- 2 months ago
Actors Shefali Shah and Bhumi Pednekar and Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India opened up about pay parity in the entertainment industry, and how OTT is empowering women while speaking at the India Today Woman Summit 2025. Shah said that the gap in pay is often more about star power than gender, while Pednekar shared that her experience with streaming shows has been more fair, where actors are paid based on their work and value.
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00:00All right, ladies, thank you so much. And this is a conversation I'm sure all of us were waiting to have.
00:06OTT is clearly the thing that we are all hooked to. And my guests here need no introduction because we've watched their shows.
00:13We've been hooked to their shows and we want to know more about the upcoming shows.
00:17So, Shifali, I want to start with you. Darlings, Delhi Crime, Three of Us, Jalsa, Human, some of your finest work that we've been watching on OTT.
00:28Now, you know, in all your career as an actor of doing films and television, would you say that the kind of characters you're playing on OTT have had a stronger impact and how you like playing them?
00:44First and foremost, good afternoon, everyone. It's wonderful being here and all of you are looking gorgeous.
00:50Are you having tea, coffee or wine? That's a very important question to answer.
00:55Besides that, how is it affected? I think because the reach of OTT, you know, we had television which reached people far more than obviously films could because it was in everyone's bedroom.
01:08The same thing happened with OTT. The difference being that suddenly we have a library of content which comes from across the globe.
01:17And it's amazing. Of course, as an actor, because all the varied characters that I have had the opportunity of playing, I cannot deny the fact that that opportunity even began because of something I did on OTT.
01:33If Delhi Crime was, let's say, if Delhi Crime was, let's say, a film, it would probably have been considered as, you know, let's get an A-lister star to play it.
01:44And it would have been completely my loss. But because it was OTT and because it's more story-oriented, character-oriented, that's where it comes into the play where you're okay about somebody who may not be an A-lister or the top on a Bollywood chart.
02:02But as a character, this person fits it to the T and what this actor can bring to the table.
02:10So I think that is wonderful as an actor. And of course, as a student of cinema, I can watch anything and everything from across the globe.
02:18I mean, you know, today we can watch Iranian cinema or we can watch American shows or we can watch something in Spanish.
02:26Years ago, we couldn't even watch the content that our own country was creating.
02:30You know, if we were lucky, we got some film from the South, became a huge hit and they said, okay, we'll make a Hindi version of it.
02:38And that's how we could watch it. But we lost out on so much good, wonderful material, which I think all of it, you know, has come into our laps, actually, via OTT.
02:49I love it. I mean, it's my favorite place to be.
02:52All of us do. So, Tanya, I'm sure a lot of us really understand or want to understand what goes on behind the scenes and how do you really gauge the success of a show?
03:04So, is it when the number of subscribers go up? Is it what the trends reflect?
03:10Because insiders also tell me that Netflix gets very accurate numbers to exactly when an audience has dropped, at what point, at which character, what the storyline was.
03:23So, how does it work?
03:23Hi, everyone. Good afternoon. And, Shefali, it's our gain entirely. You are definitely our A-lister on Netflix. And I'm so glad Delhi Crime found you.
03:36But, yes, how do we gauge the success of a show? I mean, does everybody know what, you know, Shefali's character is called in Delhi Crime?
03:45Madam. Madam, sir? Yes. I think you feel it. Firstly, you feel it. You know it in your bones. You hear it. And, you know, the audience is very, very kind.
04:01They talk about it freely. I mean, when Royals launched, it was, it took over the internet across the world.
04:08When Delhi Crime comes, and every time we launch a trailer, they always say, but, where is the next season? And I know I may have walked into a trap here, but, coming soon.
04:21But I think, besides that, yes, we do, actually, probably we are the only service that actually puts out our numbers.
04:28You know, we have an engagement report that comes out twice a year. So, the accuracy of the numbers is for the world to see.
04:34It isn't speculative, but I think success is measured, one, in just the love of the fans.
04:41I think, very accurately, a season renewal. And, more importantly, I think, from a business metric, it is definitely the way we are growing.
04:51And I think we have been blessed, and all of you as audience have been very, very kind, in the love that you have shown for our shows, for our characters.
