A lot of what happens on film sets is ‘hugely problematic’: Konkona Sen Sharma

Much like the rest of society, the film industry also functions on patriarchal hierarchies. These hierarchies are determined based on one’s gender, caste or class and always oppress those who occupy the perceived lower levels, shared Konkona Sen Sharma in a recent interview. The actress, who was last seen in the ‘Netflix’ series ‘Killer Soup’, said that a lot of what happens on film sets is ‘hugely problematic’ and added that many instances of sexual harassment haven’t even been reported.

Talking to Sucharita Tyagi on her ‘YouTube’ channel, Konkona said, “The film set, the film industry, is hugely hierarchical, not just along the lines of women but also along the lines of caste and class and of course, gender. It’s hugely problematic, patriarchal, regressive, hierarchical.” Konkona said that something as basic as food is served based on one’s social standing. “I mean, even in terms of catering. Who is allowed to sit where? Who is allowed to eat what? Where are the bathrooms? What do people get away with?”

She added that only senior women are given respect on film sets, while many other female crew members are treated like furniture. “You know, if it’s not a very senior actor, like even a female person or the ADs, how they are treated in terms of… Their bodies are pushed. It’s the small things all the time you are seeing everywhere. It’s very difficult to work in that environment. It’s difficult to witness it, so I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be to go through it,” she said.