Mumbai Mar 25 PTI Bollywood star Taapsee Pannu on Friday said she hopes the impressive commercial run of her colleague Alia Bhatts movie Gangubai Kathiawadi leads to more screens being allocated to movies fronted by womenReleased on February 25 in theatres the crime drama directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali reportedly earned Rs 123 crore at the box officeSpeaking about the commercial success of Gangubai Kathiawadi at ABP Networks Ideas of India Summit Pannu said she is happy to see how the scenario is changing slowlyI was so glad that it happened BO success of Gangubai Kathiawadi It opens doors for ten other female-driven films So I heartily celebrate the fact that it happened But I really hope in the future the number of screens that the film got which is 3000 screens that happens too Pannu said3000 screens which is at par with any hero film should be given to a female protagonist as well and then you see why would it not collect numbers like the heros movie So lets make it a level playing field she addedCiting the example of her 2019 mystery-thriller film Badla which released in 900 screens and earned Rs 90 crore said there have been times when her films were given fewer screens as a heros film was releasing at the same timeIve got a lesser number of screens so I have to prove my films worth in the weekdays to overtake the other film she said without divulging the name of the filmPannu also pointed out the growing acceptance towards films with female protagonistsEight to ten years ago when I started I would have never imagined that I will be doing protagonist roles even now Pannu recalled I have heard that the season of a heroine doesnt last more than six years or so post that one has to change to supporting roles or decide to walk out I can do more and people want more to be seen be it due to OTT or word of mouth People are ready to watch films but they still wait for word of mouth to happen for female driven films she saidAsked about Vivek Agnihotris movie The Kashmir Files doing well at the box office despite some controversy over its contents Pannu said I see the numbers Whatever might be the reason however it happened the fact is that it happened The Kashmir Files about the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the 90s has received polarised reviews from critics with calling it a propaganda movie If a small film like that can create those kinds of numbers then it cant be a bad film you can question the intention of people the means and all of that Thats subjective You have a right to have an opinion Lets agree to disagree Lets settle at that Pannu saidOn being asked about the constant pressure of being perfect in the show business Pannu admitted the demands of the profession can be exacting It sometimes goes beyond the talent you have It is a very hard position to be in being judged and discussed on everybodys dining table to live up to the requirement of being good in every household and because thats going to decide how long your career is going to go she saidIts one of the most mentally taxing professions to be in because my success and failure lies in the hands of other people Im not allowed to have bad days Im allowed to always be happy and be receptive to whatever is happening around she added The actor said she has learned to accept it as the price one must pay to be in the profession because she enjoys being in front of the cameraYou dont get the best of everything This is the negative that comes with it that I swallow and it is not really good in taste There is no solution You have to get through it she added PTI KKP BK BK

Mumbai Feb 28 PTI Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansalis latest directorial venture Gangubai Kathiawadi starring Alia Bhatt has earned Rs 3912 crore over the weekend the makers said on MondayThe film which released on Friday minted Rs 105 crore on day one followed by Rs 1332 crore on SaturdayOn Sunday the film witnessed a jump as it clocked Rs 153 crore collections shared by Bhansali Productions on Twitter readMany in the trade have dubbed the films performance at the box office as impressive since it has managed to bring in the numbers despite 50 percent occupancy cap in Maharashtra a key state for Hindi filmsThe film based on a chapter from writer S Hussain Zaidis book Mafia Queens of Mumbai features Bhatt as Gangubai one of the most powerful loved and respected madams from Kamathipura during the 1960sAlso starring Ajay Devgn Vijay Raaz Seema Pahwa and Shantanu Maheshwari Gangubai Kathiawadi is co-produced by Bhansali Productions and Jayantilal Gadas Pen India Limited PTI JUR SHD SHD

