News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know T he Hollywood Reporter India’s secondWomen in Entertainment Power List brought together some of the most influential women from across the industry on Wednesday evening. The event celebrated women work- ing in film, television, music, digital platforms, and new media. Several well-known faces from the film industry attended the event, including Guneet Monga, Kiran Rao, Sonam Bajwa, Nitan- shi Goel, and Sayani Gupta. Speaking about the importance of such recognition and the current sce- nario for women filmmakers, producer Guneet Monga shared that the numbers are still low and more support is needed. “If you look at the stats, around 2,500 films are made every year, and less than 7 per cent are directed by women. So recognition like this is very important so that more women can get opportunities,” Monga told ANI. Filmmaker Kiran Rao spoke about how things have changed over the years and how more women are now part of the industry in different roles. “A lot has changed. When I started in the film industry, there were very few women on sets. Today, 25 years later, we have women directors, producers, cinema- tographers, writers, composers, it’s very different now. It will continue to change, and I hope it does,” she said. Actor Sonam Bajwa shared her hap- piness on being included in the list and also spoke about the recent blockbuster film ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge.’ She said, “I feel really good. For me, it’s a big deal to be included in this list.” Talking about ‘Dhurandhar 2’, the actress added, “I’ve seen the film, and I really liked it. I want to congratulate the whole team because it’s broken all records and is doing amazingly well.” ‘Laapataa Ladies’ fame Nitanshi Goel spoke about the importance of celebrat- ing women and how cinema is changing. She said, “This event is to celebrate wom- en in cinema, and some very inspiring women are present here today. Cinema has changed a lot in terms of storytelling, characters, and overall filmmaking.” Actor Sayani Gupta shared that while things have improved, there is still a long way to go. She said, “Things have changed, but I feel it hasn’t changed as much as it should. There’s still a lot to improve. But this space and event remind us that better times are coming, and maybe we’ll get even more opportunities in the future.” Meanwhile, talking about the event, from actors and filmmakers to produc- ers and creators, the evening focused on recognising women who are making their mark and opening doors for others in the industry. -ANI Kiran Rao, Guneet Monga And Others Reflect On Women’s Growth In Film Industry At Power List 2026 PHOTO:ANI PHOTO:ANI Entertainment News India Times (March 28, 2026 - April 3, 2026) April 3, 2026 27 IFFD 2026: Sharmila Tagore Receives Lifetime Achievement Award, Says Age Brings “Freedom To Act Better” V eteran actor Sharmila Tagore highlighted the creative freedom that comes with age as she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening of the International Film Festival of Delhi 2026, saying she considers her recent Bengali film ‘Puratawn’ among her finest works. “It feels great, it feels absolutely great, because it gives an opportunity for people in Delhi to see different kinds of films, different language films. Like one of my Bengali films, Puratawn, 2025 film will be screening on the 29th, which we did, that was my last film a few years ago, not even a few, I mean, it’s a recent film. And I’m very happy I’ve done it, it’s very age appropriate, and it’s, I think, one of my best, if not the best,” Tagore told the media. Expanding on her experience working on the film, Tagore underscored how age has influenced her craft. “Because, you know, there’s so much freedom that comes with age, and, you know, you don’t have to really look pretty, and, you know, your face is not so much. So you can act so much better with freedom. So, I’m very happy about the film,” she said. The actor, who has had a celebrated career spanning decades, also expressed gratitude for being honoured at the festival and for the screening of her film as part of the tribute. “I’m very happy, of course, I’m very happy and ap- preciate and grateful that they’re doing this for me, and, yes. I want to tell you that Delhi is the capital of India, so, you know, people are very interested, so I’m sure they will enjoy it,” she added. The International Film Festival of Delhi 2026 opened onWednesday evening at Bharat Mandapam. The red carpet saw attendance from several promi- nent names, including Arjun Kapoor, Nimrat Kaur, Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Lauren Gottlieb, Kangana Ranaut, Vivek Oberoi, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Arvind Swamy, among others. The ceremony began with a tribute marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, setting a cultural tone for the evening. The inaugural lamp was lit by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta along with ministers Kapil Mishra and Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, and actors Hema Malini, Kangana Ranaut and Sharmila Tagore. Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Tagore, the late legendary actor Dharmendra, and Balakrishna, recognising their contributions to Indian cinema. The festival opened with Sirat, directed by Oliver Laxe, a Cannes Jury Prize winner and Academy Award nominee, setting an international tone for the inaugural edition. Organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transport De- velopment Corporation in association with the Delhi government, the festival will run until March 31, featur- ing screenings, masterclasses, panel discussions and cultural events. -ANI