Jyotika calls out the problem with Tamil directors, reveals she didn't get lead roles after becoming a mother

Jyotika said that in recent times, no big filmmaker made a film for a woman actor. She added it's "something we are really lacking".

Jyotika has spoken about a female actor's 'battle' in the Tamil film industry, recalling how she "started doing very different roles" after becoming a mother at 28. In an interview with Fever FM, Jyotika was joined by her Dabba Cartel team including Shabana Azmi, Shalini Pandey, Anjali Anand and Shibani Dandekar. The host spoke to them about how women are not allowed to age even though fans accept a male actor ageing.

Jyotika reveals how ageing is an issue in Tamil film industry

Jyotika spoke about a woman's journey in the South.

Responding to this, Jyotika said, "It's a big question in the South, actually. I had my kids when I was 28, and I started doing very different roles after that. In fact, I think I haven't worked with a star or a hero after 28. It's a huge challenge because then you are building your career absolutely with new directors, on your own. It's all to do with the age factor. It's even more difficult because there's another big feature lacking there in Tamil industry, I wouldn't say all the south languages."

Jyotika says ‘biggies make films for biggies’

"We don't have big filmmakers or seasoned filmmakers, like K Balachander in those days, making films for women or stories where women have an important part to play. We only have the biggies making films for the biggies. In recent times, I don't think we have had a big filmmaker making a film for a woman actor. I think that's something we are really lacking. We are budget restricted. That's a big challenge, age being one, and the second one being seasoned filmmakers' storytelling from a woman's perspective. A woman's journey in the South, I feel, is extremely tough because it's a battle she's fighting all alone," she added.

About Jyotika

Jyotika debuted with Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1997). Her first Tamil film was Vaali (1999) and her first Telugu film was Tagore (2003. She also starred in Kushi (2000), Dumm Dumm Dumm and Poovellam Un Vasam (2001), Kaakha Kaakha (2004), Perazhagan (2004), Chandramukhi (2005) Mozhi (2007).

She made her comeback with 36 Vayadhinile (2015), followed by Magalir Mattum (2017), Chekka Chivantha Vaanam and Naachiyaar (2018), Kaatrin Mozhi (2018), Raatchasi (2019), Ponmagal Vandhal (2020), Kaathal – The Core (2023), and Shaitaan (2024).

She currently stars in the Netflix series Dabba Cartel. The show follows five ordinary women and how their low-key dabba service spirals into an unexpected venture: a high-stakes drug delivery operation. It also stars Shabana Azmi, Nimisha Sajayan, Shalini Pandey, Anjali Anand, Sai Tamhankar, and Lillete Dubey.