Bollywood has long been dominated by male voices, both on screen and off. Yet, a number of pioneering women have worked behind the scenes as producers, quietly but powerfully changing the kinds of stories that reach the screen. From early trailblazers like Devika Rani to contemporary powerhouses such as Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Anushka Sharma, female producers have influenced Hindi cinema’s storytelling in profound ways. Their choices, in subject matter, casting, genre, and risk-taking projects, have helped bring more diverse, authentic, and women-centric narratives to Bollywood. This article explores their journeys and impact in simple terms, offering a comprehensive look at how women producers changed the narrative of Hindi cinema.
Early Trailblazers: Laying the Foundation for Women in Production
The presence of women in Bollywood’s production arena is not entirely new. In fact, the foundations were laid in the early decades of Indian cinema by a few visionary women who took on producing roles at a time when the industry was almost entirely run by men. These early trailblazers set important precedents:
Fatma Begum (1892–1983): A silent-era pioneer, Fatma Begum is often credited as India’s first female filmmaker. In 1926, she launched her own production house (Fatma Films) and directed Bulbul-e-Paristan (1926), making her one of the first women in the world to both produce and direct films. In an era when women in cinema were mostly limited to acting, Fatma Begum’s bold step into production and direction opened up new possibilities. Her foray into fantasy cinema and technical experimentation showed that women could helm ambitious projects even in the 1920s.
Contents
- Early Trailblazers: Laying the Foundation for Women in Production
- From Rarity to Rising Force: Women Producers in a Changing Industry
- Ekta Kapoor: Mainstream Hits with Strong Women at the Core
- Guneet Monga: Champion of Indie Cinema and Global Storytelling
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Bringing Regional Voices to the Hindi Film Landscape
- Anushka Sharma: Risk-Taking Storyteller with a New Perspective
- Beyond Bollywood: Women from Other Industries and a Pan-Indian Impact
- The New Narrative: Legacy of Change and the Road Ahead
Jaddanbai (1892–1949): Another early example is Jaddanbai Hussain, mother of famed actress Nargis. In 1936, Jaddanbai started her own film company, Sangeet Films, becoming one of the first women to produce and direct films in India. She produced and even composed music for films like Madam Fashion (1936) and Hriday Manthan (1936), which were noted for their progressive, reformist content. Jaddanbai used cinema to tell stories with social messages, and by launching her daughter Nargis’s career, she paved the way for future generations of women in Bollywood to take creative control.
Devika Rani (1908–1994): Often hailed as the “First Lady of Indian Cinema,” Devika Rani was a superstar actress of the 1930s who went on to become a studio head and producer, a truly rare feat for a woman of her time. After her husband, Himansu Rai’s death in 1940, Devika Rani took charge of the famous Bombay Talkies studio. For five years, she ran the studio and produced multiple hit films that broke new ground. For instance, Naya Sansar (1941) explored the role of journalism in society, and Kismet (1943) introduced Indian audiences to film noir with an anti-hero protagonist. Under her leadership, Bombay Talkies also nurtured new talent, notably, Devika Rani gave a young Dilip Kumar his debut by casting him in Jwar Bhata (1944).
All this was achieved in a period when running a film studio was an almost insurmountable challenge for a woman. Devika Rani faced resistance from male colleagues who questioned her authority. In fact, when a few of her films underperformed, some tried to oust her, arguing “there is no need for Devika Rani” in charge. Despite these struggles, her tenure proved that a woman could make significant creative and business decisions in cinema. Devika Rani fought stereotypes with brazen conviction and showed Indian cinema a progressive path forward. Her success and reputation as an actor-producer-studio boss were truly exceptional in the 1940s.
These early female producers demonstrated courage and vision. They often chose subjects that challenged social norms, from Achhut Kanya (1936), in which Devika Rani starred in a story about caste prejudice, to Jaddanbai’s modern themes in Madam Fashion. Their films sometimes portrayed women in stronger, more complex roles than typically seen, and tackled issues like untouchability, education, and women’s independence in subtle ways. Importantly, these pioneers proved that women could not only participate in filmmaking but also lead it. They laid the groundwork for later generations of female producers, even though for many decades after, such examples were few and far between.
