Mani Ratnam's wife Suhasini says women are being 'exploited' in cinema in the name of freedom of expression

Ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s wife Suhasini recently made a shocking revelation about how women are ‘exploited’ in the film industry. In an interview with Mathrubhumi, the actress said that many artists adopt the misguided idea that exposing skin equals liberation. She further criticized the influence of ‘Western’ ideals on Indian cinema.

During the interview, Suhasini Maniratnam shared her views on the representation of women in contemporary cinema. She pointed out that due to Western trends, there is a great emphasis on skin exposure and intimate scenes.

Mani Ratnam’s wife said, “There is a lot of freedom in skin exposure and close scenes because we copy the West and we don’t mind doing sensual scenes. From the directors to the performers, they are a little more liberalized (now We are back to the exploitation of women. Women do this voluntarily, whether it concerns body exposure or (intimate) scenes.’

Suhasini said artistes previously felt pressured to perform scenes they did not believe in to keep up in the competitive film industry. “But today you say, ‘mentally I’m free to do this. It’s not for money, it’s not to be number one. But I’ll do what I want.’ So I think in that façade of freedom of expression, women are exploited in films,” she added.

Suhasini acknowledged that women’s representation in commercial cinema has evolved since 2010. She argued that commercial films have historically been shaped by the male gaze, a perspective that is increasingly challenged by women in society.

She referred to actors as Vijaywho previously participated in films that echoed these traditional stories. While she acknowledged that Vijay had acted in such roles alongside leading ladies like Asin, she clarified that the responsibility lies with the directors who created these stories.

Suhasini said that this type of story has been common for years, which raises the question of why it is being criticized now while it was accepted in the past.