In urban India, a certain smugness has set in as far as women’s rights go—girls are getting an education, some of them are following careers, choosing their own partners, and deciding if and when they want to have kids. Laws have changed over time to protect women, or at least give them a semblance of justice. But in spite of that, there is little decline in rapes, domestic violence, dowry deaths, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

Persistent societal challenges

Does that mean that under the surface wokeness, mindsets have not changed all that much? The Twisha Sharma dowry death case has shocked those who believe they are not like that. The husband and mother-in-law of the unfortunate woman are not just educated but in the legal profession.

In film circles, there are furious debates about a cameraman in a Yash Raj Films project, Akka, accused of sexual misconduct, called to complete patchwork on the film. YRF did, however, take action and drop the DOP’s credit. A similar thing happened to a production designer, whose name was dropped from Dhurandhar and Akka. Major film companies have adopted a zero-tolerance policy to sexual harassment; many hold gender sensitisation workshops before a project. It is also true that many women choose not to file complaints either with the production houses, industry organisations, or the police, because they might find themselves out of work for being troublemakers. There........

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