From Rarity to Rising Force: Women Producers in a Changing Industry
After the early pioneers, the presence of women in Bollywood’s producing ranks remained scarce through the mid-20th century. The film industry, much like society, was dominated by men and traditional hierarchies. It was not common for women to control film finances or call the shots behind the camera, beyond a handful of instances often limited to family production banners. For example, actress Shobhana Samarth produced a film in 1950 (Hamari Beti) to launch her daughter Nutan’s career, a rare case of a woman functioning as a producer in that era. Veteran actresses like Hema Malini later produced and directed films like Dil Aashna Hai (1992) and Tell Me O Kkhuda (2011) to shape projects they believed in. Actress-turned-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt also turned producer in the late 1990s and early 2000s, making bold, small-budget films such as Tamanna (1997) and Jism (2003) that explored unconventional themes. These were isolated examples, however, and women producers remained the exception rather than the rule.
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By the 2000s, a noticeable shift began taking place. As more women entered the film industry in various roles (writers, directors, executives), some of them also stepped into production roles. The changing social climate and growing conversation about gender diversity opened more space for women behind the scenes. Still, progress was slow. Studies have shown that even in the 2010s, women were vastly underrepresented in key filmmaking roles. For instance, as of the mid-2010s, only around 15% of film producers in India were female, significantly lower than the global average.
This imbalance affected the kinds of stories told on screen, with fewer women deciding which films get made, female perspectives and experiences were often sidelined. A common result was the prevalence of “male gaze” films, where women characters were one-dimensional or mere love interests.
Despite these challenges, the past two decades have seen a rising force of women who broke into the producer’s role and have steadily changed Bollywood’s narrative landscape. Female producers bring in fresh perspectives and often push for stories that otherwise might not get backing in a male-centric business. Crucially, having women in charge of budgets and green-lighting decisions can influence everything from script selection to casting and marketing, ultimately shaping how women and other underrepresented groups are depicted on screen.
A milestone moment was actor Anushka Sharma producing and starring in NH10 (2015), a gritty thriller about a woman fighting back against violent patriarchy. At the time, it was remarkable for a young actress to produce a film, especially one with dark, issue-based content, so early in her career. Its success was a signal that women could helm commercially viable films outside the typical formula. Around the same time, several other women stepped into production, either as founders of their own studios or creative producers, ushering in a new wave of female-led storytelling. Below is an overview of some of the most influential contemporary female producers in Bollywood and how their work has changed the narrative:
| Producer & Banner | Notable Productions (Year) | Impact on Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Ekta Kapoor (Balaji Telefilms & Balaji Motion Pictures) | The Dirty Picture (2011); Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017); Veere Di Wedding (2018); Udta Punjab (2016); Ek Villain (2014) | Brought women-centric and taboo-breaking stories into the commercial mainstream. The Dirty Picture became Bollywood’s first ₹100 crore female-oriented film. Consistently focuses on strong female characters and bold themes, helping break stereotypes of women on screen. |
| Guneet Monga (Sikhya Entertainment) | The Lunchbox (2013); Masaan (2015); Gangs of Wasseypur (2012); Pagglait (2021); The Elephant Whisperers (2022) | Champion of content-driven indie cinema in Hindi film. Backs fresh directors and realistic stories that might be risky for big studios. Took films like The Lunchbox and Masaan to international festivals, proving a global appetite for nuanced Indian stories. Her productions have won India’s first Oscars in the short documentary category (2018, 2023) and brought worldwide acclaim. |
| Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Purple Pebble Pictures) | Ventilator (Marathi, 2016); Pahuna (Nepali, 2017); The Sky Is Pink (2019); The White Tiger (2021) | Bridged regional cinema and Bollywood, producing films in multiple Indian languages. Introduced regional stories and talent to a broader audience. Focused on socially relevant and family-centric subjects (Ventilator dealt with family bonds; The Sky Is Pink tackled loss from a mother’s perspective). Gave opportunities to newcomers in writing, directing, and acting, thereby diversifying the voices in cinema. |
| Anushka Sharma (Clean Slate Filmz) | NH10 (2015); Pari (2018); Phillauri (2017); Bulbbul (2020); Paatal Lok (2020, series) | Pioneered a trend of top actresses proactively producing films. Took risks on genre and subject: NH10 was a violent thriller highlighting honor killings, Pari a horror drama with a subversive female demon character, and Bulbbul a feminist fable set in old Bengal. Her projects often center on strong, unconventional female protagonists and have found critical acclaim for originality. Demonstrated that women in film are willing to back edgy content and new filmmakers. |
Let us now delve more deeply into how a few of these contemporary producers, Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga, Priyanka Chopra, and Anushka Sharma, have each influenced Hindi cinema’s storytelling through their unique approaches.