New Delhi Sep 26 PTI The bride pretty radiant and in red sits in front of the sacred fire her family the groom and his parents around the love flowing like a balmy breeze And in that arguably most precious moment she looks into the camera and asks -- why must a woman be commodified through the custom of kanyadaan literally donating a girl The ad for a lehnga brand featuring Bollywood star Alia Bhatt as the much indulged daughter and granddaughter has fired debate on social media platforms and elsewhere on the age-old tradition of giving away the daughterMany term it Hindu phobic for casting aspersions on a ritual that is part of the warp and weft of society others appreciate it for calling out the patriarchy that underscores the custom and there are those that feel it should have gone even further in its rejectionThere is a growing number of young women who are beginning to think about the issue especially as an increasing number joins the work force has access to ideas via social media etc that are critical of women as property concept This ad reflects that sociologist Sanjay Srivastava told PTIIn the 141 minute ad Bhatt the self assured woman of today who also does a selfie pout with her father while at the mandap recalls her lifetime of othering in a monologue -- her fond grandmother saying she would one day go to her own home her father not reacting when people called her paraya dhan alien property and her mother calling her a chidiya which would fly away one dayThe Manyawar ad ends with the groomss parent also joining in in the ritual though it is unclear whether they too are giving away their son and Bhatts bride saying it should be kanyamaan respect for the girl child not kanyadaan and asking Am I a thing to be given away Her angst finds wide echo Actor Dia Mirza who decided to do away with the rituals of both bidaai and kanyadaan when she got married to businessman Vaibhav Rekhi said they wanted the wedding to reflect their beliefs and not outmoded ideas Neither of us believes that women are commodities to be given away or donated Women have agency selfhood and can make decisions about their lives on their own so my wedding reflected exactly that by not including a ritual like kanyadaan the actor told PTIShe even engaged a woman priest for her wedding to emphasise gender equalityIt is time for young couples to define how they want to get married and if their ceremony is truly representative of their personalities and love for each other said the actor who is also the United Nations National Goodwill Ambassador from IndiaThe ritual of giving away the bride is of course not just about Hindu weddings It is also a vital part of a Christian wedding service where the father walks down the aisle with his daughter and hands her over to the waiting groomBrought up on tradition and a diet of popular culture including movies both Indian and western many women have now begun to question the patriarchal traditions of wedding ceremonies across societiesMumbai-based IT analyst Meghna Trivedi who got married in February last year said the ritual of kanyadaan does not make sense in todays day and age but had to undergo the ritual anywayTrivedi a Gujarati who married a Punjabi said she asked the priest to find another way but he maintained kanyadaan is a mustWhat you mean by kanyadaan is that youre giving away your daughter to somebody else and that is something you have to do in your life and its related to your duties as a parent that now your daughter belongs to another family she told PTIBut Im still my parents daughter after I got married Kanyadaan is like youre giving me away and you have nothing to do with me anymore Youre severing ties like Im some object basically that youre giving away My parents did understand it but the issue was this is how it is has been and will be Actor Kangana Ranaut was among those who disagreedCriticising the ad in an Instagram post she said Humble request to all brands dont use religion minority majority politics to sell things Stop manipulating naive consumer with shrewd divisive concepts and advertising Please stop mocking Hindus and their rituals A Twitter user echoed similar sentimentsOur traditions are not regressive your mindsets surely are Kanyadaan is a sacred tradition where a fatherparent parts with their most precious and cherished daughter a bittersweet emotional moment filled with hopes promises and dreams the user wroteWomens rights activist Shabnam Hashmi said the attacks on the ad reflect the highly patriarchal mindsets of our societyIt is a very progressive advertisement and raises important questions of womens dignity and equality Hashmi told PTISociologist Shrivastava added that people reacted negatively because there is an increasing intolerance against anything that is seen to question Indian traditionsThe reaction he said also reflects a male anxiety about the changes that are happening in addition to the current climate where it has become difficult to question anything IndianHinduThere were also those who felt the ad didnt go far enoughThe idea should not be to perpetuate the custom but to break away from it said a young woman who welcomed the ad and the questioning of traditions but would have preferred that it didnt end with the parents of both sides taking part in itA radical break would have been more effective in sending out the message she saidHowever a debate reflects a churn And in that sense any discussion is welcome even if it has unlikely beginnings in an ad for a bridal lehenga PTI JUR RDS MG BK MIN MIN MIN

