Writers and makers need to do better for women in the industry: Aahana Kumra

Aahana Kumra has never been one to play it safe. From navigating layered roles across platforms to speaking her mind on the state of storytelling in India, she brings clarity and conviction to the table. In a chat with us, the India Lockdown actress calls out repetitive writing, champions better roles for women, and reflects on why authenticity matters in an increasingly noisy landscape. Excerpts:

Your roles in projects like Betaal, Marzi, and Call My Agent: Bollywood have often been called layered. What drives your script selection?

There are very bad scripts everywhere. And that’s why films are not working. That’s why OTT is becoming boring and repetitive. If one show clicks, you suddenly see ten versions of the same thing. For me, the key is to not repeat myself. I’d rather try something new, even if it doesn’t always land. What matters is approaching every character with honesty. I’ve tried to do that so far, and I hope I can keep doing it.

अहाना कुमरा ने थिएटर पर की बात

You recently spoke about how storytelling needs to be honest and brave. What does that mean to you in practical terms when you’re choosing a role?

For me, honesty and bravery in storytelling means not hiding things under the carpet. You have to speak your mind and have an opinion. I’m very big on that! Today, you can’t say mere saath toh nahi hua, toh mujhe nahi pata. You have to be aware. The world is in the middle of real crises—wars, people dying, children going hungry, schools being bombed. How do you turn a blind eye to that and carry on as if it doesn’t concern you? At some point, it will. That’s the reality we’re living in, and the sooner you accept it, the better. So, for me, it comes down to choosing honest stories, ones that have a voice, a point of view.

Aahana Kumra on why films and shows aren’t clicking

Having worked across theatre, OTT, and films, do you feel the industry is finally offering more nuanced roles for women, or is there still a gap between perception and reality?

There’s definitely a gap. We’re still not writing enough good roles for women, and most of us are still fighting over very limited parts. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – Women are not just supposed to look pretty on screen. Unfortunately, that’s still what a lot of writing reduces them to. When I watch shows and films from the west, there’s so much more to observe and learn. I’ve almost stopped watching a lot of Indian content because there’s very little depth in how women are written. There are only a handful of truly nuanced roles. Writers and filmmakers need to do better for women.

Danish Pandor with Aahana Kumra

How important is it for you to celebrate peers in an industry that’s often seen as competitive? Case in point being your recent support of fellow actor Danish Pandor.

For me, supporting my peers comes naturally, especially when I’ve seen their work and interacted with them closely. Everyone that worked on Dhurandhar, including Danish, Saumya Tandon, director Aditya Dhar, deserves to be celebrated. When something truly works, people will celebrate it anyway, you can’t hold that back. In fact, after watching the film, I told Aditya that one of the film’s biggest achievements was how it made even the smallest parts noticeable. As for Danish, people are recognising him, messaging him, taking pictures with him. Everyone knows him now, and that, in itself, is such a big success. I’m genuinely very happy for him and I hope he really takes the time to celebrate and cherish this moment.