Kiran Rao, Guneet Monga and others reflect on women's growth in film industry at Power List 2026
Mumbai, March 26
The Hollywood Reporter India's second Women in Entertainment Power List brought together some of the most influential women from across the industry on Wednesday evening.
The event celebrated women working in film, television, music, digital platforms, and new media. Several well-known faces from the film industry attended the event, including Guneet Monga, Kiran Rao, Sonam Bajwa, Nitanshi Goel, and Sayani Gupta.
Speaking about the importance of such recognition and the current scenario for women filmmakers, producer Guneet Monga shared that the numbers are still low and more support is needed. "If you look at the stats, around 2,500 films are made every year, and less than 7 per cent are directed by women. So recognition like this is very important so that more women can get opportunities," Monga told ANI.
Filmmaker Kiran Rao spoke about how things have changed over the years and how more women are now part of the industry in different roles. "A lot has changed. When I started in the film industry, there were very few women on sets. Today, 25 years later, we have women directors, producers, cinematographers, writers, composers, it's very different now. It will continue to change, and I hope it does," she said.
Actor Sonam Bajwa shared her happiness on being included in the list and also spoke about the recent blockbuster film 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge.' She said, "I feel really good. For me, it's a big deal to be included in this list."
Talking about 'Dhurandhar 2', the actress added, "I've seen the film, and I really liked it. I want to congratulate the whole team because it's broken all records and is doing amazingly well."
'Laapataa Ladies' fame Nitanshi Goel spoke about the importance of celebrating women and how cinema is changing. She said, "This event is to celebrate women in cinema, and some very inspiring women are present here today. Cinema has changed a lot in terms of storytelling, characters, and overall filmmaking."
Actor Sayani Gupta shared that while things have improved, there is still a long way to go. She said, "Things have changed, but I feel it hasn't changed as much as it should. There's still a lot to improve. But this space and event remind us that better times are coming, and maybe we'll get even more opportunities in the future."
Meanwhile, talking about the event, from actors and filmmakers to producers and creators, the evening focused on recognising women who are making their mark and opening doors for others in the industry.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is so inspiring! As a film student in Mumbai, seeing these women celebrated gives me hope. Kiran Rao ma'am is right, the change is visible. More female DOPs and sound designers now. The journey is long but we're on the path. ✨
Great to see this. But honestly, we need to move beyond just lists and events. Where are the big-budget films being entrusted to women directors? Most are still confined to mid-scale projects. Real change is when a female director gets a 200 crore project.
The comparison to 25 years ago is striking. From the outside, Indian cinema seems to be evolving faster in this regard than some Western industries. The success of films like 'Laapataa Ladies' proves audiences are ready for these stories.
Sayani Gupta's point resonates. The change feels slow on the ground, especially for technicians and crew. Happy for the actresses and producers, but what about the women in lighting, editing, or stunt coordination? The list should expand to all roles.
As an AD in the industry, I've worked with some brilliant women HODs. The talent is there. The industry's old habits are the bottleneck. More power to these leaders for paving the way. 👏
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