New Delhi Sep 25 PTI The bride pretty radiant and in red sits in front of the sacred fire her family the groom and his parents around her the love flowing like a balmy breeze And in that arguably most precious moment she looks into the camera and asks -- why must a woman be commodified through the custom of kanyadaan literally donating a daughterThe ad for a lehenga brand featuring Bollywood star Alia Bhatt as the much indulged daughter and granddaughter has fired debate on social media platforms and elsewhere on the age-old tradition of giving away the daughterMany term it Hindu phobic for casting aspersions on a ritual that is part of the warp and weft of society others appreciate it for calling out the patriarchy that underscores the custom and there are those that feel it should have gone even further in its rejectionThere is a growing number of young women who are beginning to think about the issue especially as increasing number joins the work force has access to ideas via social media etc that are critical of women as property concept This ad reflects that sociologist Sanjay Srivastava told PTIIn the 141 minute ad Bhatt the self assured woman of today who also does a selfie pout with her father while at the mandap recalls her lifetime of othering in a monologue -- her fond grandmother saying she would one day go to her own home her father not reacting when people called her paraya dhan alien property and her mother calling her a chidiya which would fly away one dayThe Manyawar ad ends with the groomss parent also joining in in the ritual though it is unclear whether they too are giving away their son and Bhatts bride saying it should be kanyamaan respect for the girl child and not kanyadaan and asking Am I a thing to be given away Her angst finds wide echo Actor Dia Mirza who decided to do away with the rituals of both bidaai and kanyadaan when she got married to businessman Vaibhav Rekhi said they wanted the wedding to reflect their beliefs and not outmoded ideas Neither of us believes that women are commodities to be given away or donated Women have agency selfhood and can make decisions about their lives on their own so my wedding reflected exactly that by not including a ritual like kanyadaan the actor told PTIShe even engaged a female priest for her wedding to emphasise gender equalityIt is time for young couples to define how they want to get married and if their ceremony is truly representative of their personalities and love for each other said the actor who is also the United Nations National Goodwill Ambassador from IndiaThe ritual of giving away the bride is of course not just about Hindu weddings It is also a vital part of a Christian wedding service where the father walks down the aisle with his daughter and hands her over to the waiting groomBrought up on tradition and a diet of popular culture including movies both Indian and western many women have now begun to question the patriarchal traditions of wedding ceremonies across societiesMumbai-based IT analyst Meghna Trivedi who got married in February last year said the ritual of kanyadaan does not make sense in todays day and age but had to undergo the ritual anywayTrivedi a Gujarati who married a Punjabi said she asked the priest to find another way but he maintained kanyadaan is a mustWhat you mean by kanyadaan is that youre giving away your daughter to somebody else and that is something you have to do in your life and its related to your duties as a parent that now your daughter belongs to another family she told PTIBut Im still my parents daughter after I got married Kanyadaan is like youre giving me away and you have nothing to do with me anymore Youre severing ties like Im some object basically that youre giving away My parents did understand it but the issue was this is how it is has been and will be Actor Kangana Ranaut was among those who disagreedCriticising the ad in an Instagram post she said Humble request to all brands dont use religion minority majority politics to sell things Stop manipulating naive consumer with shrewd divisive concepts and advertising Please stop mocking Hindus and their rituals One of the Twitter users echoed similar sentimentsOur traditions are not regressive your mindsets surely are Kanyadaan is a sacred tradition where a fatherparent parts with their most precious and cherished daughter a bittersweet emotional moment filled with hopes promises and dreams the user wroteWomens rights activist Shabnam Hashmi said the attacks on the ad reflects the highly patriarchal mindsets of our societyIt is a very progressive advertisement and raises important questions of womens dignity and equality Hashmi told PTISociologist Shrivastava added that people reacted negatively because there is an increasing intolerance against anything that is seen to question Indian traditionsThe reaction he said also reflects a male anxiety about the changes that are happening in addition to the current climate where it has become difficult to question anything IndianHinduThere were also those who felt the ad didnt go far enoughThe idea should not be to perpetuate the custom but to break away from it said a young woman who welcomed the ad and the questioning of traditions but would have preferred that it didnt end with the parents of both sides taking part in itA radical break would have been more effective in sending out the message she saidHowever a debate reflects a churn And in that sense any discussion is welcome even if it has unlikely beginnings in an ad for a bridal lehenga PTI JUR RDS MG BK MIN RB RB