04:58And, really, like, coming back and watching, you know, newer ones. Like, right now, Mandala Murders, which launched last week, has really got everyone, you know, solving the mystery, and becoming quite the rage.
05:10So, like, the Mandala's got to them. So, I think the love is palpable.
05:14Oh, yes, indeed it is.
05:15Bhumi, I mean, I have to start with this. The Royals has been one of the most bought series, not just in India, but it has appeared in the top 10, and other countries, too.
05:26Did you anticipate this kind of love, and the sort of reception you've received?
05:31Good afternoon, everyone.
05:33I did. And that's why I wanted to do the show.
05:36A hundred percent. You know, I have had a beautiful journey with Netflix.
05:47And most of my pieces of content that came on the service have given me a lot of love.
05:53And we were trying to do something together for a longer format, but then comes Royals, and I was in the hospital.
05:59I had dengue. I was completely out, and I was just on my way to recovery, and I read the first episode,
06:06and suddenly I felt like I'm feeling better.
06:08Because, you know, as actors, you're constantly looking for pieces that can challenge you, that are away from you, out of your comfort zone.
06:16And trust me, that was really something that I had not done.
06:19People never expected me to do something like a Royals.
06:22And that's what excited me.
06:23And when I read the material, I was like, okay, here is a show that is going to be watched by everyone.
06:30And that's exactly what happened.
06:32And I'm really, really, really glad that it worked out for all of us, and it worked out this way.
06:42Shifali, coming to Vartika Chaturvedi, I mean, you've turned her into an iconic character.
06:48She's my personal favorite, and I get hooked to every emotion that Vartika emotes.
06:53We are at a women's summit, and that is why I say to play a woman cop, and she's a woman who's fierce, powerful, she's a fighter.
07:04But, you know, the vulnerability, the sensitivity with which she deals with a case, I think that is something that most gets to you.
07:13Year on year, you've been playing her.
07:15Has a little bit of her seeped into you?
07:18Do you really love her?
07:20I think I'm obsessed with her.
07:23You know, you do a project and you move on.
07:25I mean, you look back fondly at characters you've played.
07:28But Vartika is someone I'm very possessive about.
07:32And it might sound psychotic, but I really, I know, I just, I love her.
07:38I think, honestly, every character that I play takes a lot out of me and gives back a lot to me.
07:47It's very difficult to quantify exactly what it is.
07:51But, I mean, she's, I think there are quite a lot of similarities between the both of us.
08:00The only difference being that she probably has the power of a gun, and I probably have the power of a mic.
08:07I think that's the difference between the two women.
08:11There is, she is extremely vulnerable.
08:14And, you know, which is what I keep feeling.
08:15I know strength is celebrated all around, and it's so talked about.
08:21But I just genuinely feel our strength is our vulnerability.
08:25Because if we didn't feel vulnerable enough, we would not have the fire and the fight to become stronger enough.
08:33So, I genuinely feel that it's a big part of any woman.
08:38And, yeah, she's given me a lot, and I have tried to give her as much as I could.
08:44She's consumed me completely.
08:46And I think she's a lot like a lot of us.
08:49But she has a position of power where she can actually do something and make a difference.
08:54Oh, yes, absolutely.
08:56You know, Tanya, there, in the way we are portraying women on OTT,
09:02and sort of progressive subjects that the platform showcases,
09:07again, I want to understand from you, when you particularly go after a woman-led subject,
09:14where a woman puts out a strong narrative,
09:17how does it perform when, you know, that's the kind of show you're putting out,
09:22you're working with women creators, what does it bring to the table?
09:24You know, at a personal level, I feel like I find the word inclusion when used around another gender a little offensive.
09:36I feel like we have to, as, you know, producers, studios, creators, writers,
09:42actually look at it as representing the world that is around us, right?
09:47The world is not a world of one gender with another one just being included because, you know, we have to.
09:53It is actually just the most authentic way to represent the world.
09:57And as a global platform, I feel it's our responsibility to represent the world for what it is.
10:04And, you know, to what you just said, actually, I feel like we are not writing narratives with women.
10:11I feel women are writing narratives in the world that are hard to ignore,
10:15that, you know, that creators really find exciting.
