Gender-specific work-life equilibrium in the Indian film industry: Deepika Padukones demands for “spirit”

The creative freedom granted to a filmmaker brings logistics to perform it in front of the large screen. It is therefore no surprise that the film extends to create film about crazy hours, the investments of severe resources and often exhausting efforts by individuals (enter their personal life). In fact, such aspects of the process make women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community particularly difficult in view of their gender -specific social roles.

Female actresses, especially those who choose to marry or even have huge physical and financial milestones), are often opposed to employees who are repellent, ignorant and intolerant. As a controversial source of debates, she increased the alleged argument between the actress Deepika Padukone and the director Sandeep Vanga Reddy.

Deepika Padukone should first be the female leading role of Sandeep Vanga Reddy’s coming film spirit, compared to male lead Prabhas. But at some point she couldn’t register for it because she The demands were said not to be met. She is said to have asked for an 8 Hour working day, a considerable share of profits, a fee of 20 Crore and refused to deliver dialogues in Telugu. Some there was a general perception of some that their alleged demands are inappropriately and too much for a female leadership. Experienced actors such as Saif Ali Khan and the experienced filmmaker Maniratnam publicly support the alleged demands of Deepika.

Source: IMDB

They claim that this is fundamental necessities and expectations in the filmmaking process and that it is difficult to reconcile the responsibility of motherhood with a career, which means that a healthy amount of work is all the more necessary. Tripti Dimri was later found as a female leading role.

Sandeep Vanga Reddy later went to X And talked about how he expects an actor to maintain confidentiality after revealing a script and quoted that there was an unofficial NDA between the director and the actor. He even questioned the actor’s “feminism” and claimed that the person had put down a younger actress privately. He explained how he saw his filmmaking as an investment of time and craft what the actor he had referred to.

The general public believes that he was anonymously related to Deepika Padukone due to his statements.

The general public believes that he was anonymously related to Deepika Padukone due to his statements. There is even speculation that Deepika’s words at an event in Stockholm were a subtle answer to Sandeps Post. She said ”I thrive when I can find my balance and balance. When I feel my most authentic myself.‘Many believe that this was an indication of their strong demand for a better work-life balance.

Double standards in the perception of the demands of the actresses

The alleged demands of Deepika reflect on how to reconcile both responsibilities of their new motherhood together with their career as an actress. Your alleged demands are considered inappropriate by some as inappropriate, even as an experienced actress of almost 20 years. In fact, social double standards are as strongly recognizable as it demands such a large amount as “maternity advantages”.

According to the patriarchal framework, one could argue that what a man deserves will also sake for the well -being of his family. However, there is no such outrage when male actors are made similarly “big” demands. This shows the double standards of how the demands of an actress in the cinema industry are perceived.

Feminism has covered a long way to normalize the idea of ​​a working woman. By showing that she is physically and mentally as capable as a man to do such work. But what has not yet overcome, especially in India, is how it is socially accepted that it is in order for a working woman to ask about certain advantages whether she also wants to build a healthy social life and a stronger motherhood.

Source: Fii

Many expect women to “adapt” to their career and endure the difficulties to compensate for the two instead of asking for provisions to make it easier. The idea of ​​a woman who sacrifices her career or tries to try it is more attractive to the public than the idea that her life (and her child) can make it easier, especially in areas that can afford it.

How capital is connected to essential employee rights in the film industry

In an industry in which the remuneration for efforts largely depends on privileges and public appeals, the consideration of essential and human rights takes a step back. If a worker has a certain social capital, a massive fan base, he can negotiate conditions that lead to a better life for you. Basic workers in the film industry seem to be attached to this triangle of economic requirements.

For example, if a film industrial worker comes from an influential family, it would be much easier to access these rights. For this reason, there is perception that such rights as the advantages that have been seen either for the rich or those who have suffered poor treatment in the name of the hard work. Although your hard work is a welcome and commendable confirmation, the exploitation in the guise of work should not be promoted in the cloudy direction. Since the creative process for every employee does not have an easily quantifiable working hours, it becomes more difficult to implement a uniform guideline that benefits employees in the industry.

Gender -specific capital generation in the film industry

It then goes without saying that even the existing model of wealth generation in the film industry is unequal. As a society that promotes male-centered films (borders on the overwhelming masculinity), the screen roller of a heroine is automatically banned into less meaning. Since Indian directors are mostly male, several stories with female characters are written as accessories for the hero, which ultimately leads to less screen presence and popularity.

Since Indian directors are mostly male, several stories with female characters are written as accessories for the hero, which ultimately leads to less screen presence and popularity.

Unfortunately, popularity or fans successor is the most difficult in the triangle of economic requirements for employee rights. This is because the other two are often something in which you are born, which limits your access to economically and socially privileged people. This fundamentally disadvantaged the actresses when it comes to accessing motherly and basic labor rights and expressing them.

Source: Fii

Deepika Padukones alleged demands in the mind are not only a dispute between a director and an actor, but a reflection of deeper structural inequalities in the Indian film industry. It reveals the continuing complaints of the industry with powerful women who question firmly anchored norms. It reinforces a patriarchal vision of femininity, endurance and silence and not claimed and rewarded justice.

Only those with considerable levers can be fundamental: safe, respectful and reasonable working conditions. This systemic inequality can be duplicate for women, especially for jonig career and care responsibility. Ultimately, the need is not only to normalize the conversations on motherhood and working life balance in the cinema, but also to institutionalize political and public structures that guarantee them as rights. Until then, every such requirement that an actress has made becomes a calm resistance that constantly questions who has limits and why.

Lakshmi Yazhini is a post -Doctor student who pursues an integrated Masters in development studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Yazhini in Chennai has an enthusiastic research interest in the intersectionality of feminist geography and the state in peripheral cities. In her free time, she likes to bake, make yoga, read fiction and send her thoughts in her diary (which is most common about the micro unchanges around her). Yazhini hopes to explore, write and make a difference to a political decision -maker.