Padmapriya: ‘When a woman talks about issues, she becomes the issue’

Actor Padmapriya stated that when a woman speak about social issues, the focus often shifts to her, rather than the issue she’s addressing. “When a woman talks about issues, she becomes the issue,” Padmapriya said while addressing the audience while she was delivering the third M.R. Narayana Kurup memorial lecture on ‘Retelling the tale through the frame of equity and justice’ at Government College, Madappally, on Tuesday.

Padmapriya, who is one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), also spoke about the existence of male dominance in film industries, “I am not only speaking about the Malayalam film industry. This is relevant to all industries.”

She also asked how one could say male actors are bankable and women are note, “In an industry where 90% of all films fail financially, how can you say male actors are bankable, and women are not? What stops you then from telling women-centric stories and transgender persons' stories as well?” she asked.

She further pointed out about the difference in how male and female characters are portrayed in films, “While characters such as executives, military officers, lawyers, and gangsters are predominantly male, women characters are mostly beautiful young girls, and heartbroken.”

Padmapriya also urged the youngster to speak up and call out such gender-based bias, “Constantly speak up about gender bias, and increase representation of women. If you avoid speaking about micro aggression, it will come back to bite you.”


On the work front, Padmapriya’s recent outing was ‘Wonder Women’ directed by Anjali Menon.