Parvathy Thiruvothu tackled persistent stereotypes of female characters in Indian cinema at Expresso series session in Chennai. The award-winning actress opened up about her career,her activism responsibilities,and her new film,I,Nobody, at Taj Connemara.
Parvathy often played "lovable woman" roles for over a decade before shifting to complex,feminist characters. She slammed narrow templates defining women in film,saying,“The idea of that woman in story is that her only dramatic need is to fall in love.” This portrayal ignores women's multifaceted nature,who have careers,families,struggles beyond romance.
She emphasized how belittling these clichés are. When women have flaws,they're labeled negative or villainous. “Women are flawed too,beautifully so,” she said,calling for more nuanced cinema representations.
Opportunities for women are increasing,Parvathy acknowledged,but genuine representation is still lacking. She critiqued tokenistic hiring practices: “We do need our foot in the door to make some changes.” Real challenge? Depth of character representation across genders .
Activism was not path she chose consciously,Parvathy noted. She felt compelled. “As an activist,I wasn’t given a choice,” she explained. Initially resisted label,then recognized her voice's importance in advocating change. “It’s not really about you,” she reflected on activism's humbling nature,shared responsibility.
Looking ahead,Parvathy shared insights about I,Nobody, her upcoming film. It transcends typical heist genre,delving into identity,power themes. Challenging who holds significance in society. “It’s a reflection on current power structures,” she said,noting "nobodies" have potential to disrupt hierarchies.
Conversation with Parvathy Thiruvothu now on YouTube channels of The Indian Express,SCREEN . This Expresso edition,presented by AU Small Finance Bank with Taj Connemara Chennai,continues platform for meaningful discussions with key Indian entertainment,culture figures.
