uncovering
the reel truth

REPORT 2022

Analysing gender diversity in Indian entertainment

Film Companion
Ormax Media
Prime video
  • PRODUCERS GUILD OF INDIA
  • ACTIVE TELUGU FILM PRODUCERS GUILD
  • ZEE5
  • VOOT
  • HOICHOI
  • SONYLIV
  • CLEAN SLATE FILMZ
  • PURPLE PEBBLE PICTURES
  • EXCEL ENTERTAINMENT
  • RSVP
  • SIKHYA ENTERTAINMENT
  • EMMAY ENTERTAINMENT
  • DHARMA PRODUCTIONS

Uncovering gender diversity in modern Indian entertainment

India is producing more entertainment content than ever before. With the advent of streaming services and a digital surge impelled by the pandemic, this is the opportune moment for idea-driven storylines.

As art and culture transform on the back of technological advancements, this report seeks to understand whether women, both on and behind the screen, are considered critical members of this progress. If not — what steps can we take to build a more inclusive entertainment industry.

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Aparna purohit

APARNA PUROHIT

HEAD OF INDIA ORIGINALS,
PRIME VIDEO

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Stories inspire, connect, nurture, unite and generate empathy. Stories help carry the history, culture and values of a civilization forward. Therefore, we believe in the transformative role that media can play in influencing, inspiring and helping people form their identity in relation to the gender. The Indian media and entertainment (M&E) industry has the potential to be a torchbearer for improving gender representation in a rapidly evolving world. From providing equal opportunities and support across technical and creative job roles to changing the narrative through the power of stories, streaming and the wider entertainment industry, can be a positive influencer of change.

I believe that gender parity and equality are the fundamental blocks for building a truly collaborative, progressive and an inclusive society. Therefore, it is not just a pleasure but an honour for us at Prime Video India to support Ormax Media and Film Companion as they push the envelope with the second edition of O Womaniya! The in-depth analysis of this report highlights that women in decision making roles hire more women and digital is blazing the trail. This is reassuring and we must continue the good work. In fact, advocacy based on data is far more impactful – it helps us make the invisible, visible. This report will help us encourage dialogue and build support systems for women across the board. It is heartening to see the widened scope of the report to cover theatrical and digital content, and the collaboration and support that the report has received this year from several industry bodies.

I am certain that this report will draw attention to and generate more meaningful conversation on gender sensitive and gender transformative content that can help break stereotypes and pave the way for a truly diverse, equitable and an inclusive industry.

FILMS & SERIES ANALYSED

150 PROPERTIES

THEATRICAL FILMS (56)

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83

AJAGAJANTHARAM

AKHANDA

ANNAATTHE

ANTIM: THE FINAL TRUTH

ARANMANAI 3

BELL BOTTOM

BHAJARANGI 2

CHAKRA

CHAL MERA PUTT 3

CHANDIGARH KARE AASHIQUI

CHECK

DOCTOR

EESWARAN

ENEMY

GOLONDAAJ

HONSLA RAKH

JAN-E-MAN

JATHI RATNALU

JHIMMA

KAAVAL

KARNAN

KODIYIL ORUVAN

KOTIGOBBA 3

KRACK

KURUP

LOVE STORY

MAANAADU

MADHAGAJA

MARAKKAR : ARABIKADALINTE SIMHAM

MASTER

MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR

MUMBAI SAGA

ONE

PANDU

POGARU

PUAADA

PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 1

QISMAT 2

RANG DE

RED

ROBERRT

ROOHI

RUDRA THANDAVAM

SALAGA

SEETIMARR

SHYAM SINGHA ROY

SOORYAVANSHI

SREEKARAM

SULTHAN

TADAP

THE PRIEST

UPPENA

VAKEEL SAAB

WILD DOG

YUVRAATHANAA

STREAMING FILMS (44)

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AJEEB DAASTAANS

ATRANGI RE

BHOOT POLICE

BHUJ: THE PRIDE OF INDIA

BOB BISWAS

CHHORII

CINEMA BANDI

COLLAR BOMB

DHAMAKA

DRISHYAM 2

DYBBUK

HASEEN DILLRUBA

HUM DO HAMARE DO

HUNGAMA 2

IKKAT

JAGAME THANDHIRAM

JAI BHIM

JOJI

KAAGAZ

LIFT

MAESTRO

MALIK

MANDELA

MEENAKSHI SUNDARESHWAR

MIMI

MINNAL MURALI

NARAPPA

PAGGLAIT

RADHE: YOUR MOST WANTED BHAI

RASHMI ROCKET

RATHNAN PRAPANCHA

SANAK

SARDAR UDHAM

SARPATTA PARAMBARAI

SHERNI

SHERSHAAH

SHIDDAT

SILENCE

STATE OF SIEGE: TEMPLE ATTACK

THE BIG BULL

THE GREAT INDIAN KITCHEN

TOOFAAN

TRIBHANGA

TUCK JAGADISH

STREAMING SERIES (50)