10:18It sparks up the minds of writers.
10:20And those are subjects that you have to pick up and you have to, you know,
10:25sort of memorialize in art, in that sense, in long form, on films, forever.
10:31So, you know, the legacy of Chaya Sharma, the top cop of Delhi on who Vartika Chaturvedi's characters based,
10:39she has a legacy.
10:40But through Vartika Chaturvedi, I think Shefali and us,
10:43we've tried to sort of really land that as a legacy across the world.
10:48You know, female entrepreneurs are taking over, you know, business quite like their male counterparts.
10:55And so when Sophia comes into Royals and really talks about dreams and ambitions,
11:00it is an articulation that is needed.
11:03And I don't think that we look at it as an exclusive presentation.
11:10I feel like it is the way the world has to be.
11:12But yes, I think streaming does allow narratives that probably wouldn't have sort of hit the screens or television
11:20in the manner that they do.
11:22Because I feel like we balance, we have the luxury to actually balance strength and vulnerability,
11:29you know, flaws and power, all of it at the same time,
11:33and really depict stories, subjects, characters in a very lovely, complex way.
11:40And I think that's what women are.
11:42They are layered, they're complex, they're beautiful.
11:44Oh, yes, absolutely, absolutely.
11:46And how does it change for a female actor?
11:50Because, you know, this is a long format that allows the graph of the story to flow in a certain way.
11:56And similarly, for the character to build in a certain way.
11:59And you as an actor have the scope to be able to build it like that.
12:03Is it truly satisfying as an actor?
12:05Oh, it's so satisfying.
12:07It is so satisfying.
12:08My first experience, my first outing with the longer format,
12:11I realized that I want to keep doing this again and again.
12:15You know, especially when you are kind of in that race
12:18where you are doing films that come on screen, in theatres as well,
12:23and you are doing like beautiful content digitally as well,
12:26you are constantly told that, no, you know, come karo, come karo.
12:29But I actually want to tell anybody who is an actor first,
12:32like I am an actor first, a good story is a good story.
12:35And for me, there was nothing more satisfying than being able to film eight hours of a character
12:42that I love so, so deeply.
12:44You know, the beauty of the OTT world is that it's so democratized
12:48that there is no female-led subject.
12:51It's a subject.
12:51And then there are narratives.
12:54And all of us become a part of it.
12:56If you're an actor that fits that narrative, you'll be given that opportunity.
13:01So for me, is it something that I would want to do again?
13:05I would want to keep doing it repeatedly because it just gives me an opportunity
13:10to play around with nuance.
13:12If there is a season two, it gives you an opportunity to better yourself.
13:16When do you get that?
13:17That never happens.
13:18You know, I have an entire, I can go study my work.
13:24I can go improve on it.
13:26So for anybody who loves performing, this is your playground.
13:33You know, you in fact touched upon it.
13:36And if you could talk about it in greater detail.
13:39Again, to be a quintessential heroine, and Bollywood has set those standards.
13:44You know, the heroine should look like this.
13:45She should be like this.
13:47You know, even the characters were very stereotyped in that sense.
13:51On OTT, it is all about the character.
13:54Exactly what you mentioned about Vartika Chaturvedi.
13:58Do you like the fact of, you know, a career ranging for so many years of seeing platforms changing?
14:05Films, TV, and now OTT.
14:09How good do you feel about it?
14:10I feel lucky because I was at that point of time where technically in cinema there is no place for women.
14:20I mean, after 25, 28, you're pretty inconsequential in cinema.
14:28And I'm talking about cinema that got made around the 80s.
14:30And I might sound terribly rude, but it's a fact.
14:34You know, if you look back in the 60s, 70s, there was cinema that celebrated women of any age.
14:40You talked about Aghar, you talked about Abhiman, you talked about Chandni, Chalbaz.
14:47All these women were celebrated for who they were, not just, you know, like Ghar or let's say Abhiman or Chukke Chukke or Parinita.
14:56These weren't particularly pertaining to the quintessential heroines as such, but they were celebrated.
15:03Then there came a patch where the only duty, not even responsibility, the only duty of a heroine was to look.
15:12She was there to beautify the screen.
