The film industry is home to quite a few working mothers who are multi-taskers in the truest sense. These talented women bring memorable characters to life on the big screen while caring for their children. While many of them do so without any complaints, the fact remains this is not an easy task.
To begin with, those in the film industry are required to work round the clock. According to filmmaker Nandhini JS, the lack of a 9-to-5 structure in the film industry makes life difficult for mothers with young children.
“It (these timings) is extremely challenging and for young mothers, it is basically like they have to kind of stay away from the job for at least for a year or two until the child is big enough to handle a little bit of , you know, its own stuff,” she told The Daily Guardian.
Working mothers also have to deal with a subtle bias after returning to work post childbirth. According to Nandhini, men never face such situations after embracing fatherhood.
“When I had a child and when I came back to work whether it is I had signed the film at that time and people are like okay how old is your daughter oh she’s 10 months old she’s one year old oh good good good but how is how are you leaving her at home who are you leaving her with these answers you know. Like, if a man becomes a father today, he can go to the job tomorrow,” she said.
Working mothers in the industry often choose to be ‘part-time actors’ because of these demanding conditions. Moreover, some of them feel it is important for them to be with their kids during the formative years.
“I always say that I am a full-time mother and a part time actor. I know that other people may not have the luxury of saying that. But in my case, it was always very clear that when I decide to have a child, that child will take priority in the early years of his or her life. Because those days are not going to come back and those are the formative years,” said Anupama Kumar.
Interestingly, there is a perception that working mothers will have to continue to face such choices till there is a change in the way the industry functions. As per JS Nandhini, the key lies in encouraging more women to enter the film industry.
“I would say, I see the only thing is that more women come to work behind the camera, whether in all these various departments, it makes it a safer and healthier environment for women to kind of understand each other’s problems, right?,” she said.
The director also said that one needs to stop ‘shaming’ working mothers choosing family over work.
So, today (May 12) when we celebrate Mother’s Day, the big question is will the film industry overcome these limitations and become a haven for working moms? Tell us what you think.
Co-written by Roktim Rajpal