Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anushka Sharma and Alia Bhatt – 4 Indian actresses who shook up Bollywood by founding their own film production companies
A-list Bollywood actresses like Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma, who own lucrative production houses and make their own films, are perhaps the most powerful women in the Indian film industry today – here’s what they’ve achieved so far
Bollywood employs nearly a quarter of a million people, but when it comes to the upper echelons of the industry, the major decision makers are mostly men.
But not entirely – here’s a quick primer on the top female celebs who are shaking up the status quo by setting up their own film production companies.
Anushka Sharma
Last year, actress Anushka Sharma was the only Bollywood celeb featured on Fortune India’s top 50 list of the “Most Powerful Women of 2019”. Sharma started her career in 2008, transitioning from model to leading lady at the age of 20.
What sets Sharma aside is understanding that power in Bollywood meant equity, if not equality. Her company, Clean Slate Films, was formed when she was just 25. Instead of making big budget bonanzas, she produced moderately priced indie films, such as NH10, Phillauri and Pari. Each film found its own watermark at the box office, ensuring that her company stays afloat in increasingly difficult times.
Furthermore, Clean Slate Films has tied up with Netflix to produce a film. The actress, who is expecting her first child in January, is reportedly working on a web series, and is linked up with Amazon Prime Video for another show.
Deepika Padukone