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Nithya Menen talks about ‘clear cut’ hierarchy in film industry: ‘Hero, director, heroine, that's how it is’

Jan 13, 2025 03:36 PM IST

In a recent interview, Nithya Menen spoke about how the film industry is inherently sexist towards women, here's what she said.

Nithya Menen is promoting her upcoming film Kadhalikka Neramillai and spoke about how her name was placed first on the poster instead of Jayam Ravi’s. Talking to Galatta Plus, she spoke about the ‘clear cut’ hierarchy that exists in the film industry. (Also Read: Nithya Menen calls film industry ‘inhumane’; recollects Mysskin being sensitive to period pain)

Nithya Menen has been candid about the pitfalls of working in the film industry lately.
Nithya Menen has been candid about the pitfalls of working in the film industry lately.

Nithya Menen on hierarchy in the film industry

Nithya was asked about how Ravi recently mentioned in an interview that Kadhalikka Neramillai is the first time he was working with a female director, Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi, and that Nithya’s name was placed first in the poster because she had an equally important role in the film.

The actor replied, “When I saw Nithya’s name first, that means, it’s healing something in people’s consciousness. Maybe the injustice they had to go through or times they felt inferior, it gets healed a little bit. I consider things like this path breaking, and not just Kiru or me, but Ravi is also a part of that. Because he said, go ahead, do it.”

Nithya explained further that in the film industry, the hero and director always come before the female lead. She said, “There’s a clear cut hierarchy, right? Hero, director, heroine - hierarchy. That’s how it is. That’s how your caravans are placed, that’s how you’re called on stage. If an aarti is taken that’s the order they’ll give it to you. It’s not even the order the people are standing. It bothers me, all of this is like…really? You want to live a life like this? This is so small minded, just be normal. Be natural. Give people credit where they deserve, whether they’re a woman or man.”

The actor also mentioned that she has been on sets where there was ‘pin drop silence’ after she performed a scene people have liked but after the male lead gives a ‘mediocre performance’ the whole set has clapped and cheered for him.

Upcoming work

Apart from Kadhalikka Neramillai, Nithya will star in Dhanush's directorial Idli Kadai, which will also feature him in the lead role. She also has Dear Exes lined up and is co-starring with Vijay Sethupathi in his next.

While talking to Behindwoods, Nithya recently revealed that she wanted to silently quit the film industry before winning her National Award for Thiruchitrambalam. She said, “This is a profession that I don't like. If I get an option, I'd leave.”

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