New Delhi: In average homes, the role of a woman is seen as that of a homemaker and a good mother. And if the woman is working, she remains the ‘ideal’, ‘respected’ and ‘real’ woman only if she is juggling the two duties with super efficiency and leaving no one unattended and unhappy. Till at least a decade ago, this ‘real’ woman role extended to her reel versions also. While movies were still trying to come out of that trap and show women in other roles, the soap operas ruling the television scene only magnified them to superhuman levels.
The emergence of OTT platforms changed that to a great extent.
The old argument that they show what the viewers demand was turned on its head when the TV audience lapped up OTT content that was way different, sometimes superior, bolder and more mature. The reel woman evolved too — she no longer had to keep herself draped in the nine yards round the clock and go to bed with full make-up on, or turn into an avenging snake, or make the perfectly round chapatis or the tastiest boondi ke laddoo to be counted as the heroine material.
The new heroine is the Alpha female, and very real. She is a forest officer taking on big cat poachers, or a sportswoman fighting gender supremacy; she is an all-powerful celebrity trying to cover up a crime she committed, or a small-town homemaker looking for spice in her marriage with a simpleton. She is independent, confident, smart, and in control, whether career-oriented or homemaker.
More and more women-centric movies and OTT content are now being produced regularly, and no one is complaining.
Among the women leading this charge and giving a new direction to the industry are actors Tapasee Pannu and Vidya Balan.
Both the talented and gorgeous actors will be our guests at the ABP Network’s 'Wild Stone presents Ideas of India’ Summit on Friday, March 25.
The session, ‘The Alpha Woman | Blurring Borders: Rise of the Pan-Indian Actor’, will take place at 1.45 pm, and will be chaired by author Chetan Bhagat.
In conversation with Vidya Balan, celebrated journalist Vir Sanghvi will chair a session on ‘Breaking The Mould | The New Heroine: A Screen of her own’ at 6 pm.
On March 25 and 26, tune in to ABP Network to watch best minds from various fields as they share the ABP Ideas of India stage to present their views and vision.
In more than 25 sessions, thought leaders, businessmen, cultural stars, civil society pioneers will talk about the ideas of India that define the past 75 years and will shape its future.