15:16And sadly, I think producers or directors didn't understand that, you know, there can be beauty with metal.
15:23And then, of course, after a certain age, after you're married, after you have kids, you don't have any place in cinema.
15:32You can go home.
15:34And I dug my grave a little far too earlier because I decided to play mother at a very, very young age to somebody who was older than me.
15:41But because of OTD, I was 40, 42 when DC happened.
15:48And it gave me a completely new lease of life.
15:51Nobody, forget anybody else, if somebody had told me some years ago that, you know what, you're going to be playing the lead when you're going to hit 40s, I'd be like, yeah, sure.
16:02Of course.
16:03But it actually happened.
16:05So what I lost out probably earlier, I kind of gained when OTT happened.
16:13And I'm being very honest about it.
16:15I just wish it had happened earlier because I lost so much time.
16:19But, well, I'm so glad.
16:21I'm lucky that it happened.
16:23We are lucky because we get to watch you in all these wonderful roles.
16:27Absolutely.
16:28And she's making up for it with every role.
16:31She's amply making up for it.
16:33Oh, yes.
16:34Memorable.
16:35Oh, yes, absolutely.
16:36It stays with us.
16:37So, again, Tanya, you know, talking about Netflix, it started as a form of experimentation, moving on to focusing on consolidation now in a phase of growth.
16:47In terms of strategy, how is it changing when it comes to budgeting, when it comes to storytelling?
16:54Netflix India completes 10 years next year.
16:58And, you know, even when it comes to, say, acquiring shows like Kapil Sharma, CID, Crime Patrol, what's the idea behind such a strategy?
17:08Like I said, you know, we came into India and, you know, we're counting down to 10 years next year.
17:16And it's been an amazing journey.
17:18I think it's been, you know, sort of highlighted by such amazing talent, such amazing collaborators, such amazing titles, Sacred Games, Delhi Crime,
17:29Heera Mandi, Kapil Sharma, Mamla Legal Hai, you know, Darlings, Aap Jaisa Koi.
17:36I can go on.
17:38So, I think the one consistent sort of approach has been to keep our eye on the one thing which is the soul of our business, which is our audience.
17:48You know, how do we constantly stay relevant to our audience, have audiences love what we do, find their most loved subjects, their most loved creators, their most loved actors on Netflix.
18:02You know, I say very often that I think if everybody chose to make every night a Netflix night, we'd be delighted.
18:10And I think that's yielded well.
18:12I'm happy to report.
18:13I think what's also happened is that that's led to consistent growth.
18:18Touch wood and thank you to the audience.
18:21As you evolve, I think, and as you go deeper and deeper, there's no one India that we cater to.
18:27You know, we all know that India changes with every state and many times even within that.
18:32And with every change comes a different taste.
18:38With every change comes a different language.
18:41With every change comes a different expectation.
18:44So, we're never really catering to a type of an audience.
18:48We're catering to, you know, multitudes of taste, choices, moods.
18:54Tonight is comedy.
18:55Tomorrow can be drama.
18:57Day after can be thriller.
18:58So, there is that much for us to do.
19:01So, why bucket ourselves?
19:03Like, I don't think we're an exclusive service.
19:06In fact, I think we're a very, very inclusive service.
19:09And to include all of India into our audience, we have to try different things.
19:14So, there is, you know, where there is a Sacred Games, there is a Black Warrant.
19:17There is, you know, IC814, the Kandahar hijacking.
19:22Where there's Kapil Sharma, there's a Mamla Legal Hai.
19:25And there's so many more comedies like that.
19:27There's romance with Royals and mature romance with Aap Jaisa Koi.
19:31It's really about, you know, being able to bring the best to our audience.
19:37Make the experience every time they hit Netflix.
19:41Make them come on and find their favorite thing.
19:44Enjoy an experience on the phone individually or together with family.
19:49And for that, I think if we didn't try different things, it would be our loss entirely.
19:53As far as your question on budgets is concerned, I think, you know, ranging from, I don't know, Mamla Legal Hai to IC814 to Hira Mandi to Kapil Sharma.
20:07I don't think we hold back when we find a story that's worth telling.