Ekta Kapoor: Mainstream Hits with Strong Women at the Core
When it comes to sheer influence on Indian entertainment, Ekta Kapoor is a name that towers. Often dubbed the “queen” of Indian television for revolutionizing TV soaps in the 2000s, Ekta also made a significant mark in Hindi films through her production houses Balaji Telefilms and Balaji Motion Pictures. She started producing movies in the early 2000s, but it’s in the last decade that her choices truly changed the game for female-led stories in Bollywood.
Ekta Kapoor has a knack for understanding the pulse of the audience, and she gradually steered that pulse toward accepting more women-centric narratives. Many of her successful films put women front and center or tackled subjects others shied away from. A prime example is The Dirty Picture (2011), a biographical film about a rebellious South Indian actress. It featured Vidya Balan in a bold role and was produced at a time when conventional wisdom said female-centric films don’t make money. The result? It became Indian cinema’s first women-oriented movie to cross ₹100 crore (approximately 1 billion rupees) at the box office. This commercial triumph proved that audiences would respond to a strong female protagonist if the story was engaging. The film’s success revived industry confidence in female-led projects and showed that a woman’s story could be a bankable “mass” hit.
Ekta followed up with a string of projects focusing on women or unconventional themes. Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017) is one notable film she championed (as a presenter) when it struggled with censors due to its frank portrayal of women’s secret lives and desires. Although a small-budget film, Lipstick Under My Burkha won international awards and was praised for its honest narrative of four ordinary Indian women seeking independence. By backing this film, Ekta used her clout to ensure such stories reach audiences, signaling that bold feminist themes have a place in Bollywood.
Another major success was Veere Di Wedding (2018), a comedy about four female friends dealing with life and love on their own terms. Ekta co-produced this film (alongside Rhea Kapoor) and helped turn it into one of the biggest hits of that year. Veere Di Wedding resonated especially with urban audiences for its modern, unapologetic portrayal of Indian women, and it grossed around ₹80 crores at the box office. The film’s success underlined that female ensemble stories, virtually unheard of in Bollywood before, could draw large crowds if done right.
Ekta Kapoor’s slate also includes movies like Udta Punjab (2016), which, while starring male actors, gave memorable space to strong female characters (like those played by Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor) and addressed a daring subject, the drug crisis, with unflinching realism. Furthermore, through her ALT Entertainment banner, Ekta produced experimental content such as Love Sex aur Dhokha (2010), an anthology exposing social evils through a voyeuristic lens, and horror thrillers like Ragini MMS (2011) and Ek Thi Daayan (2013), which often put women at the center of supernatural narratives.
What makes Ekta Kapoor particularly influential is that she operates at the heart of commercial cinema and television. Unlike some indie producers, Ekta works within mainstream formats and sizable budgets. Her deliberate inclusion of strong women and taboo topics in popular formats helps normalize such narratives. She has stated her mission clearly: she wants to create strong women characters across films, TV shows, and web series, and break the typical stereotypes of how women are depicted. By consistently doing so, she has gradually shifted the mainstream narrative from the clichéd long-suffering wife or decorative girlfriend to more independent, complex female figures.
Ekta’s impact is also evident in the way she’s encouraged the industry to invest in women-led projects. She believes the audience’s taste is evolving and that an “empowered female audience” is driving the success of these films (as she noted when discussing recent projects) – meaning women viewers want to see their stories on screen, and even male viewers are appreciating well-told stories with women leads. With Ekta leading by example, more studios are less hesitant to back a female-centric script today than they might have been a decade ago.