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1962: THE WAR IN THE HILLS

3 ROSES

30 WEDS 21

AARYA S2

ARANYAK

ASPIRANTS

BOMBAY BEGUMS

BYOMKESH S6

CALL MY AGENT: BOLLYWOOD

CANDY

CHACHA VIDHAYAK HAIN HUMARE S2

CITY OF DREAMS S2

DECOUPLED

DHINDORA

EK THI BEGUM S2

FIRST KISS

GRAHAN

GULLAK S2

HELLO MINI S3

HELLO S3

HOSTEL DAZE S2

INDORI ISHQ

INSIDE EDGE S3

JEET KI ZID

KATHMANDU CONNECTION

KOTA FACTORY S2

KUDI YEDAMAITHE

LITTLE THINGS S4

LIVE TELECAST

MAHARANI

MATSYA KAAND

MUMBAI DIARIES 26/11

NAVA RASA

NOVEMBER STORY

OK COMPUTER

OKA CHINNA FAMILY STORY

OUT OF LOVE S2

PARAMPARA

RAY

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS S2

SAMANTAR S2

SHANTIT KRANTI

SPECIAL OPS 1.5

SUNFLOWER

TABBAR

TANDAV

THE EMPIRE

THE FAMILY MAN S2

THE LAST HOUR

THE LEGEND OF HANUMAN

HINDI TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA MALAYALAM 13 72 20 11 24 10 8 28 36 12 5 3 7 0 4 7 2 1 15 4 5 7 5 1 THEATRICAL FILMS STREAMING FILMS STREAMING SERIES 56 44 50 OTHERS PUNJABI, KANNADA, BENGALI, GUJARATI HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU OTHERS KANNADA 10 24 72 20 13 11 THEATRICAL FILMS 56 STREAMING FILMS 44 STREAMING SERIES 50
reel

Cast, Crew, and Company

CREATIVE TALENT CONTENT

WRITING

PRODUCTION DESIGN

EDITING

CINEMATOGRAPHY

DIRECTION

Stars behind the Stars

CREATIVE TALENT

It’s not just on-screen representation that matters.

It takes a village to make a movie or series, and what we finally see on-screen is a direct reflection of the numerous decisions made by creative leaders behind it.

To understand the extent to which female leadership is represented in creative roles, we looked at female representation in key Head of Department (HOD) positions across our selected 150 properties.

WHO’S THE BOSS?

FEMALE REPRESENTATION ACROSS HOD POSITIONS

Only 10% HODs are women

750 POSITIONS ACROSS 150 PROPERTIES

DO WOMEN HIRE WOMEN?

FEMALE HOD REPRESENTATION AS DETERMINED BY THE GENDER OF COMMISSIONING IN-CHARGE

8%

female HODs appointed when the commissioning in-charge was male

17%

female HODs appointed when the commissioning in-charge was female

60 0 10 20 30 40 50 70 80 90 100 24% 12% 8% 4% 3% PRODUCTION DESIGN WRITING EDITING DIRECTION CINEMATOGRAPHY

FEMALE REPRESENTATION

BY HOD POSITIONS

Not even one theatrical film (out of 56) was directed or edited by a woman.

THEATRICAL FILMS STREAMING FILMS STREAMING SERIES 13% 16% 3%

FEMALE HOD REPRESENTATION

BY FORMAT/ DISTRIBUTION

Representation of female HODs is also low in streaming, but still five times higher than theatrical (just 3%).

% 7 1 HINDI % 1 TAMIL % 5 TELUGU % 0 MALAYALAM % 0 KANNADA % 0 OTHERS

FEMALE HOD REPRESENTATION

BY LANGUAGE

Not even one HOD position across 34 Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, and Bengali films, was held by a woman.

Bechdel Test

ACROSS 150 PROPERTIES

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All 150 properties were evaluated on the Bechdel Test, which is an Internationally-accepted measure of female representation in cinema.

In order to pass the test, a film must have at least one scene where two named women are talking to each other about something other than a man.

For streaming series, given their longer runtime, the criterion was modified to ‘at least three scenes’.

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