20:10I think it's really about what does the story need.
20:14If Royals needs, you know, that we go and shoot at the city palace in Jaipur, we actually, our partners made that happen.
20:21You know, if for Delhi crime this season, we're actually going beyond Delhi, far and wide.
20:27I'm not giving spoilers.
20:28But it's a really interesting and a very, very compelling case that needed us to go across the country.
20:34So I don't think you can ever think budget first, though budgets and economics are very important.
20:41But I think it's really about, you know, what is the story?
20:44What is its complexity?
20:46What are its requirements?
20:47And how can we enable our partners, our writers, our storytellers, our creators to actually push themselves with every story that they tell?
20:57They actually top the expectation of the audience.
20:59That's our single-minded focus.
21:03Bhumi, again, it would be fair to say that now OTT platforms are no more a threat to theatrical.
21:08In fact, they're all a part of the entertainment ecosystem now.
21:12And most actors, you know, in fact, that line is quite blurred now.
21:16Mainstream, character, etc., etc., that is gone.
21:20It's really about shuffling between the two mediums, basis how riveting the story is.
21:27Is it the same for you?
21:29A hundred percent.
21:30If you just look at my last five films, for example, I've had films that I've released in the theatre.
21:36I've had a show that's come out.
21:37I had a beautiful film called Bhakshak.
21:39I cannot leave this platform without speaking of Bhakshak, which was again on Netflix.
21:43It was a film that I couldn't have imagined a film like Bhakshak reach as far as it did, had it not been on Netflix.
21:51I remember after, once the film released, and it did phenomenally well, I had messages from Latin America.
21:57I had messages from, like, countries that I couldn't ever imagine that my films would reach, because theatrically that doesn't happen.
22:06You know, so for me, I'm greedy.
22:08I want a larger audience.
22:10I want more people to watch the content that I do.
22:13So, for me, this is something that I'm going to be championing through and through.
22:18There's no way that I'm leaving the space that I've beautifully created in this world, because that would really be a disservice to my career trajectory and everything that I've done.
22:29I have had such a wonderful experience every time I've had a film that has come out on the service, and my audience just keeps getting larger.
22:36That's what you want.
22:37Look, I feel like with theatre, theatre will give you spectacle.
22:41It will give you just this extraordinary experience.
22:47But as an actor, stories that come out on OTT platforms, it gives you depth.
22:55It gives you intimacy.
22:56It gives you an opportunity to really have a very personal relationship with your audience, because there's a lot of feedback that you get.
23:06See, theatrically, a good film might not make numbers, right?
23:10Does that mean it's not a good film?
23:11No, it's a good film.
23:13But unfortunately, for whatever reasons, people did not show up at the theatres.
23:17But on any OTT service, a good film will always find an audience.
23:23A good show will always find an audience.
23:25So, there's no way I am leaving this space that I've created.
23:31Very true.
23:32Very true.
23:33Very well put.
23:33Shifali, again, one of the biggest talking points in the industry has been about pay parity between male actors and female actors.
23:41We are sitting at a women's summit.
23:43You think OTT somewhere is bridging that gap?
23:49Yes, no?
23:50Yes, no?
23:51You know, I'll tell you, honestly, I don't even know if it's pay parity between gender.
24:01I think it's between a star and an actor.
24:05So, you could do a film, you could play the lead, but if there is a star opposite you, you will never ever get paid that kind of money.
24:16But on OTT, that does kind of change.
24:20So, I don't really think it's about a man or a woman, per se.
24:23In films it is.
24:24It is.
24:26Really?
24:27But I think, really?
24:28So, a Salman, Shah, all films versus...
24:30I mean, I've had my fair share of experiences where, you know, it's not...
24:34I mean, see, obviously, when there is somebody who's a lot more experienced than you, working with you, this conversation is redundant.
24:40Yeah.
24:40Right?
24:40Like, it's just...
24:42Yeah.
24:42Obviously.
24:42But then, if you're working with somebody who has achieved, whose credibility is like yours, who's done similar work like you, yet there is a parity in the pay, which is...
24:54That's true.
24:54Yeah.
24:54And my experience with my first outing has been different.
24:59You know, we were paid for what?
