New Delhi, Sep 20 (PTI) In an industry that often pits women against each other, actor Ananya Panday says she has fostered a healthy and supportive relationship with her friends and contemporaries Sara Ali Khan and Jahnvi Kapoor.
Speaking at Prime Video’s Maitri: Female First Collective, the “Call Me Bae” star said she wants to show people that female friendships can work by being very public in supporting each other’s works.
“They keep pitting women against each other, actresses against actresses, but with Sara and Jahnavi… It’s not a very conscious attempt, we constantly try to be there for each other and support each other very publicly, so that we are showing people this is how female friendships are supposed to be like, don’t believe any other way,” the 25-year-old actor said.
Panday, also known for her starring in movies such as “Gehraiyaan”, “Dream Girl 2” and “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan”, said she has also become a lot more vocal “about what I stand for”.
“What keeps me going is seeing change; knowing that speaking up or even through cinema you can actually make an impact. Even if one young girl comes up to me and says I am myself because you are yourself and I feel comfortable in my skin, for me that’s where I have done my job. I think seeing change is a huge reason why I keep going,” she added.
In the latest session of Maitri: Female First Collective, Panday was joined by Smriti Kiran, creator and curator at Maitri, actor Kritika Kamra, screenwriter Ishita Moitra, filmmaker Tanuja Chandra, editor Namrata Rao, and journalist Faye D’Souza.
Kamra, 35, said the onus to put an end to sexism is on men and they need to make sincere efforts towards that.
“I think it’s up to men to call out sexism, objectification, and vulgar jokes in their male-only spaces— boys’ locker room talk, casual banter when it’s just the guys hanging out, or even how they perceive women on-screen and off.
“There’s a fine line between a compliment and objectification, and if men can call out their friends without hesitation, it would make a real difference,” said the actor, who is known for starring in shows such as “Tandav”, “Bambai Meri Jaan” and “Gyaarah Gyaarah”.
Launched in 2022, Maitri: Female First Collective is an initiative by Prime Video that aims to create a safe space for women in Indian media and entertainment, bringing them together to discuss their experiences, challenges and successes, and offer their perspective on bringing about a positive shift. PTI RB BK BK
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