In short, Ekta Kapoor has leveraged her power in the industry to open doors for female-centric storytelling within Bollywood’s commercial arena, proving it can be both financially rewarding and critically acclaimed. Her journey also highlights how a female producer can influence content across media, from soap operas that dominate Indian TV to films that succeed at the box office, thus broadly shaping societal narratives about women.
Guneet Monga: Champion of Indie Cinema and Global Storytelling
In contrast to Ekta’s commercial empire, Guneet Monga represents the rise of the independent cinema movement in India. Yet her influence on Bollywood is no less significant. Guneet Monga, often described as a trailblazer for Indian indie producers, has made a name by producing content-rich films that break away from formula and give voice to new storytellers. Through her company, Sikhya Entertainment, she has backed several groundbreaking Hindi films and, in doing so, influenced the broader narrative style of Bollywood to be more realistic, diverse, and internationally recognized.
Guneet’s philosophy of production seems to be “story first”. Many of the films she produced were relatively low-budget but high on originality and heart. The Lunchbox (2013), which she co-produced, is a perfect example: a gentle story of a mistaken tiffin delivery that leads to an epistolary friendship between two lonely people in Mumbai. It was a simple, intimate tale with no big stars, yet it won hearts worldwide and earned a BAFTA nomination. The success of The Lunchbox proved that Hindi films don’t always need flashy song-and-dance or action sequences to captivate audiences; a nuanced, “small” story could travel globally. Bollywood’s narrative scope expanded a little more with that lesson.
Following The Lunchbox, Guneet Monga produced Masaan (2015), a poignant drama set in small-town India that explored love and loss across class divides. Masaan won awards at the Cannes Film Festival and introduced audiences to new talent (actors like Vicky Kaushal and director Neeraj Ghaywan). Likewise, she was involved in Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Anurag Kashyap’s sprawling crime saga, which, though directed by Kashyap, benefited from Guneet’s production acumen in getting international exposure (both Masaan and Gangs of Wasseypur were showcased at Cannes, with Guneet helping bring them there). By consistently taking such films to prestigious global platforms, Guneet helped bridge the gap between Bollywood and world cinema. She showed Indian filmmakers that our stories can resonate everywhere if told authentically, encouraging more offbeat, regional, or issue-based stories to be made in Hindi.
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One of Guneet Monga’s remarkable contributions is her support for women-centric and social issue-based projects. She produced the short documentary Period. End of Sentence (2018), which deals with Indian women fighting the stigma of menstruation. This short went on to win an Academy Award (Oscar) in 2019, giving India a proud moment on the world stage. More recently, Guneet co-produced The Elephant Whisperers (2022), another short documentary about an indigenous couple caring for orphaned elephants; it won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short in 2023, making her one of the few Indian producers with two Oscars to their credit. These victories are not just personal milestones; they signal that content backed by an Indian woman producer can compete and win globally. This has undoubtedly inspired many in Bollywood to think bigger and aim for international quality and themes.
Beyond awards, Guneet Monga has spoken about the unique strengths women bring to filmmaking. She notes that women leaders in film sets foster a collaborative and empathetic environment, “a nurturing woman leader… it’s a top-down effect”, as she put it. In her experience, having women in charge can create a set culture that values empathy, which can enhance creative outcomes and teamwork. This perspective is gradually gaining traction, encouraging Bollywood to embrace more women not just in front of the camera but in key decision-making roles for the overall health of the creative process.
Importantly, Guneet’s success has come through persistence in an uphill battle. As a young female producer without a filmy family background, she had to carve out her own niche. Her achievements (such as becoming one of the first Indian members of the Academy’s Producers Branch and receiving France’s prestigious Chevalier honour) underscore that passion and good storytelling can defy the traditional male-dominated structure. She has also co-founded initiatives like Indian Women Rising (along with Ekta Kapoor and others), a collective to support and mentor female filmmakers.
