Time has come to invest in women writers, says producer Anand Pandit

Women bring a unique perspective to the table and I am committed to bringing more diversity and inclusivity into my cinema because when women’s voices are heard and represented in the creative process, it leads to richer and more impactful storytelling, said Anand Pandit

Hyderabad: On International Women’s Day, producer Anand Pandit discusses the achievements of women pioneers and the importance of inclusivity in cinema.

The first Indian to win an Oscar was Bhanu Athaiya for ‘Gandhi’ in 1983 at the 55th Annual Academy Awards. To that, Anand Pandit said, “When we celebrate the many triumphs of our cinema at international platforms today, we must never forget to acknowledge trailblazers like her. Or forget that women have played an invaluable role in bringing Indian cinema to its current position of prominence.”

He mentions Indian cinema’s First Lady Devika Rani, who was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and successfully headed Bombay Talkies after the passing of her husband Himanshu. She not only produced superhits like ‘Kismet’ and ‘Basant’ but also discovered an asset to the industry – Dilip Kumar.

“It is also quite normative to overlook women’s achievements behind the camera but things are changing. We now see so many women helming cinematography, wielding the megaphone, handling production, editing, continuity, and a lot more. We have so many exceptional women writers today and we must invest more in them and also in cinema that challenges male-centric filmmaking,” says Pandit.

He adds, “Women bring a unique perspective to the table and I am committed to bringing more diversity and inclusivity into my cinema because when women’s voices are heard and represented in the creative process, it leads to richer and more impactful storytelling.”