Mumbai: Prime Video has released the latest edition of the O Womaniya! Report, widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive studies on female representation in Indian entertainment. Researched and curated by Ormax Media, produced by Film Companion Studios, and championed by Prime Video, the O Womaniya! 2025 study evaluates industry-wide trends and gaps in female representation across content, creative talent, marketing, and corporate leadership.
The 2025 edition analyzed 122 films and series released in 2024 across nine Indian languages—Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, and Gujarati—spanning both streaming and theatrical formats.
Key Findings
Content Representation:
The O Womaniya! Toolkit 1 test, introduced last year to assess whether women in films and series have agency and drive their own narratives, revealed that 32% of the analyzed titles passed the benchmark. While theatrical films continued to lag, streaming films recorded a notable 16-percentage-point jump over the previous year’s report, with 47% of titles clearing the test.
Telugu content demonstrated significant improvement, with 31% of titles passing the test—an increase of 21 percentage points over last year. Interestingly, while more titles commissioned by women met the criteria, a higher number of titles commissioned by men also passed the benchmark this year, underscoring the importance of male allies in driving systemic change.
Creative Talent:
Representation behind the camera declined, with only 13% of Head of Department (HOD) positions across direction, cinematography, editing, writing, and production design held by women—down from 15% in the previous report. Editing and cinematography saw the steepest drops, falling by four and five percentage points respectively. Direction remained stagnant at 8%.
Hindi-language titles showed relatively stronger representation off-camera, with nearly 25% featuring at least one female HOD, while other languages largely remained below 5%.
Marketing Visibility:
Women accounted for 29% of trailer talk time, a marginal increase from 27% in 2022. Streaming titles continued to lead, with 36% talk time allocated to women in promotional trailers. Notable titles featuring higher female visibility included Follow Kar Lo Yaar, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Do Patti, Crew, Heart Beat, The Tribe, Naach Ga Ghuma, Call Me Bae, and Heeramandi.
Corporate Leadership:
Among 110 Director/CXO positions analyzed across 25 leading media and entertainment firms, female representation rose from 12% to 18% year-on-year. While still modest, the six-percentage-point increase signals measurable progress toward gender-balanced leadership.
“At Prime Video, we have always believed that for stories to truly resonate, they must reflect a balanced perspective. That’s why strong female representation – on-screen, behind the camera, and at the decision-making table – is more than just an organizational priority; it is a critical driver for the creative industry to thrive,” said Stuti Ramachandra, director & head of production and post, International Originals, Prime Video India. “Over the years, we’ve remained focused on building a more inclusive and equitable creative ecosystem – one that can only be achieved through collaboration. Together with our partners and the wider industry, we have been working to create spaces where women not only have a seat at the table, but also the opportunity to lead, create, and shine. The O Womaniya! 2025 report by Ormax Media and Film Companion Studios is more than an industry study – it is a reminder that real change cannot happen overnight or in isolation. Every step forward, no matter how small, signals a real shift in mindsets. And when we move forward together, those small steps add up to lasting change that can truly reshape the industry for the better.”
Shailesh Kapoor, Founder & CEO, Ormax Media added, “Each year, O Womaniya! gives us the opportunity to go deeper and uncover more actionable insights about female representation in Indian entertainment. The 2025 report reflects not only the existing challenges and the gaps that persist in building a more inclusive ecosystem, but also the progress – however small or slow – that can be seen in driving gender equality across the industry. Our aim is to enable stakeholders across the media and entertainment industry to make informed choices that drive gender inclusivity meaningfully, and to move from intent to real, measurable impact.”
Anupama Chopra, Film Critic and Producer shared, “Year after year, O Womaniya! reminds us that change in the entertainment industry must be both intentional and continuous. The 2025 edition of the report serves as a powerful call to action for all stakeholders to examine their choices and create space for authentic, diverse female voices. I am grateful to Prime Video and Ormax Media for their continued support towards driving this industry-defining initiative forward and helping build a more equitable and inclusive ecosystem.”
To further unpack the report’s findings, Anupama Chopra convened a roundtable discussion featuring Bhumi Pednekkar, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Rahul Ravindran, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Shazia Iqbal, Suresh Triveni and Stuti Ramachandra. The conversation explores critical questions around the disparity between theatrical and streaming representation, the scarcity of meaningful female-led roles, and the structural changes needed to achieve long-term equity in Indian entertainment.
Five years since its inception, O Womaniya! continues to serve as both a mirror and a mandate for the industry—spotlighting progress while urging deeper introspection and sustained action toward equitable representation.
