In the ever-evolving landscape of Indian cinema, actress Bhumi Pednekar has voiced her disapproval of the term ‘female-led projects,’ describing it as both “annoying” and something she “hates from [her] gut.” The ‘Thank You For Coming’ star has been an advocate for gender neutrality in art, stressing the importance of content over categories defined by the gender of the lead.
Bhumi Pednekar’s bold critiques come in the wake of success for her latest film ‘Bhakshak,’ where she plays an indomitable journalist. She recounts the persistent misconception that audiences are reluctant to embrace films headlined by women, swiftly boxing them into the ‘female-led project’ category. “Gender doesn’t define people’s watching preferences,” Pednekar asserts, dismantling the notion that the audience’s choices are gender-biased. “Audience wants to see good cinema and good content,” she reinforces, drawing on her own career as a testament that quality storytelling transcends gender.
Having achieved recognition for portraying strong female characters, Pednekar’s journey has run parallel to a transformative period in Bollywood, where the narrative around women has shifted significantly. “I got lucky because I started working at a time that coincided with how women characters were being written for cinema,” she reflects on her fortune of essaying author-backed roles that have spotlighted women as agents of change.
Her recent success with ‘Bhakshak’ exemplifies her point. The film, which tackles the ugliness of patriarchy head-on, emerged as a global hit, challenging the assumption that the mass audience prefers male-led narratives. The critical reception of ‘Bhakshak’ indicates a shift in viewership patterns and, as Pednekar believes, if gender did indeed dictate viewership, such films would never attain commercial success.
Bhumi Pednekar doesn’t stop at merely addressing the issue; she calls for action from Indian filmmakers to invest in stories with women at the fore, advocating for equal budgets and scale as those typically afforded to male-led films. She cites a list of successful ventures such as ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha,’ ‘Lust Stories,’ ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha,’ ‘Saand Ki Aankh,’ ‘Bala,’ and ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh,’ all films where women were the driving force, and not coincidentally, all acclaimed for their narrative prowess and box-office performance.
The actress is currently basking in the praise for her gripping performance in ‘Bhakshak,’ exploring the tumultuous journey of a woman’s quest for justice. The Netflix film boasts an impressive array helmed by director Pulkit, producers Gauri Khan and Gaurav Verma, and co-stars Sanjay Mishra, Aditya Srivastava, and Sai Tamhankar.
With her stance against the ‘female-led projects’ label, Bhumi Pednekar is not only challenging preconceived notions within Bollywood but also reshaping the industry narrative. As audiences and creators gradually agree with her perspective, the line between cinema led by men and women blurs, leaving room only for the appreciation of cinema led by talent, vision, and unyielding dedication to the craft of storytelling. Bhumi Pednekar’s role in this evolving narrative is a testament to her conviction and commitment to bringing about change—one screenplay at a time.
