We almost never address the pressures of being a woman actor in the industry… in our industry. It requires a lot more work, because that’s just how it is in all professional spaces for women. More than that, it needs them to fight for an equal representation on-screen – waiting for role that shows them more than just props. When actors even make that happen for themselves, they have to get people to pay attention to their work – to look past their appearance.
During an interaction from Actors’ Adda 2023, Kareena Kapoor talked about how she has always struggled here. The fact that it took her some time to accept that she doesn’t have to look conventionally ‘perfect’ in front of the camera. Something like her face lines showing in Jaane Jaan, because the lighting and camera movement was such. She added that people always look at her as just a pretty face, which not only takes away from her work as an artist, but also adds the pressure of constantly looking like that.
Working in films is weirdly always associated with looking good, which is superficial and also logically flawed. For actors to be relatable and well, good, they need to know their craft. They need to be good at performing a scene and emoting. It shouldn’t even be about looks because they genuinely add nothing as long as they don’t make a difference to the story. For women, being “pretty” and fitting in the beauty standards is almost a pre-requisite.
Kareena Kapoor also mentioned that she has always tried to make people look past her appearance, that even if she’s pretty, she should be seen for her performance. While that has been a constant effort since her first film, it still takes a lot of work to get people talking about her as an artist. The worst part is that women are associated with being shallow, whenever they seem to care about how they carry themselves. If they don’t, the same people question them.
It is about time that we see women actors as more than just faces. It’s the bare minimum.
