Sharing Space with Priyanka

In 2016, Srishti Bakshi decided to give up her job in Hong Kong and do something about what everyone she ever met abroad would ask her: ‘why are women so unsafe in India?’ With the help of her retired Army officer father, she planned an audacious walk from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, crossing 3,800km across 230 days, to spread the word: that women did not have to suffer in silence. That women suffering domestic violence should speak up. With a camera following her, thanks to her sister Apoorva Bakshi’s production company Awedacious Originals (Apoorva is one of the producers of Delhi Crime), Srishti walked across the length and breadth of the country talking to schoolgirls, homemakers, college students and office staff. She talked, she listened, and she realised that India is not beyond repair, that there is a lot of change, and though the majority may be silent, it is thinking. The documentary Women of My Billion is also on Prime Video, with Priyanka Chopra-Jonas as its champion producer. “Priyanka is one of those rare people who wants to share her spotlight,” says Srishti about the star who supports worthy ventures. Now a UN SDG Action Award winner in the Changemaker Category, Srishti lives and works in London, helping plan and strategise movements. She found much in common with women across geographies: that they were all told they must know how to make chai, they were all told, what will people say? (log kya kahenge?), and when will you get married? “This thinking needs to change,” she says. Within the four walls of their home, no matter in which nation, many women continue to suffer abuse. “It’s a human problem,” says Srishti. One that she is determined to change.

The Game-Changers

Not everyone acknowledges the changemakers before them. But Taapsee Pannu is not everyone. In a recent interview, she said: “Watching films like The Dirty Picture (2011), Kahaani (2012) and Queen (2014) turn into commercial successes, gave me the assurance that I could sustain a career in this industry without having to go down the beaten path. And this change in the audience for me is a big confidence booster.” Pannu has emerged as a beacon of change, fearlessly taking on roles that defy stereotypes and empower women. In doing so, she knows the work of actors who have gone before her, whether it is Vidya Balan or Kangana Ranaut. But Pannu feels that there is still a divide in terms of actors cast in performance-led films and those who work in commercial cinema. She also adds: “I am hoping there will be a change in that too”. The actor will now be seen in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba and Khel Khel Mein.

Digging into All Genres

She has been quietly working in different genres since her debut as Saif Ali Khan’s love child in Jawaani Jaaneman (2020), switching between commercial and more indie cinema, such as Anurag Kashyap’s Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat (2023). Alaya F says it is on purpose: “I’m actively trying to dip my toes into all my different genres and roles that sort of bring out a different side of me. But I’m still very open to doing unconventional movies. I’m still very open to doing conventional movies as well. I also feel like the lines between the two are getting blurred. I think good stories and good films are what’s actually just doing really well. It has been a conscious decision, but it’s also just me making the most of the opportunities that have come my way.” Filmgoers are seeing a lot more of Alaya this year, with Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Tushar Hiranandani’s Srikanth. She says Kashyap and Ali are similar in some ways. “You just come prepared and deliver, it’s as simple as that. But in a lot of ways [they] are also different.” In between waiting for the right parts, there is no downtime. “I just try and keep myself sharp and ready most of the time actually, because you never know when anything is happening. Of course, that’s not always possible. Even if you’re not shooting for a film or releasing a film, you’re shooting for a brand you’re going for events, you’re doing magazine covers. So the job never ends.” With a 1.8 million following on Instagram, does she feel torn between what she puts out on the social media app, “Actor Alaya, totally submits herself to the script and the director. So, whatever the director expects of me, I will do. Insta Alaya is 100 per cent me and authentic to me.”

Alaya FBollywoodcinemaSrishti BakshiTaapsee Pannu