Guneet Monga changed Bollywood’s narrative by proving that alternative stories have value. She backed films that dealt with everyday people, social issues, or unconventional heroes, which expanded the emotional and thematic range of Hindi cinema. Her films often receive critical acclaim and international visibility, which in turn encourages Bollywood studios to take content-driven cinema more seriously. The ripple effect is that we now see more such films getting made and celebrated, where realism and regional flavors are embraced. Through Guneet’s trailblazing journey, the industry learned that the perspective of a young woman producer with an eye for good stories can indeed reshape what Bollywood stands for on the world map.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Bringing Regional Voices to the Hindi Film Landscape
A globally famous actress and former Miss World, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, leveraged her star power in the 2010s to become a producer with a mission. With her production banner Purple Pebble Pictures (PPP), Priyanka set out to tell stories that mainstream Bollywood often overlooks. Uniquely, she chose to focus first on regional-language films and new talent, showing that Bollywood’s narrative ecosystem can be enriched by voices and stories from all corners of India.
Priyanka founded Purple Pebble Pictures in 2015, and notably, the company’s initial slate was filled with regional films rather than Hindi blockbusters. This was a deliberate decision: she and her mother, Dr. Madhu Chopra (who co-runs the company), wanted to promote content in languages like Marathi, Punjabi, Assamese, and even Nepali. For instance, one of PPP’s first productions was Ventilator (2016), a Marathi-language drama about a family gathered around an ailing elder during the Ganesh festival. Priyanka did not act in Ventilator; her role was purely as a producer backing a story she believed in.
The film turned out to be a critical and commercial success in the Marathi industry, winning multiple awards (including a National Film Award). By producing a Ventilator, Priyanka demonstrated that stories rooted in local culture and language could have wide appeal and emotional power. Bollywood observers took note when a top Hindi film star put her weight behind a regional film, it was a boost for the idea of cross-pollination between Bollywood and regional cinema.
PPP continued this trend with projects like Pahuna: The Little Visitors (2017), a film in Nepali (set in Sikkim) about displaced children, and Sarvann (2017) in Punjabi. In doing so, Priyanka’s banner gave a platform to regional filmmakers and subjects, indirectly influencing Bollywood by broadening the pool of stories and talent. She has said in interviews that every PPP film introduces at least one newcomer, be it a writer, director, or actor, as part of her commitment to nurturing new voices.
This infusion of fresh blood is essential for keeping storytelling diverse. For example, Pahuna was directed by a debut woman director from the Northeast, a region rarely represented in mainstream Hindi cinema. By supporting such a project, Priyanka brought an entirely new cultural narrative into the limelight, something that can gradually influence how Bollywood perceives stories beyond the Mumbai-centric lens.
Priyanka did eventually produce in Hindi as well, notably with The Sky Is Pink (2019), a Hindi film based on the real-life story of a young girl with a terminal illness, told from her parents’ perspective. Priyanka both produced and acted in this film, which received critical appreciation for its sensitive handling of grief and family dynamics. While The Sky Is Pink wasn’t a box-office juggernaut, it reinforced Priyanka’s interest in meaningful storytelling over mindless entertainment. The fact that an A-list actress chose a sober family drama (with a strong mother role for herself) to return to Bollywood, instead of a typical glamorous vehicle, speaks volumes about her intent to shape narratives consciously.
Another significant production involvement was The White Tiger (2021), the Netflix original film based on Aravind Adiga’s novel about class struggle in India. Priyanka co-produced and acted in this film as well. The White Tiger earned an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and brought global attention to a story critiquing social inequalities in India. By being part of its production, Priyanka helped ensure that this hard-hitting theme reached a worldwide platform. It also highlighted how Indian producers are now collaborating on international projects, blending Bollywood talent with Hollywood distribution, a trend likely to grow.
Priyanka Chopra’s impact as a producer lies in her bridging function. She connects Bollywood with regional industries and even with Hollywood. She has literally moved her production base to the US in recent years, indicating plans to create content that appeals to both Indian and global audiences. In doing so, she remains a cultural ambassador of sorts, bringing Indian stories (in all languages) to the world and bringing international best practices back to Indian productions.
