Gouri Kishan Opens Up About Gender Bias and Discrimination in Cinema
Actor Gouri Kishan spoke about patriarchy, discrimination and women’s lack of agency in the film industry at the India Today Roundtable Keralam.
Actor Gouri Kishan spoke about patriarchy, misogyny and women’s agency in the film industry at the India Today Roundtable Keralam. She said that despite Kerala’s reputation as a progressive state, patriarchal attitudes continue to influence professional spaces and are passed between generations.
Gouri said she has personally experienced discrimination and questioned whether women are given a genuine voice in meetings and other industry settings. According to her, women can sometimes be dismissed or treated as though their participation is being permitted rather than recognised as an equal contribution.
She also highlighted the limited presence of women behind the camera. Recalling an experience involving an assistant camerawoman, Gouri said the technician faced criticism for being “arrogant” while performing her responsibilities. She argued that women working in technical roles can face additional challenges, including sexualised attitudes in professional environments.
The actor called for both men and women to challenge these biases, saying gender equality should not be treated as a conflict between the two. She also questioned restrictive portrayals of women on screen, arguing that female characters should be allowed to have flaws rather than constantly being expected to appear perfect.
Gouri said meaningful change would require greater representation, equal opportunities and more women participating in decision-making and creative roles across the film industry.