25:01For the value that we add.
25:03Let's just put it that way.
25:04And it kind of felt good to be...
25:06Can I say it, Tanya?
25:07I'll add a very different nuance to this.
25:11And, you know, their experience is very, very different and very, very, like, one-on-one and personal.
25:17But I feel like what OTT can offer you is, honestly, the seasonality, the franchisability of one idea, which films, actually, it's a one-time experience.
25:29And it's a spectacle or maybe it's, you know, more intimate.
25:32But with a show well-delivered, can actually go on for seasons.
25:37And it can go on for years.
25:39And I think in that sense, just the incrementality of how popular you become and how much you gain from it in terms of both love as well as, you know, the fee.
25:48Both of those are, you know, ever-evolving.
25:51And that's another sort of aspect that I would urge actors to think about because it's not just about that OTT diminishes your scale or your value for films.
26:03It's, in fact, actually a much longer-running sort of engagement, a much longer-running business from the point of view of actors who can actually go on for eight, ten seasons.
26:15It's almost like an investment you're making as an actor, you know, because if your show does well, then there will be, like, you know, we did Delhi Crime 1.
26:25And honestly, I don't know about the others in my team or I don't know about Netflix.
26:30I had no clue this was what was going to come out of it.
26:34Did not expect the show to become so, I mean, the show and the character to become larger than life.
26:42But it just kind of shot through the roof.
26:47And I didn't even know if anybody was going to watch it.
26:51I didn't even, we didn't know where it was going to release when we created the show.
26:54And to think of, I don't think, I don't even know if the producers or the director ever thought of, okay, what will we do in season 2?
27:01It was never there.
27:02It was just like, okay, we've made this show.
27:05We are screening at the Sundance.
27:07And before I know it, Netflix has picked it up.
27:09And it's come out.
27:11And it's just, so it was an investment.
27:14Unknowingly.
27:15You know, when I was doing season 2, and of course we had the pressure of matching up to one.
27:20I remember someone telling me this, which made so much sense.
27:26The person said, for season 1, people came in to watch for the case.
27:29Season 2, they're going to come in to watch for you guys.
27:32Because everyone's personally invested now in the characters you've created.
27:37And that is a kind of investment that we as actors make.
27:41And very proudly carry back.
27:43And I think that's what we gain.
27:47That, you know, people invest in us.
27:49They go back to knowing, okay, what is Sophia doing?
27:52Or what is Vartika going to do?
27:54Or, you know.
27:57Bhubi, you know, we know how the trolls are, how the naysayers are,
28:02what they do in the age of internet and digital platforms.
28:06There is talk about how one should look, Botox, lip fillers, etc, etc.
28:13You very recently made a statement saying that it is all about personal choice.
28:17And you've reminded every girl that.
28:20Two things I want to understand.
28:22A, when you are in your own space, how do you react to the so-called negative comments?
28:26B, what is your message to every girl watching you today
28:29to say that it is your personal choice to how you want to look
28:33and what you want to do for yourself?
28:34See, to begin with, I chose a life in the public eye.
28:38So there will be opinion of every kind.
28:40Good, bad, ugly.
28:41I have received insane amounts of love over the last 10 years.
28:45And at the same time, I've been trolled enough.
28:48So if you ask any actor today, we all are very thick-skinned.
28:52You know, to begin with.
28:53But by the end of it, we are also human.
28:57So how do you protect the human side of yourself?
29:00I think the idea is by deciding that you're not going to get bullied.
29:03It is my choice.
29:05I've always made choices for myself.
29:08I've led a very unconventional path.
29:10Right from my first film, you know, until then, even when,
29:14I remember right after Damna Gaa Ke Hyesha,
29:16I had a film called Toilet Ik Prem Katha that I'd released.
29:18And people were like,
29:19kaisi dikhti hai, isko kisne heroine bana diya.
29:21The film went and made 150 crores.
29:24You know, even today, after Royals,
29:26people have an opinion about how I should do.
29:28Because people love boxing women.
29:30So to any young girl, don't let anybody box you.
29:34Because that's the easiest thing to do.
29:35Even after Royals, you know, where people had an opinion,
29:40it is one of my most watched pieces of content.
