Why are women-centric films thought to be ‘offbeat’? Why does having a female director/technician/producer always become an extra-talking point? Women directors and producers have been in existence since 1930s, but what about the status quo still makes it so novel? Netflix has become an interesting player in this space, in looking to level the gender field. More than 50 percent of its Indian original films have had female protagonists (Choked: Paisa Bolta Hai, Bulbbul, Guilty, Chopsticks, Soni, Lust Stories, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl), and have been backed by several women filmmakers and technicians, debutantes and seasoned. What about the digital space makes it conducive for women?
The Netflix story
The director of Netflix’s International Original Film department, Srishti Behl Arya, talks to us about building the Indian slate for the streaming giant
Authenticity and Diversity. These two words often pop up in conversation with Srishti Behl Arya, the mind behind Netflix’s original slate in India. “We look for passionate creators. If we are enjoying what we make, we hope our audiences will enjoy them too,” says Shristi. “Storytelling barriers are being broken every day. People don’t want to get stuck with one kind of content.”
Masaba Masaba Review: Not the ‘hot mess’ it wants to be
When I heard a show about Masaba Gupta was coming up on Netflix, I was immediately intrigued. I find Masaba’s prints fascinating and her palette vibrant; her aesthetics fuse the modern with the traditional. Not to mention, she is the daughter of Neena Gupta, who is a rockstar in her own right. So, I was interested in the premise of this partly-fictionalised series based on the lives of these two unconventional achievers. But Masaba Masaba isn’t quite the heady mix of fashion and drama you would expect.
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