Women Artists and Technicians in the Film Industry - A Study on Legal Rights and Workplace Issues

Abstract

Over the last few decades, the role of women artists and technicians in the film industry has grown considerably, and has helped the creative, technical and commercial development of cinema. Yet, women in the film industry still grapple with significant legal, social and institutional barriers that impact upon their career stability, dignity and equality. The focus of this study is on the legal rights of women artists and technicians in the film industry, and an examination of the problems faced by them in the workplace as part of the general framework of labour rights, gender justice and constitutional protections. The study examines topics like sexual harassment, wage gap, unsafe working conditions, failure to provide a contract, gender discrimination, unequal opportunities for leadership positions, and exploitation in the informal sector. It also analyzes the effectiveness of the existing legal measures such as the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013, labour welfare provisions, constitutional safeguards under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India and judicial intervention to safeguard women workers in creative work. The study also emphasizes the importance of trade unions, production houses and regulatory institutions in guaranteeing safer and equitable workplaces. Emphasizing the need for better enforcement, gender-inclusive policies, and institutional engagement, the paper adopts a socio-legal perspective to highlight the importance of achieving substantive equality and professional dignity for women working in the film industry.