29:43So honestly, I am here celebrating every aspect of it.
29:48You know, I was bullied in school and I give this story out
29:51every time I get a platform.
29:53Because if there's any girl that can connect with me,
29:56I really hope my story gives you some kind of comfort.
29:58I was bullied in school for the way I looked.
30:02Then I went and I did a beautiful film called
30:03Dhamla Ka Ke Hyesha that broke every kind of beauty standard.
30:09And every time I'm pulled back,
30:13it gives me insane amounts of fire.
30:16Because I'm like, hey, I'm going to prove you wrong.
30:19And the next decade is going to be about exactly that.
30:22I'm going to keep questioning the status quo.
30:25I'm not going to let anybody box me.
30:27So to all, everyone in this room also,
30:31Logo ka kaam hai kehna ho to kehte rehenge.
30:33Aapke jo dreams hai, aapka jo ambition hai,
30:35aap jo khud se chahte ho,
30:37wo sirf aap jaante ho,
30:38aapki jo nahi, meri mahnat hai.
30:40Nobody is putting bread on my table but I.
30:43So this is all that keeps me going.
30:48This, where we are talking about Begums of Binge,
30:51how streaming is empowering women.
30:53And the wonderful part about OTT is that
30:56it is a platform where we tell bolder stories,
30:59progressive storylines.
31:01The woman in the story is flawed,
31:06makes mistakes,
31:08is bold,
31:09doesn't think twice before giving it back.
31:14How do you think women are truly getting empowered,
31:17especially in the smaller pockets of India,
31:19while consuming OTT content in comparison to what satellite TV served?
31:25And again, if any one of you want to comment,
31:28because I've been hearing a lot of speakers since this morning,
31:31and you know, somewhere,
31:32if it is a speaker who's also a mother in her personal life,
31:36who's also a wife in her personal life,
31:38it's amazing to hear some of them who are so empowered,
31:42who are in that position,
31:43have power,
31:44everything,
31:45but you know,
31:46that vulnerable side comes out.
31:48So how do you balance the two?
31:50But you know,
31:50as Shepali ma'am said,
31:52vulnerability is a superpower.
31:53So it should keep coming out.
31:57The fact that I am capable of being on a stage,
32:00and maybe even tearing up,
32:02is not something that makes me weak,
32:04it actually makes me very,
32:05very strong,
32:06because I am not ashamed of owning up to what I'm feeling at that moment.
32:10Sorry,
32:11I've just taken the question,
32:12because I just feel like,
32:16women are always,
32:18we are so whitewashed, right?
32:20That we can't do any mistakes,
32:22why can't we be messy?
32:25Why can't we be greedy?
32:27Why can't I be jealous of somebody else?
32:30These are not,
32:31why can't I be ambitious?
32:33Why can't I have drive?
32:34These are not bad things.
32:35These are great things.
32:35And in other words,
32:36why can't we just be human?
32:38Absolutely.
32:39You know,
32:39exactly what you're saying,
32:40that's just traits of being human.
32:43I actually feel that every cliche that has been,
32:46you know,
32:47sort of held against us that,
32:48oh,
32:49women multitask,
32:50I feel like that's a superpower.
32:51I feel like that allows my characters in our shows
32:54to have the ability to think at multiple levels.
32:58And that's what we can depict.
33:00So I feel like female characters actually,
33:02therefore,
33:03lend beautifully to a long format like series,
33:06because you have a personal life,
33:08you have a career,
33:10you have an emotional side,
33:11you have certain desires,
33:13and you're not like unidimensional.
33:16You can't be just presented in one line,
33:18saying, you know,
33:19a strong character.
33:20It's not that.
33:21I feel like when you say that women are emotional,
33:24you actually get to feel the character.
33:27And actually,
33:28what the long format does is,
33:30takes you closer into the lives of your characters,
33:32because whether or not many times,
33:34you remember the name of the show,
33:35you remember the character.
33:36You always come back to say,
33:38I want to see Adam sir,
33:39Sophia,
33:40you know,
33:42whoever else that you want to watch,
33:44you will come back for them.
