The National Commission for Women in collaboration with Netflix hosted special discussions yesterday on the role of media and entertainment in empowering women, ahead of International Women’s Day.

The two panel discussions brought together some of the most distinguished personalities from the industry, academia, NGOs, women actors and directors who shared their perspective on the role of storytelling in shaping the narrative of women empowerment.

Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women said, “Cinema can be a massive change-agent, but their full potential cannot be realised until we accept and elevate the voices and stories of women. Women’s involvement in all facets of the film industry, including writing, directing, producing, and acting, not only inspires and encourages women everywhere but also ushers in a future that is more fair and inclusive for everyone. Through this NCW-Netflix collaboration, we aim to highlight the amazing abilities of women in film so that future generations will be able to hear their voices, learn about their experiences, and be inspired by what they have accomplished.”

Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India spoke  on the role of storytelling in driving female forward narratives.

The day-long event started with a panel discussion on the role of media and entertainment in women empowerment. The panel had celebrated actor and producer Huma Qureshi, Himanshu Rai- Director IIM Indore, Veerendra Mishra - IPS AIG MP Police, Nayana Sahasrabuddhe - President, Bhartiya Stree Shakti, Priyanka Kher - Breakthrough India and Uday Singh - Head Motion Pictures Association.

The second-panel discussion titled ‘Her Story, Her Voice: A Conversation with Women in Media & Entertainment’ provided insights on championing female representation in the entertainment industry. The panel featured women actors and directors who are known for their stellar work in depiction of strong, progressive and resilient women through their stories.

On the panel were Rasika Dugal (Indian Actress known for her role in Delhi Crime), Jasmeet K. Reen (Director, Darlings), Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul (Director of Thappad), Prajakta Koli (Indian Youtuber & Actress, known for her role in Netflix series Mismatched). Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India represented the streaming service on the panel. The session was moderated by film critic Sucharita Tyagi.

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SS/AKS