Saiyami Kher advocates for stronger female representation in films

Actor Saiyami Kher recently attended a film festival in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where her movie "Ghoomer" was showcased. The festival celebrated women through cinema, coinciding with International Women’s Day. Saiyami expressed her joy at her film's continued recognition and the warm reception from the audience in Uzbekistan. In her remarks, Saiyami discussed the importance of women's representation in Bollywood. She believes that while there has been some progress, many female characters still seem underdeveloped. Often, these characters support male leads instead of having their own stories. She pointed out that even female-led films sometimes portray women as overly strong or victimized, rather than showcasing their complexities. Saiyami also emphasized the need for more women in filmmaking roles to ensure authenticity in women's stories. She advocated for normalizing female-led films across all genres, arguing they should not be seen as special or risky. Despite the push for more balanced representation, she acknowledged challenges in getting support for female-led stories from producers. Many still perceive these films as less profitable compared to male-led ones, which affects their production. The actress concluded by urging audiences to help shift this mindset. She believes that if female-led films achieve commercial success, it will become easier to create more diverse stories featuring women.