Moreover, as one of the first major contemporary actresses to turn producer (preceding many of her peers in starting a company), Priyanka helped set a trend in Bollywood: that of actresses taking charge of content creation. Her move inspired other female stars like Anushka Sharma, Deepika Padukone, and Alia Bhatt to invest in their own production ventures, focusing on stories they deeply care about. Priyanka proved that being a producer isn’t just a backup plan for when leading roles diminish (an unfortunate stereotype earlier), but rather, it can be a parallel avenue to shape the kind of cinema one wants to be part of, even while at the top of one’s acting career.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas changed the narrative by broadening Bollywood’s horizons: geographically (through regional films), thematically (through socially conscious subjects), and industrially (through international collaborations). She uses her star power and resources to amplify unheard voices and important stories. The ripple effect of her choices is evident in the gradually increasing willingness of Bollywood to adapt books, tackle regional remakes, and spotlight underrepresented communities. Priyanka’s producing journey underlines that Bollywood’s narrative isn’t confined to Hindi or to one culture – it’s part of a larger Indian and global tapestry, and women like her are weaving the threads.
Anushka Sharma: Risk-Taking Storyteller with a New Perspective
Anushka Sharma, one of Bollywood’s leading actresses of the 2010s, took the industry by surprise when she decided to don the producer’s hat at just 25 years old. In 2015, at a point when she was enjoying success as an actor, Anushka launched Clean Slate Filmz with her brother Karnesh Sharma. The very name “Clean Slate” signified starting fresh and taking risks, and that’s exactly what Anushka did. She used her clout to back unconventional, content-driven films that many established producers might have considered too risky. Through these choices, Anushka has helped push Bollywood’s storytelling towards edgier genres and more realistic depictions, especially of women.
Her debut production, NH10 (2015), set the tone. NH10 is a gritty thriller about a young urban couple who encounter honor-killing goons in rural India, and the wife (played by Anushka herself) must fight tooth and nail to survive. It’s a hard-hitting film that unflinchingly portrays violence and the theme of patriarchy. Typically, such dark thrillers were not the domain of actresses-turned-producers, especially not for their first project. Anushka has mentioned that producing NH10 was not an obvious choice, it was an “adult” (A-rated) film with a lot of risks involved.
Yet, she felt it was a story that needed to be told, and her conviction paid off: NH10 was both a critical success and did reasonable business for its scale, proving that Indian audiences were open to women-led action thrillers. The film also fanned discussions about patriarchy and violence against women, indicating the kind of real-world impact a bold narrative can have.
Clean Slate Filmz, under Anushka, continued to explore genres previously underutilized by Bollywood, particularly with women protagonists. Phillauri (2017) was a quirky romantic fantasy where Anushka played a friendly ghost; it blended folklore with a message about thwarted female aspirations. Pari (2018) took an even bigger leap, it was a horror movie that subverted the genre by making the “monster” a sympathetic female character. Though not a conventional horror heroine, Anushka’s character in Pari challenged norms of both the genre and gender, symbolically hinting that women don’t have to be only damsels in distress in horror; they can occupy any role, even the supernatural, and still evoke empathy. These movies may not have broken box-office records, but they showed that a female producer was willing to attempt stories that mixed genres (romance + supernatural, horror + social drama) in ways Hindi cinema hadn’t often seen. This creative courage widens the narrative palette of Bollywood.
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Perhaps the most striking outputs from Anushka’s banner came on streaming platforms. Bulbbul (2020), a Netflix original produced by her company (though Anushka herself did not act in it), is a period fantasy thriller about a woman wronged and the legend of a demon woman. Directed by Anvita Dutt (a female director making her debut), Bulbbul earned widespread praise for its feminist re-imagination of folklore and its lush, unique visual style. It presented themes of abuse, patriarchy, and justice in the wrapping of a Gothic fairytale, a combination rarely attempted in Indian cinema.
Similarly, Anushka’s team produced Paatal Lok (2020), a web series for Amazon Prime that exposed the dark underbelly of society through a crime thriller. While Paatal Lok had a male protagonist, it was lauded for its realistic storytelling and social commentary. The success of these streaming projects signaled that Clean Slate Filmz was at the forefront of India’s digital content revolution, which often allows more creative freedom than theatrical films. Anushka’s early move into quality streaming content has encouraged other Bollywood producers to take web series seriously as a medium for powerful storytelling.
