Netflix, in partnership with the National Commission for Women, hosted special discussions on the role of media and entertainment in empowering women ahead of International Women’s Day. The two panel discussions brought together some of the most distinguished personalities from the industry, academia, NGOs, women actors and directors who shared their perspective on the role of storytelling in shaping the narrative of women empowerment.
The day-long event started with a panel discussion on the role of media and entertainment in women empowerment. The panel had celebrated actor and producer Huma Qureshi, Himanshu Rai- Director IIM Indore, Veerendra Mishra – IPS AIG MP Police, Nayana Sahasrabuddhe – President, Bhartiya Stree Shakti, Priyanka Kher – Breakthrough India and Uday Singh – Head Motion Pictures Association.
The second-panel discussion titled ‘Her Story, Her Voice: A Conversation with Women in Media & Entertainment’ provided insights on championing female representation in the entertainment industry. The panel featured women actors and directors who are known for their stellar work in depiction of strong, progressive and resilient women through their stories. On the panel were Rasika Dugal (Indian Actress known for her role in Delhi Crime), Jasmeet K. Reen (Director, Darlings), Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul (Writer of Thappad and Co-creator of Scoop), Prajakta Koli (Indian Youtuber & Actress, known for her role in Netflix series Mismatched). Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India represented the streaming service on the panel. The session was moderated by film critic Sucharita Tyagi.
Speaking on the role of storytelling in driving female forward narratives, Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India, said, “A story well told is a story that stays with you and at Netflix, we try to do that very deliberately. We are very intentional about presenting female forward stories that talk about the wonderful leaps women are taking in life. It gives so much power to our audiences, both men and women, to see the victory of women being reflected on screen – whether it is in Delhi Crime with Shefali Shah and Rasika Dugal or even in Emily in Paris. All of these characters, these different stories depict how women are conquering every single day in small and big ways. Inclusion is very important to Netflix not just in the kind of content but also in our workforce. Across the world, 51% of Netflix’s workforce are women.”
Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, National Commision for Women, said, “Cinema can be a massive change-agent, but their full potential cannot be realised until we accept and elevate the voices and stories of women. Women’s involvement in all facets of the film industry, including writing, directing, producing, and acting, not only inspires and encourages women everywhere but also ushers in a future that is more fair and inclusive for everyone. Through this NCW-Netflix collaboration, we aim to highlight the amazing abilities of women in film so that future generations will be able to hear their voices, learn about their experiences, and be inspired by what they have accomplished.”
