Prime Video released the latest edition of the O Womaniya! report, the most definitive study on female representation in Indian entertainment. Researched and curated by the media consulting firm Ormax Media, Film Companion, and championed by Prime Video, the study evaluates the statistical journey of women in various facets of content production, marketing, and corporate leadership within India’s entertainment industry. The report analyzed 156 films and series, released on streaming platforms and theatrically, in 2022 in eight Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, and Gujarati) to provide a comprehensive picture of the changes that the industry has seen since 2021.
In addition to Prime Video, the report received support from other industry partners, including Clean Slate Filmz, Emmay Entertainment, Excel Entertainment, Jio Studio, Producers Guild India, RSVP, SonyLiv, Tiger Baby, and Zee5. Additionally, this year also saw industry leaders, including studio heads, filmmakers, actors, and more, come forward to lay down actionable steps towards improving female representation in their personal and professional capacities. These pledges are expected to serve as guideposts for the entire industry.
In 2022, only 12 percent of the 780 head of department (HOD) positions analyzed across key departments such as direction, cinematography, editing, writing, and production design were held by women. This number is slightly up from 10 percent in 2021, according to the report. On the content front, 55 percent of the properties analyzed passed the Bechdel Test in 2021. This number has dropped below the halfway mark to 47 percent in 2022. The Bechdel Test is an internationally accepted measure of female representation in cinema. In order to pass the test, a film must have at least one scene where two women are talking to each other about something other than a man.
Women still receive only 27 percent of talk time in trailers; the highest percentage is for streaming films, with 33 percent of talk time in trailers allocated to women. Series and movies like ‘Hush Hush,’ ‘Gehraiyaan,’ ‘The Fame Game,’ ‘Ammu,’ ‘A Thursday,’ and ‘Sita Ramam,’ among others, performed the best, with at least 50 percent of talk time in trailers given to female leads.
Speaking about the report, Anupama Chopra, Founder & Editor of Film Companion, said, “Entertainment is a powerful medium which can and must highlight inclusivity and diversity. O Womaniya! is our attempt to push the needle to move faster. The steps taken to bring change may seem small but each step, each action matters, and with every edition of the O Womaniya! report, we believe we are moving a step closer to a more equitable ecosystem.”
“At Prime Video, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just needed, they are essential. As an organization, we have always believed in equitable representation, not just within Prime Video and in our content, but also within the wider creative industry. By nurturing and empowering talented women within our industry, we can create a ripple effect of positive change in the wider ecosystem,” said Aparna Purohit, head of Originals, India & Southeast Asia, Prime Video.”