Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, one of Bollywood’s most iconic and beloved actresses, has always portrayed powerful, independent women in her films. With a career spanning over two decades, Aishwarya has appeared in several memorable roles that highlight the strength, resilience, and determination of women.
Whether in films like Taal, Chokher Bali, Jodhaa Akbar, or more recently Ponniyin Selvan, Aishwarya’s characters have consistently represented female empowerment. In a recent exclusive interview with Zoom, the actress shared her thoughts on the future of female-driven cinema in Bollywood and the need for more opportunities and representation for women in every aspect of filmmaking.
When asked about her views on the future of female-driven cinema in Bollywood, Aishwarya candidly acknowledged the uncertainties surrounding any future trends.
She stated, “What is the future of? I think that when any question starts with that, there’s already a question of wonderment. I think everybody will just always wonder aloud, irrespective, because obviously none of us can see the future. None of us know what’s to unfold. There’s always hope. I think every day there’s always persistence. There’s always the opportunity to work towards. There’s always the opportunity to work harder and continue keeping the efforts on, to open more and more doors, to open more and more avenues to opportunities for all the talents there.”
Aishwarya’s thoughtful response highlighted the constant effort required to bring about meaningful change. She spoke about the need for more representation for women in various areas of cinema, not just on-screen.
“And yes, especially for women in cinema. From the perspective of an actor, but whether it be for writers, for directors, for producers, for the talents, whether it be DOPs, music, editing, all the aspects of creativity, sound, choreography, the makeup, hair, the costumes, every aspect of cinema, I think there needs to be more and more opportunities. There needs to be more and more voices being heard.”
In the Bollywood industry, women have often faced challenges in securing strong, independent roles or being recognized for their contributions behind the camera. Aishwarya’s words reflect her desire for a future where gender is no longer a factor in the opportunities available within the industry.
She emphasized the importance of increasing opportunities for women across all areas of film production, from directors and writers to costume designers and sound engineers.
“There needs to be less and less reason for this question to be asked. I feel that very strongly because when the time comes where we will not have the opportunity to ask questions – where we have to ask from the perspective of gender. I think that will be the day we know that it’s kind of… there is some kind of even key, and there is some kind of fairground because if these questions are being asked, it means there is still a reason for people to feel… people as in the challenge to feel that there is still a different creation. So, I certainly look forward to the day, where questions will not be asked from the perspective of gender. And that will be true victory, that will be true fairground, that will be true even field, and even ground,” Aishwarya added.
The actress passionately expressed her hope for a time when discussions about gender equality in cinema will no longer be necessary, a time when both men and women will have equal footing in the industry.
She believes that this kind of parity will allow filmmakers to focus on new creative possibilities and explore cinema in fresh, innovative ways. “Then we all together are talking about, ‘Where can cinema go?’ ‘What can we together do to improve, to scale, to discover, to explore, to be able to find new aspects or new ways to explore our creativity together?’ And that’s what it really should be, is what I strongly believe.”
When asked whether there is still a long way to go for female-driven cinema to gain full recognition, Aishwarya offered an optimistic perspective.
“Currently, yes, it does become subjective and relative. But, hopefully, not a long way to go. I think every day is an opportunity for people to walk the talk. I think when we walk the talk, if everybody collectively and with conviction does that… and that takes strength and conviction and very strong belief, then hopefully [we] shouldn’t be looking at it ever as a long way to go.”
In her final remarks, Aishwarya underscored the importance of collective action and conviction in making lasting changes in the industry. She hopes that every day will be seen as an opportunity to move forward and embrace equality, creating a cinema landscape where gender is no longer a barrier to opportunity and success.