Another notable project is Qala (2022), a Netflix film by Clean Slate Filmz, again directed by Anvita Dutt, focusing on a troubled young woman singer in the 1940s. Qala deals with mental health, mother-daughter conflict, and the pressures on female artists, themes that are nuanced and rarely center stage in traditional Bollywood. By green-lighting such scripts, Anushka has been instrumental in shining a light on women’s inner worlds and struggles, beyond just their love lives.
Anushka Sharma’s approach has always been content-first. She has said that she looks for scripts that have “something new to say” and roles that show a different side of womanhood. Interestingly, she also avoids labeling films as “women-oriented” or “male-oriented”, believing that stories should stand on their own and that true equality will be when we no longer need such labels. This philosophy comes through in her productions: while many do feature women leads or women’s issues, they aim to be engaging stories for all audiences, not just messages. The box-office reception of some of these films has been mixed, a reminder that Indian audiences are still warming up to unconventional narratives. But the critical acclaim and cult followings they garner are significant. They create an appetite and acceptance for more varied content in the future.
Moreover, Anushka’s success as a producer (she was one of the few in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for actors-cum-producers during that period) has broken an unwritten rule in Bollywood: that actresses bow out or slow down in their career by their 30s. Instead, she expanded her role in the industry. It set an example that female stars can diversify and drive change behind the camera as well. Following her lead, we now see many top actresses turning producers in their own right, from Deepika Padukone (producing Chhapaak (2020), a film on an acid-attack survivor, and 83 (2021)) to Alia Bhatt (who produced Darlings in 2022, a dark comedy on domestic abuse, and saw huge success on Netflix). These projects owe a debt to the likes of Anushka, who proved that audiences will listen if you have something meaningful to say, and that women can be the ones to say it, as producers.
Anushka Sharma changed the narrative by taking the road less traveled. She infused Bollywood with stories that carried grit, fearlessness, and a female perspective in genres ranging from thriller to horror to noir drama. Each risk she took carved out a little more space for inventive storytelling. Her journey underlines that women producers often bring a different appetite for risk, an eagerness to tell stories that haven’t been told, whether they succeed or fail, and this willingness to experiment ultimately enriches the cinematic landscape.
Beyond Bollywood: Women from Other Industries and a Pan-Indian Impact
While our focus has been on Hindi cinema, it’s worth noting that women producers across other Indian film industries have also been making their mark and, in some cases, influencing Bollywood trends. India’s film ecosystem is diverse, with robust regional industries (Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, etc.), and increasingly, there is cross-pollination in terms of talent and content. Female producers from these arenas have contributed stories and perspectives that seep into Bollywood as remakes, collaborations, or simply inspiration.
For instance, in Marathi cinema, producer-director Nita Ambani (through Reliance Entertainment) and others have backed biopics and social dramas that later caught Bollywood’s eye for remakes. Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, who started in advertising and made a mark in Hindi films, also produced a Tamil-language film (Ammoru Thalli, 2020), demonstrating how content can transcend language when a strong narrative is at the core. In the South, actresses like Nayanthara (in Tamil) and Anushka Shetty (in Telugu) have recently turned producers for their own films, embracing women-centric scripts that could potentially draw interest for Hindi adaptations in the future. These trends reflect a pan-Indian shift where women in various industries are taking charge behind the camera.
One clear example of cross-industry influence is Guneet Monga’s involvement with regional cinema. She co-produced the Tamil film Soorarai Pottru (2020) for its Hindi adaptation (the original was a massive hit and later won the National Film Award for Best Feature). By participating in such projects, she helps ensure that compelling regional stories get a wider (even global) audience and a quality remake in Bollywood. Likewise, Priyanka Chopra’s work in regional films has already been highlighted, bringing regional stories like Ventilator to prominence, which may well encourage Bollywood to explore similar themes of family and tradition in its own stories.
Moreover, women in leadership roles at major studios and streaming platforms (for example, Aparna Purohit heading Amazon Prime Video India’s originals, or Sneha Rajani, who was a key executive at Sony Pictures India) have a say in green-lighting projects across languages. Their perspective often leans towards inclusive storytelling, which indirectly shapes Bollywood content to be more embracing of different cultures and gender representations.
