Actor Bhumi Pednekar stressed on the responsibilities of being a woman, on International Women's Day. All for celebrating women and their achievements, she adds. “We have come a long way but even now, women have not been able to achieve equality they deserve. Generations have fought for the kind of freedom and independence we have today and we have to do the same for our future generations.”
She stresses that the measure of a woman's empowerment is subjective. “If I talk about myself, I feel empowered as I was born in a liberated family. But when I step out into the world, I realise I am very privileged. There are women who even today don't have any basic needs and rights catered to, from health to sanitation, education or even basic respect. Overall, we are a far cry from being equal to the opposite sex.”
Pednekar elaborates, “There is a major gender disparity. And so, every day, through our actions and conversations, we should make sure to inch closer to an equal world. Even in your ecosystem or your house, you have to keep hammering the thought of equality and keep putting it out there constantly.”
She believes that too much is expected from women at times. “It's not that, we can't live up to it as women are emotionally superior than men and have more tolerance than them. We can give birth and that is a super power but a lot that is expected is also unreal.”
The actress says she is conscious and deliberate about her choices. “As a person, most of my communication is about empowering my gender and I am ruthless about it. So, as an actor, when I have the means to reach out to so many people, I will use it. I consciously choose women who are here to prove a point and have an opinion, as sometimes, strong women might not have an opinion.” Pednekar has starred in several women-oriented movies, like 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha', 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha', and 'Saand Ki Aankh'.
