more in the headlines. Everyday, pictures of actresses are printed on the red carpet in newspapers and on TV. It seems that the international media is desperate for pictures of Indian actresses.
This year Kangana Ranaut walked on the red carpet of Cannes for the first time. His social media team kept all the platforms covered with photographs. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been going for years. This time she was seen with her daughter Aaradhya. It can be debated as to what is the proper step to take a small, mindless girl to such an event? Deepika Padukone sometimes looked on her balcony and sometimes on the red carpet. Huma Qureshi and Sonam Kapoor also appeared on the red carpet.
Let me tell you that all these actresses were there as representatives of some international brand and there their work was to endorse their brand, not to encourage any cinema. And our media was getting burnt here that Indian actresses are spreading the fire. Only his dress and look were being discussed in the news. There was no mention of his films. This is to say that in this stay, he had nothing to do with films and film related things.
The historical event took place on 14 May at the Cannes Film Festival. 82 women film workers led by Cannes Film Festival jury chair Cate Blanchett marched up the red carpet stairs. He made his presence known and announced that he should get equal representation as soon as possible.
Cate Blanchett addressed the world through the stairs of the Pale Theater. He stated in his clear words, “Today 82 women standing on these stairs are representing women filmmakers who have been able to climb these stairs since the first year of the Cannes Film Festival started in 1946, while in the same period 1688 male filmmakers climbed these stairs. ”
He further stated in his address, “In the last 71 years, only 12 times a woman was elected chairperson of a jury. So far 71 male and only two female directors have received the award for Best Director. These facts are clear and indelible … Women are not a minority in the world, but the current state of the industry tells something else. We all have special challenges as women, but today we stand on these stairs together as a symbol of perseverance and commitment to progress. We are writers, producers, directors, actresses, cinematographers, talent agents, distributors, sales agents and we are all associated with cinematic art. We are with women working in all industries. ”
He further said, “The stairs of our industry should be open to all. Come climb. ”Most of the actresses who robbed the Indian media through the red carpet at the time of Cate Blanchett’s historical outing were absent. Somehow Nandita Das and Rasika Duggal took care of Indian cinema.
Cate Blanchett led this address and march under a 5050×2020 campaign. At present, this campaign is going on in many countries. It is being demanded that by 2020, the participation of women and men should be equal to 50-50 percent in all industries. It was started by Kevin Mazzakomo of America.
In 2013, at a meeting of the Executive Committee of his company Sperry van Ness International Corporation, he realized that women are not being represented properly in proportion to the contribution. He talked about and implemented gender balance in his company. He talked about this thinking and through TED talk put it in front of the world in concrete form.
Women and men also agreed with his thinking in many countries. 5050×2020 is being demanded in all sectors and industries. With the efforts of all of them, this dream seems to be possible in the ‘First World’. In a developing ‘third world’ like India, it seems far-fetched, but it is expected that soon the activists of change and equality will understand it and launch a campaign to implement it in the Indian cinema industry.
The absence of popular actresses of India in the historic march of Cate Blanchett at the Cannes Film Festival is regrettable. If anyone agrees to answer, Deepika, Kangana, Aishwarya, Sonam and Huma should be asked the question whether they and their agent, manager or PR person were not aware of this historical activity? After all, why did they not show interest in it. In this important
Far from being involved in the research, he also took silence on social media in this regard. He and his team could have expressed their solidarity. Could issue a statement.
It is possible that due to the fixed number of 82, their participation could not be possible, in such a situation, she could have spoken with tweet or any other platform. On such occasions, the pretense and favor of Indian actresses is revealed. Kangana Ranaut has been raising the issue of feminism and equality in India. There was a special opportunity there. His opinion would have been considered more.
Sonam is also famous for her equal statements. His silence also surprises. Deepika Padukone claims that she has reached the equivalent of contemporary male actors. They should have gone this March. No one can be expected from Aishwarya. The Bachchan family never takes a stand on any issue. She is the daughter-in-law of this family. In silence, he followed the same dignity of the Bachchan family. Huma is relatively new. Right now she will be amazed and enchanted by her presence on the red carpet of Cannes.
Expressing The Attitude
Consider, it was a chance to express our attitude towards the market and the idea. Brand endorsement is a market driven process. There is nothing wrong in this. Indian actresses are being selected for the international brand. International brands are strengthening their market in India through them. The 5050×2020 campaign is linked to the idea. He is seeking a fifty percent share with equal demand.
Our actresses did not consider it appropriate to go with the idea. His inclination was towards the market. Experts can tell if their activities and participation were ensured on behalf of the brand?
The situation of Indian and especially Hindi film industry is worrying in terms of female-male participation, opportunity and wages. Like Indian society, in the film industry, women are considered as secondary. Things have changed a bit in the 21st century. Now women have started appearing in film sets and board meetings, but still their percentage is not 50. The role of women remains predominantly supportive on the set as well. They are not given independent responsibility. Even if we get the responsibility of a department, male assistants bother. Ignore and defy his instructions.
The number of active women as producers and directors in the film industry will be fulfilled at the fingertips. Women do not get opportunities in other areas of film production. Even if there are opportunities, they have to go through many obstacles despite their talent in making an identity. Women are a minority in the Hindi film industry. Accordingly, he does not have any special facility from being a minority. From time to time, actresses have been speaking loudly on problems and differences related to themselves in their interviews. He has vigorously raised the issue of equality in wages.
It is said that there has been some improvement in this matter also. Recently, there was a discussion that Deepika Padukone got more money from Ranveer Singh for ‘Padmavat’. Similarly, Alia Bhatt gets more money per film than her contemporary actors. Due to the success of a few actresses, such examples are being found as an exception. This fight of equality will go on long and for this the women of the film industry will have to gear up.
The situation now is that no actress opens her face to any established producer, director and actor. Before demanding their rights, it will also be necessary for them to understand what their rights are. When ‘Me Too’ campaign was going on in the whole world, the actresses of Hindi films kept sitting silently. One or two actresses dared to mention generic incidents. He too did not take any name.
The truth is that ‘casting couch’ continues in the film industry. Exploited actresses do not mention if they become famous. Those who are struggling, they continue to be exploited in the hope of chance.
If you run the 5050×2020 campaign with the demand of 5050×2050 in India and achieve it then it will be a big achievement.
PS:
In Mumbai’s Hindi film industry, actresses get small vanity vans. In the outdoor, his room in the hotel is smaller and with less facilities than the actor. Private staff of actresses also get less money. Their facilities are also given less attention. The main actresses of the film hardly take care of their associate (less famous) actresses. There is a tendency to adjust the nature of actresses and ask for nothing from family and surroundings. Nianta men take advantage of this in family, society and film industry.