Women Issue 2026: Entertainment: Rewriting the Script

A NEW REPORT ON THE INDIAN entertainment industry shows improved representation of women in digital content and boardrooms but women remain underrepresented behind the camera in theatrical films. The ‘O Womaniya’ report, backed by Ormax Mediia and Film Companion and presented by Prime Video, analysed 122 pieces of entertainment in 2024 to come to the conclusion that women, even if they walked in the corridors of power, didn’t really change the male-dominated narrative of the theatrical and streaming world. Though the success of Saiyaara seemed to suggest the era of the soft boy was in, the overwhelming success of Dhurandhar suggested otherwise. Women may continue to sell songs, brands, and ads, but when it comes to putting bums on seats—a challenge even for the most muscular of male stars—they still have a journey to make.

The Unbeatable: Nayanthara, 41, Actor

WHETHER IT IS acting with Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan or being one of Yash’s mysterious heroines in this year’s much awaited ‘Toxic’, she makes a film immediately more valuable by being in it. Whether it is her marriage which became a Netflix documentary or her choice of fictional food in a movie, the Lady Boss, as she is known, is a star, her lustre undimmed for the past 23 years.

Belle of the Ball: Alia Bhatt, 32, Actor and Producer

Presenting an award at BAFTA, appearing in the front row at Gucci’s fashion show in the Milan Fashion Week, finishing up two major films, one for Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the other for YRF Films, Alia Bhatt is also auditioning for international parts. Plus, few have her ability to turn social media backlash to her advantage.

Stream of Content: Monika Shergill, Content Chief

The industry veteran may have lower budgets, tighter self-imposed censorship rules, and several show ready and shelved in the new entertainment order but in a cash-starved Bollywood, anything Netflix’s Vice President of Content Monika Shergill’s team chooses to back gets a potential global audience and if it is successful, like Aryan Khan’s Ba***ds of Bollywood, it gets a red carpet treatment.

Diva of Resilience: Ekta Kapoor, 50, Producer

More than 30 years in television, and Ekta Kapoor still controls what most Indians watch daily. Whether it is orchestrating the return of Smriti Z Irani to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the series that made both of them icon, or produc­ing the seventh season of Naagin, her shows still captivate audiences nation­wide. Add to that the ability to greenlight movies that showcase women, such as the successful three-her­oine movie Crew in 2024, and there is a reason why the 50-year-old is still called the queen of soap

Silent Weapon: Yami Gautam Dhar, 37, Actor

She has appeared in womencentric mov­ies such as Article 370 and Haq, and as the wife of blockbuster director Aditya Dhar, the young mother is a powerful new voice among actors who speak up for nationalistic cinema. It was almost comical to see the number of industry insiders who rushed to praise her performance in Haq just as her husband’s Dhurandhar broke box-office records.

Tiger Woman: Zoya Akhtar, 53, Filmmaker

The writer-direc­tor has launched Tiger Baby Records, is busy writing the sequel to the cult hit Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and continues to promote good cinema, whether it is non-fiction series such as In Transit or fine films such as Superboys of Malegaon, a love letter to the madness of cinema.

The Rainmaker: Rohini Iyer, 43, Agent

She has turned around star careers and represents 25 actors, among them Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Starting with reputation management company, Raindrop Media, Rohini Iyer now runs a group of companies, of which Rain Reign Talent brings crossover collabo­rations and global opportunities for homegrown talent and co-manage­ment partnerships for existing Indian talent with existing talent agencies.

 “Power, for me, is the ability to walk into any room and unapologetically disrupt it. It is the strength to say no more often than yes, and to build, create and operate entirely on my own terms as a self-made working woman. Power is about dismantling the boys’ club, shattering glass ceilings, and redefining who gets to lead the conversation.”

The Gatekeeper: Pooja Dadlani, 42, Talent Manager

Shah Rukh Khan’s manager controls access to him, and is the only one who knows the calendar of the industry’s most wanted star. She travels with the star, organises his life, and is like family. Even those with direct access to the actor, albeit only a handful of people, need her on their side to make things happen.

The Challenger: Deepika Padukone, 40, Actor

Every move she makes, even if it is deciding to not audition for the hit series The White Lotus, becomes news. A conversa­tion starter on mental health, equal pay and the number of working hours, Deepika Padukone makes as much news for the films she chooses (King with Shah Rukh Khan) as those she walks out of (Spirit with Prab­has and the second part of Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD). At 40, Padukone is just coming in to her own as an actor, activist and entrepreneur.

The World Whisperer: Guneet Monga Kapoor, 42, Producer

A film producer who works through collaborations with other filmmakers, Guneet Monga Kapoor is a constant attraction for filmmakers who want to go internation­al. Whether it is the Oscar win for The Elephant Whis­perers in 2023 (for which she was the producer) or Period: The End of Sentence in 2019, as executive producer, she knows exactly how to win the trust of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. With Jio Studios having recently acquired a stake in her company, Sikhya Entertainment, her produc­tion abilities have expanded.