Actor Sonam K Ahuja has been known to use her Instagram account to support causes she believes in an effort to inspire change. Having advocated LGBTQI+ rights in the past, Sonam's latest endeavour comes as a series of inspiring, feminist posts, applauding women who have made a difference in the worlds of art,culture and cinema in India. Conveying the message that nothing is impossible, Sonam took to social media and spoke about the women who have motivated many with their individual contributions and journeys. Here are her posts honouring 9 special women below:
1. Fatma Begum : The first female director and studio owner in Indian cinema.
For those of you who don’t know, in the beginning of my career, I AD’d with a director for almost 5 years. In a space that was largely dominated by men, I got a glimpse of what it means to be a woman in an otherwise man’s world. It is not easy. Later, when I went on to act in films, one such film that hit home was Neerja. I read her story, I read the script, I did my research - Neerja was a badass. She was courageous, she was strong, she was also emotional and sensitive. Looking at these women and reading about them, I cannot help but look up to them. Another inspiration of mine has to be Fatma Begum! She was a leader in so many ways. Largely responsible for pulling the film industry out of its patriarchal ways, she was also unafraid to try news things and experiment. Right now, as Rhea and I lead AK Films, there are 1001 issues and roadblocks that we face, quite a few of them because we are women. Stories like Fatma’s gives me hope and encouragement. Rhea and I have never shied away from speaking up about the issues we faced while making Veere, but the fact is that that is just the tip of the iceberg. I just want to thank and show my respect to Fatma Begum, for paving the way for women to become actors, scriptwriters, producers and directors. Thank you for doing what you did back then, so that we can do what we are doing right now. No amount of words can describe the respect I have for you, thank you for being a feminist, thank you for not being afraid, thank you for taking risks, and thank you for establishing a platform for actors like myself to even exist today. Guys, if you don’t know about her, I urge you to look her up, read about her, be inspired. We NEED more women like her! ? P.S - While curating this, my team and I faced several roadblocks in terms of finding correct information. If, by any chance, any of you can reach out with more credible sources that can help us in understanding such icons in a better way, do let us know. :) #FatmaBegum #IndianCinema #FirstWomanDirector #Feminism #Feminist #Inspiration #HindiMovies
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Jul 10, 2020 at 1:37am PDT
2. Mary Ann Evans aka 'Fearless Nadia': Actor and stuntwoman
3. Amrita Sher-Gil : Artist
My work makes me travel a lot and while at it, I like to steal little pockets of time to visit museums and galleries. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing some artists who I admire and whose work I love. The first artist has to be someone who left an indelible impression on Modern Indian Art, Amrita Sher-Gil. What I love most about her work is the earthy colour palette, which evokes such a strong sense of warmth. She adopted this colour palette after travelling across India, getting acquainted with our people and our traditional wall art. Another of my favourite elements from her art is how she portrayed the female body. While Sher-Gil’s interpretation of the female body was sensuous, it was also vulnerable, strong and empowering. I was very young when I first came across her work; back then I loved her portraits—solely because they looked beautiful. However, I've come to admire how, at a time when artists painted the aristocrats of the society, she was unafraid to show unfiltered India. She believed in showing India and its women as is: raw, developing and imperfect. One of the most progressive women of her time, Sher-Gil's art was a representation of the strong empathy she had for her Indian subjects. Sher-Gil created most of her masterpieces only a couple of years before she passed away at the young age of 28. She was a woman of great substance, and continues to be aclaimed as one of the most gifted artists of pre-independent India. My personal favourites of Amrita Sher-Gil's work are the Group of Three Girls and the Portrait of a Young Man. Do let me know yours! #AmritaShergil #IndianArtists #ThreeGirls #NGMA #ArtandCulture #ArtistsofIndia #ArtLegends
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Jul 20, 2020 at 11:57pm PDT
4. Nandini Shrikent: Casting Director
How many times have you watched a great film, and walked out thinking, “Wow, what a film, could not have imagined anyone else for this part!”? I know I have, multiple times. We often credit the director, actors, producers and writers for a brilliant film, and rightfully so. But who we conveniently forget are the casting directors—the ones who help bring our favourite characters to life. Nandini has often admitted that the meatiest roles for her to cast are the supporting characters; they’re also the ones we fondly recall. Remember MC Sher from Gully Boy? Or the spot-on cast of Made In Heaven? We have Nandini to thank for that. More often than not, women who are not actors, directors or producers don’t get their due. There are various superstars behind the scene who are responsible for your favourite actor’s success today. I don't know Nandini personally. But my sister, Rhea, has worked under her at the beginning of her career. And, she only has fantastic things to say about her. I hope I can bring more such women to fore in the coming weeks! @nandinishrikent #NandiniShrikent #CastingDirectors #BollywoodCasting #IndianCastingDirectors #BollywoodFilms #WomeninFilms