33:46And I think,
33:47actually,
33:48whether it's vulnerability,
33:49or whether it's the ability to just,
33:52you know,
33:52be in different,
33:54live life through different people's experiences.
33:57You can be yourself,
33:59then you will be your daughter,
34:00and just in the next moment,
34:02you will be your mother.
34:04And that requires a lot of emotional levity,
34:07I think.
34:08You know,
34:08for you to take that leap from being,
34:11what is a role of a daughter,
34:13and the role of a guide or a mentor.
34:15And I think that just beautifully lends to the complexity,
34:18and dimensions of a human being.
34:21And if we don't bring those to life,
34:23in content,
34:24and really commemorate them,
34:26then what's the point?
34:27And that's,
34:28I think,
34:29the difference between just,
34:31you know,
34:31the genders,
34:33how they're depicted,
34:34and the complexity,
34:36and the beauty of,
34:37you know,
34:38women.
34:38I also just want to add,
34:40this is not specifically to the question that you asked,
34:43but this was to one of your earlier questions,
34:45where you spoke about being stereotyped.
34:47I think you'd address that question to Shifali,
34:50ma'am.
34:50You know,
34:51because I'd only run certain kind of movies,
34:54I was also boxed,
34:55right?
34:55That,
34:55no,
34:56if there is a small town film with,
34:59like,
35:00messaging,
35:01et cetera,
35:02I'm the face of it,
35:03and I love it.
35:04I thrive in that space.
35:05There's no,
35:06I love it.
35:07But I feel like,
35:08had it not been for a Netflix,
35:11with a show like Royals,
35:12like,
35:12I really,
35:13it's incredible that they even thought of me to do a part like this.
35:17That's what really breaking stereotypes is all about,
35:19right?
35:20Giving people opportunities,
35:22you know,
35:22giving them a field to explore and play with what they have.
35:28Otherwise,
35:28I am still going to do that other kind of work.
35:31And I think that's just not for me.
35:32That's for every actor,
35:34male,
35:35female,
35:35or whatever gender that you relate to.
35:38Right.
35:38So,
35:39I'm really short on time.
35:40It has been wonderful talking to you all.
35:42Quickly closing remarks,
35:44if I could do that,
35:4530,
35:4530 seconds each.
35:47For Shifali and Bhoomi,
35:50as actors,
35:51what is the one character that you're itching to do?
35:54And Tanya,
35:55why does it take so long for any show on Netflix to come out with a season two?
36:01So quickly,
36:02we're both looking at her.
36:05Yes.
36:07Like I said,
36:08I walked into this,
36:09but I'm very happy to say the Delhi crime is coming soon.
36:13We've been hearing that since January.
36:15Yes.
36:16And the year is not up.
36:18No,
36:18but I think all good things take time.
36:21And I know that's a very standard answer,
36:23but it's true.
36:25As much as we'd love for it to just come out the next month,
36:29and I'd love it more than anybody else.
36:30I promise you.
36:32It takes time to write these complex characters that we talked about.
36:36It takes time to actually raise the bar on yourself.
36:39And we really,
36:40really push and support all our partners to do that.
36:45So that when you tune into the next season,
36:47you're not disappointed.
36:49So good things take time and,
36:50you know,
36:51bear with us.
36:54And the one character that you're looking to do something,
36:57Tanya?
36:57I'm very greedy.
36:58I want to do everything.
37:00Okay.
37:00Everything.
37:01I want to do everything.
37:02I can't pick.
37:03Yeah.
37:04I don't want to pick only.
37:05Whatever.
37:05Any great characters,
37:06please bring it on.
37:07But they're such good actors.
37:09Why should they?
37:10Look at,
37:10look at Shefali in,
37:12you know,
37:12Jalsa,
37:13and then look at her in Darlings.
37:15Two films,
37:16and then there's Madam Sir,
37:18and Bhoomi in Bhakshak,
37:19Bhoomi in Royals,
37:20Bhoomi in the next thing,
37:21which is unfortunately not on our platform,
37:23but yeah.
37:24The one after that is with you.
37:26I want to thank you all so much for this wonderful conversation.
37:32I hope all of you have enjoyed it as much as we did.
37:36Thank you so much.
37:36Thank you so much.
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