The way we looked at women was wrong: Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur lauds #MeToo for positive changes

He is known to feature strong female characters

Renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur believes that the #MeToo movement has led to positive change in the world of cinema. The movement has eradicated the notion of seduction as a love language and highlighted the importance of consent. Kapur asserts that the movement has had a lasting impact on the industry by improving the treatment of women and making it a more welcoming place for child actors.

Kapur has always aimed to portray strong female characters in his projects, including Bandit Queen and Mr. India. He believes that there was a time when seduction was considered a love language, which was also reflected in the world of cinema. However, the #MeToo movement has eliminated this idea. As reported by Hindustan Times, he states, "Now, if I seduce a girl, I will be caught in the #MeToo movement. Now, the girl is also a decision-maker as much as the boy. It is about being consensual."

The Elizabeth: The Golden Age filmmaker feels that the #MeToo movement has had a lasting impact on the cinema industry. He explains, “It has been a very good movement for the whole industry, and it was something that was needed. We could not have gone on in the way that we used to earlier. For instance, when I was working on Masoom (1983), and went out to look for a child actor, everyone I spoke to didn’t want to enter the industry. Because they didn’t trust us. They didn’t trust how the women are treated here. They thought that women were not treated well. The way we looked at women was wrong. And now that has changed."

The filmmaker's latest project, What’s Love Got to Do with It? is a cross-cultural project that showcases the multi-faceted side of womanhood. Kapur has always endeavoured to break the stereotype by showcasing strong female characters in his projects. He concludes, "With every project of mine, I have inevitably shown a very strong female."

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