Female producers in Indian cinema, whether in Bollywood or other regional industries, form a growing network of changemakers. They share a common thread of resilience and a desire to tell fresh stories. Their successes create a positive feedback loop: each time a woman-produced film wins an award, finds box-office success, or becomes a cultural talking point, it chips away at the skepticism about women-led projects. This pan-Indian cadre of women producers is collectively pushing the envelope, ensuring that the narrative changes not just in Hindi cinema but across Indian cinema as a whole.
The New Narrative: Legacy of Change and the Road Ahead
The rise of female producers in Bollywood has already left an indelible mark on the industry’s narrative landscape. Thanks to these women, Hindi films today are more likely to feature nuanced female characters, bold social themes, and innovative genres than they were a generation ago. We see the influence in big ways and small: a gritty film like Raazi (2018), a spy thriller centered on a woman, becomes a blockbuster; an ensemble of heroines in Veere Di Wedding clicks with young viewers; a hard-hitting drama like Thappad (2020) on domestic violence (produced in part by a woman, Bhushan Kumar’s sister Tulsi) sparks nationwide conversations. These are not isolated incidents but part of a pattern of change that female producers have helped engineer by backing such content. It’s telling that in the first half of 2018, seven out of ten Hindi hit films were women-oriented or had strong female central characters, a feat unimaginable in earlier decades.
Both commercial success and critical acclaim have been achieved by films coming from women-led banners. For example, Ekta Kapoor gave us both a box-office smash and a pop culture icon in The Dirty Picture, while Guneet Monga’s projects fetched India prestigious awards on the global stage. This dual impact strengthens the case that diversity behind the scenes leads to richer outcomes. When more women decide what stories get told, we naturally get a wider array of perspectives. Themes like female sexuality, career vs family choices, women in unconventional professions, or the inner lives of homemakers, all have found space in recent Bollywood movies with a level of authenticity that was often missing in male-produced versions of such stories.
That said, the journey is far from over. Women producers still constitute a minority in the industry; roughly, only one out of six producers is a woman even today. The struggles of getting equal opportunity, equal budgets, and equal trust in creative vision continue. Many of the women we discussed had to fight extra hard to secure funding or to convince distributors to support their films. For instance, Lipstick Under My Burkha faced censorship hurdles for being “lady-oriented”, illustrating that societal attitudes can push back against change. But the collective perseverance of these producers eventually ensured that the film reached audiences and gained appreciation. Each battle won sets a precedent that makes it a bit easier for the next female-driven project.
Perhaps one of the biggest shifts we are witnessing, and a legacy of the current generation of female producers, is the normalization of women taking charge off-screen. Young filmmakers entering the industry today can look up to an Anushka or a Guneet and realize that gender is not a limitation on ambition. Likewise, audiences are getting used to seeing the world through a woman’s lens, whether it’s a grandmother embarking on a shooting championship (Saand Ki Aankh, 2019, co-produced by Nidhi Parmar) or a group of middle-aged women reclaiming their agency (Hellaro, 2019, a Gujarati film produced by Ashish Patel but notably about women, which won the National Award). The narrative space is expanding, and it’s benefiting everyone. After all, better stories make for a better film industry, regardless of gender.
As Bollywood moves forward, the influence of its female producers is likely to grow even further. With streaming platforms hungry for diverse content and less bound by box-office formulas, women producers have new avenues to explore bold narratives. Initiatives to support women in film (like the aforementioned Indian Women Rising collective) are helping more female creators emerge, some of whom will inevitably become tomorrow’s successful producers. The day may not be far when seeing a woman at the helm of a big-budget Bollywood franchise is unremarkable, just as it’s becoming common in the West.
In conclusion, Bollywood’s female producers have not only changed the narrative on screen, introducing more empowered female characters, new genres, and inclusive themes, but also off screen, by redefining who calls the shots in Hindi cinema. They have shown that when women hold the reins, the stories told are more reflective of the real audience, which is half female, and more reflective of a progressive society that values every voice. The narrative has indeed begun to change, and as these trailblazing women continue to succeed and inspire others, that change is set to accelerate, leading to a richer, more balanced cinematic storytelling for years to come. The impact of women behind the scenes is now undeniable in Bollywood: they have started a new chapter, one where their story is as important as his, and often, the two converge to create truly human stories that resonate with all.