Taramani actor Andrea Jeremiah was invited for a panel discussion in Jeppiar College, Chennai on the occasion of Women’s Day. It was here that she raised important questions about the film industry being a male dominated work space and how women objectify themselves on screen. She also revealed that she hasn’t signed a single film post Taramani even though her performance received rave reviews and the film itself was appreciated.
She said, “Firstly, the film industry is a male dominated industry. I have to say that. Basically, the point I am trying to make is that if anybody has to name the superstars, they will name Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan,” and stopped after the loud cheers from students.
She continued, “There is something that I learned recently. I did a film called Taramani, I don’t know how many of you have watched it. After Taramani, I haven’t signed a single film yet. Not a single film. Whereas a girl who acts opposite Vijay and does nothing except comes and dances for three songs, if the film releases and it’s a hit she will sign three-four film consecutively. Why after Taramani, where everybody loved the film, everybody raved about my performance – I am yet to sign a film. Because when a woman does a strong role that asks uncomfortable questions and she says ‘Hello, I am not happy to be a pretty young thing on screen. I want to do more than that. Yes, I can look hot and sexy and I can act also. So, write roles for me and don’t ask me to come on screen and jiggle my butt and wear revealing clothes and be happy with that.
She added, “I am not going to be happy with that. I can do a scene on screen where I am naked. And it will have more relevance, a lot more relevance than (scenes) of women who will not do kissing scenes, but who are ultimately objectifying themselves on screen. That for me is the big issue, especially with Tamil cinema. Slowly it’s changing, but very very very very slowly.”
{{/usCountry}}She added, “I am not going to be happy with that. I can do a scene on screen where I am naked. And it will have more relevance, a lot more relevance than (scenes) of women who will not do kissing scenes, but who are ultimately objectifying themselves on screen. That for me is the big issue, especially with Tamil cinema. Slowly it’s changing, but very very very very slowly.”
{{/usCountry}}When the other panel member pointed out that Bollywood has women who do strong roles, Andrea was quick to question how they all started off. She said, “That’s my other concern. Even a Deepika Padukone had to do a film with Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor to become a Deepika Padukone. A Nayanthara has to do films with Vijay, Ajith, Suriya, Rajinikanth and then she becomes Nayanthara. Why can’t an Andrea just do good strong roles and become an Andrea? Why does the worth of an actress have to be determined by her co-stars?”
She concluded, “Those are the questions that I am asking the industry right now because it is like that right now. It is a very male driven industry.”
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