'Anupamaa' actress Adrija Roy talks about the growing acceptance of women-led stories on television
Mumbai, July 10
'Anupamaa' actress Adrija Roy has opened up about the changing landscape of television and the growing acceptance of women-led stories.
Speaking to IANS, the actress believes that female characters are now being written with more depth and complexity, offering women more layered and meaningful roles on screen. Sharing her thoughts on the evolving representation of women in the entertainment industry, Adrija said that while there is still scope for further improvement, the audience's growing acceptance of women-centric narratives is a positive sign for television.
"I think things have changed for the better. Women are getting more layered and meaningful roles now. There is still room for improvement, but the audience is accepting stories led by women, and that's a positive sign for the industry."
Further, speaking about the possibility of being typecast after a successful performance, Adrija Roy shared, "When a role becomes popular, people naturally start seeing you in that space because they know you've done it well. I don't blame anyone for that. But as an actor, I would always like to surprise both myself and the audience. I don't want to keep doing the same kind of character again and again. Every role should teach me something different."
She added, "Of course, every actor dreams of having plenty of choices, but that's not always how this industry works. Sometimes a good production house offers you a role that may not be exactly what you imagined. In such situations, I think you have to look at the complete picture-the team, the story and what the character brings to the show. There is no right or wrong answer. Every actor has to make the decision that feels right at that moment."
The actress also revealed that she has stepped away from opportunities that didn't feel right creatively. "Yes, I have said no to a few projects. It wasn't because they were bad, but because I couldn't connect with the characters. If I don't believe in a role, it becomes difficult for me to do justice to it. I would rather wait for something that genuinely excites me."
Adrija Roy is currently seen portraying Rahi Kapadia in the daily soap "Anupamaa," which features Rupali Ganguly in the lead role.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally! TV serials are stepping up. My mother used to complain that all shows were the same saas-bahu dramas with weak female leads. Now she actually discusses character arcs and dialogues. Change is slow but visible. Shoutout to actors like Adrija who choose quality over quantity - saying no to roles that don't excite you is true integrity.
As someone who works in media studies, this interview resonates. The shift toward women-led narratives isn't just happening in Bollywood or OTT - it's seeping into daily soaps where the real mass audience is. Adrija makes a good point about typecasting. An actor from a popular role should have the freedom to surprise us. More power to her!
Honestly, this is refreshing. I've seen my mom and sister go from watching shows with cardboard female characters to ones where the women actually have agency. But let's be real - there's still a loooong way to go. Most women-led stories on TV still revolve around family drama and sacrifice. Can we have more stories about women just being awesome without needing to suffer first? 😅
What a mature perspective from such a young actress! Especially like how she talks about saying no to projects - in an industry where everyone is running behind offers, that takes courage. Anupamaa's Rahi character is indeed layered. However, I do wish TV writers would think beyond the "empowered bahu" trope. Let's see women in politics, sports, comedy! Baby steps, I guess. 👏
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