Feb 25, 2026 10:00am IST
‘Anything Below 50% Is Not Acceptable’: Konkona Sen Sharma On India’s Stark Gender Gap Behind The Camera (EXCLUSIVE)
As International Women's Day approaches in March, the world gears up with marketing campaigns and brand promotions in full swing. However, the statistics tell a different story. Last year, as revealed by Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor, out of the 2,500 films produced in India, only 3% were directed by women. Variety India spoke to Konkona Sen Sharma, Anubhuti Kashyap, and Pratibha Ranta about the issue ahead of the release of their Netflix film “Accused”.
The conversation around the film directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, naturally led to a discussion on women directors and whether the ecosystem is enabling them to thrive. Kashyap cautioned against dismissing the system entirely, suggesting that present-day barriers may not always be explicitly gender-based.
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“I think we are on the right track. In my personal experience, I haven’t seen instances where people weren’t chosen because of their gender — at least not to my knowledge,” she said. “It also has to do with how our country and system have functioned. Patriarchy has been strong for a long time. Women have started entering these professions and spaces much later, and they didn’t receive opportunities earlier.”
She added, “The numbers are just beginning to grow stronger, and I hope it happens very soon. But I don’t think, at present, it’s because someone is consciously choosing not to pick women.”
Konkona Sen Sharma, however, described the situation as deeply troubling and in urgent need of change. “It’s a sad reality. The numbers are very, very small — 3% is abysmal. It should be at least 50%. Anything below that is not acceptable,” she said. “Is it better than before? Probably. But that shouldn’t be the benchmark. We must focus on where we need to go. Often, decisions are driven by economics rather than the goal of building a more equitable society and that gets in the way.”
Pratibha Ranta reflected on how geography and visibility shaped her own aspirations. “When I was younger, I saw very little female representation. I’m from Shimla, so Mumbai felt very far away. I used to wonder how I would even get there. But now I see so many of my friends stepping out and choosing these professions.”
Konkona concluded on a note of cautious hope: “At the end of the day, it’s about representation. We need more women stepping forward and choosing these careers. Let’s hope the next reports are much brighter — much, much brighter.”
(Statistics inputs from O Womaniya! report)
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