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Jul 22, 2020 at 5:20am PDT
5. Zarina Hashmi: Artist
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" This quote by Vincent van Gogh defined Zarina Hashmi’s life. Fondly and professionally known by her first name, Zarina was an icon in the art world for reasons more than one. She experimented with multiple mediums and colours. An ardent traveller, in 2010, Zarina released five woodcuts titled “Cities I Called Home,” a series I personally admire and relate to as an actor who is constantly travelling for work. When I came across the Tasbih - her iconic gold prayer beads, at India Art Fair, I was immediately enamoured. I’ve always held prayer beads extremely close to me. I carry them everywhere in my handbag for they make me feel safe and at peace. Having seen a life-size version of it on a wall that day, really made me emotional. And I feel that is what art is all about. However due to a miscommunication with the gallerist, these slipped out of my hand and that till date remains one of my biggest disappointments. Today, everytime I visit New York, I catch a glimpse of her work at the Luhring Augustine Gallery. Do you know an artist who inspires you like Zarina inspires me? Let me know in the comments below! #ZarinaHashmi#ArtistsOfTheWorld#StrokesOfSubstance #FeministArt
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Aug 6, 2020 at 4:04am PDT
6. Uma Devi Khatri aka 'Tun Tun': Hindi cinema's first female comedienne
How often have you heard the (rather sexist and outdated) phrase… “Women aren’t funny”? Well, here’s a look at Uma Devi Khatri, an iconic diva, who took that stereotype and broke it - becoming the first female comedian of Bollywood. Her career of 5 decades had her sing, act and tickle our funny bones in over 150 films, but did you know that she was actually neither a trained singer nor a learned actor? She gave her career every push it needed to propel it forward - no matter what came in her way. Belovedly re-christened Tun Tun by Dilip Kumar, she made her way into our hearts. Tun Tun passed away at the age of 80 in 2003, but is still remembered for bringing joy to so many lives, spearheading the way for female comedians, and being her vivacious self: no matter the hardship or struggle she faced. Who are some of your favourite female comedienne, guys? Let me know in the comments below! #WomenInFilm #UmaDeviKhatri #TunTun #Retro #WhoRunTheWorld #FilmHistory #Archives
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Aug 8, 2020 at 4:22am PDT
7.Dayanita Singh: Photographer
You must’ve heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Well, Dayanita Singh (@dayanitasingh), the self-proclaimed and highly acclaimed “bookmaker who works with photography,” lived her life by this rule - best known for her portraits of India's urban élite and middle class. She took to photography in a major way while documenting the many moods of Zakir Hussain at his concerts across the country - a still collection that went on to become her first book: Zakir Hussain Maquet. A pioneer among photographers of her generation, Singh approaches each series as a total narrative rather than a compilation of individual experiences - standing out in a crowd where fitting in is the norm. “Why should photography be stuck to a wall?”, she often said to everyone who asked her about why her art is so engrossing. According to her, photographs aren’t meant to be stuck to a cemented wall but experienced as a story. The subjects she chooses to immortalise in pixels doesn’t just awe me, but also inspires me to look at my craft in a way I haven’t. Isolating her object of desire even in a chaotic room reminds me of my life on a film set. Of how for a shot, one must detach from the surrounding but also add to it, so beautifully. How has your favourite artist inspired you? Is there anyone whose hustle you want to emulate? Leave the deets in comments for me to read! #StrokesOfSubstance#WomenInArt#DayanitaSingh#FemalePhotographers#FeminismInIndia
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Aug 19, 2020 at 4:39am PDT
8. Aashrita Kamath: Production designer and art director
9. Saraswatibai Phalke : Editor (The only lady behind India's first film)
All firsts are beautiful, aren’t they? The sheer joy and excitement a "first experience" brings to you is unparalleled. Imagine having this feeling while not just making India’s first film ever, but also being the first female editor on it. That, in a nutshell, is Saraswatibai Phalke's life. At a time when it was widely unheard of for a woman to be a part of the entertainment industry, Saraswatibai went on to become India’s first ever film editor. Although, the Dadasaheb Phalke Awards are known to be the epitome of acknowledgement for actors, little do people know about the Saraswatibai Dadasaheb Phalke Awards - which are awarded to female technicians and actors who have achieved a remarkable feat in their respective fields. When I was introduced to her contributions to the Indian Film Industry, it did not take me a minute to be in awe of her sheer brilliance, determination and grit. Diluted by her husband's success, her work often goes unnoticed - which is why in this edition of #WomenInFilm, I wanted to do some justice to her legacy. A true multi-tasker, her relentless hustle never fails to inspire me. Have you seen Raja Harishchandra? Do you know any other women who're kicking butt while breaking glass ceilings? Let me know your inputs down below, guys. I'm reading all of them. ;) #WomenInFilm #SaraswatibaiPhalke #DadasahebPhalke #FeminismInArt #FeminismInIndia
A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on Sep 10, 2020 at 2:33am PDT
