Now, 50 percent of work force on sets is female, notes Amitabh
Mumbai
Tuesday, 2017
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Tuesday said that one of the biggest
changes in Indian film industry is the equal presence of women on sets in every
department including production.
At the launch of book 'Once Upon A Time In India - A Century
Of Indian Cinema', written by film critic-cum-author Bhawana Somaaya, Amitabh,
asked by her about the changes that he observed in film industry, quipped: 'During
my time, there would be two women on set, the heroine and her mother.'
The situation has now changed, he noted.
'But now, 50 percent of the work force on a film set is female.
I think that is a huge change. When young girls handle the film set whether
it is production, camera, continuity department etc. you are just free as an
artist to focus on your performance. Earlier, we used to handle our continuity.
I like the fact how women are involved in the process of filmmaking. I hope
more to come as director, writer and more that we have got in last few years.'
During the interactive session with Somaaya, Amitabh also shared
his childhood memories of watching films back in Allahabad and how it has changed
over decades. 'I was so excited to enter the first ever air-conditioned theatre
in our Allahabad city!' he recalled.
Actresses like Mita Vashisht, Pooja Bedi, and Divya Dutta among
others were also present at the launch event at The Club.
As the book intended to capture the history of 100 years of
Indian cinema, Somaaya said it was very difficult to find a publisher for her
book 'as everyone was interested in new trend ad controversies and anecdotes
where I documented the history and milestones of Indian cinema'.
'However, I am thankful to Penguin Books India Pvt Limited
who respected my manuscript and packaged the book in a contemporary manner to
address the new generation,' she added.
The 232-page book is filled with history, illustrations, posters,
and dialogues of various phases of Indian cinema.
Mumbai
Tuesday, 2017
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Tuesday said that one of the biggest
changes in Indian film industry is the equal presence of women on sets in every
department including production.
At the launch of book 'Once Upon A Time In India - A Century
Of Indian Cinema', written by film critic-cum-author Bhawana Somaaya, Amitabh,
asked by her about the changes that he observed in film industry, quipped: 'During
my time, there would be two women on set, the heroine and her mother.'
The situation has now changed, he noted.
'But now, 50 percent of the work force on a film set is female.
I think that is a huge change. When young girls handle the film set whether
it is production, camera, continuity department etc. you are just free as an
artist to focus on your performance. Earlier, we used to handle our continuity.
I like the fact how women are involved in the process of filmmaking. I hope
more to come as director, writer and more that we have got in last few years.'
During the interactive session with Somaaya, Amitabh also shared
his childhood memories of watching films back in Allahabad and how it has changed
over decades. 'I was so excited to enter the first ever air-conditioned theatre
in our Allahabad city!' he recalled.
Actresses like Mita Vashisht, Pooja Bedi, and Divya Dutta among
others were also present at the launch event at The Club.
As the book intended to capture the history of 100 years of
Indian cinema, Somaaya said it was very difficult to find a publisher for her
book 'as everyone was interested in new trend ad controversies and anecdotes
where I documented the history and milestones of Indian cinema'.
'However, I am thankful to Penguin Books India Pvt Limited
who respected my manuscript and packaged the book in a contemporary manner to
address the new generation,' she added.
The 232-page book is filled with history, illustrations, posters,
and dialogues of various phases of Indian cinema.
Tags: Amitabh BachchanDivya DuttaPooja Hegde