The right to say no, equality for women in terms of opportunities, pay disparity, making laws women-friendly, and respect for women, are some pertinent issues that actress Anupria Goenka wants to raise and feels concerned for. She wants to inspire and encourage women to recognize and appreciate their own accomplishments, be it small or big, and is game for breaking barriers and lead with courage. “There are many Orthodox traditions and stereotypes that I would like to break with regards to women”, asserted Anupria while she got close and personal with High on Persona and poured her heart out on vivid facets encompassing her own journey of success, achievements, and hardships. She also emphasized issues that are turning to be roadblocks on the route of women empowerment.
There is a distinct side of staidness and profoundness in Anupria Goenka’s demeanor that makes her the most preferred choice for big banners of Bollywood. She has bonded with the most seasoned directors and worked with the finest actors to pull out the most power-packed performances. From sharing the screen as Rani Naagmati with Shahid Kapoor in ‘Padmavat’, directed by legendary filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, to working in the movie, ‘War’ with Hrithik Roshan under Yashraj Banner or working with Bobby Deol while learning the finest nuances of acting from director Prakash Jha and now sharing digital space while essaying the role of a lawyer who assists ace actor Pankaj Tripathi in Hotstar Special Criminal Justice. Anupria has come a long way while remaining selective, headstrong, and versatile. She credits her success to her hard work and intelligence.
I always had good people surrounding me who are more liberal and more forward-thinking. Also, I was always very strong, and I always put my foot down and demanded respect, and was always ready to prove myself with hard work and intelligence. Here are excerpts of the conversation:
ON IDEA OF SPENDING A PERFECT DAY AND CELEBRATING WOMEN’S DAY.
I think every day should be a women’s day because women have such a big contribution to society to their households, families, and just about everyone’s life; they touch the ground they touch. Women are known for their resilience and their empathy for being nurturing and being very headstrong and ambitious at the same point in time, so I really respect a woman for what all she is capable of holding within herself. So I really believe every day should be a women’s day and we should celebrate women around us. And women’s day for me is especially a day when I love to spend a day with my mother and sister. I make sure that I tell them things that generally I wouldn’t end up saying. I tell them how much I love them and what I love them for. And I think the best ideal way to spend women’s day is with my family with both my mother and my sister.
ON FAVOURITE WOMEN IDOL
My idol woman would be my mother because she is someone who has nurtured me, who has always been my friend, someone that I can completely depend on for being there for me and loving me unconditionally. I respect her a lot because she has seen a lot in life, but still, she knows how to smile through it, and she keeps her innocence and empathy alive through all of it. And all her life experiences have only made her better and not bitter, so I really appreciate her ability to smile and laugh and see the joy in everything.
QUESTIONS SHE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE ON WOMEN’S DAY FOR WOMEN
First would be Equality, Equality in all measures, be it the place in society, being considered equal to men in terms of capability, pay Disparity, for inheritance in one family assets. Equality in terms of opportunity available to women in the society and resources made available to them.
Another would be – Pay Disparity, and I hope we start addressing this issue immediately, and within the next few years, this gap would be nullified because it is a very potent problem as for the same kind of job women and men are paid very differently in the workplaces, so I hope this problem is addressed and taken into consideration and solved on immediate basis.
The third would be – The Right To Say No, it is a woman’s choice and right to her own body, be it in a relationship, in a marriage, or outside of it. It is completely her right to say yes or no. Any physical relationship has to be consensual, and this needs to be emphasized in our households, around us all, and in our societies.
And the Fourth would be – Respect For Women. It all comes from Equality, treating them as equals, treating them as human beings and not as property, making laws more women-friendly, be its domestic laws or laws which affect their work and opportunities made available to them.
ON ORTHODOX TRADITIONS AND STEREOTYPES THAT NEED TO BE BROKEN
There are many Orthodox traditions and stereotypes that I would like to break with regards to women –
One is Child Marriage.
Second is Considering Women as Property wherein they are many times aligned with the honor of the family that works very negatively for them. They have the right to choose what they want to be in their lives and what they want to do, whether they want to pursue work or settle in their personal lives; it has to be their choice.
The third is that women can not be nurturers while also being ambitious, I would like to break that stereotype. I believe that they can do it all, given the right support.
Fourth, a married woman becomes a symbol of just someone who needs to be there for her husband physically and be the nurturer in the family to raise kids. I believe there is so much more to her identity, and everyone in the family is responsible for curbing it.
For women to have to bear a male child, that is another one. First of all, I still think that knowledge is not more rampant even in the 21st century that it is not a women’s fault or it is not a question of her capability to be birthing a male child or a female child, and both should be as welcomed in any household because eventually, you need a woman to carry forward your lineage anyways. You need a woman to create a balanced society and it is a role of a woman to hold a household together or a family together that can not be more emphasized upon. We have already seen that they are better workers at the workplace. They are more diligent, more capable, and can multitask better.
So yeah, many such traditions and stereotypes are attached to women that need to be broken.
ON ROADBLOCKS SHE FACED DURING HER OWN JOURNEY
Well, I faced certain roadblocks in terms of my acting career, also when I was a part of the business fraternity right after school with my dad, or when I went into the corporate structure as well. Luckily, I always had good people surrounding me who are more liberal and more forward-thinking. Also, I was always very strong, and I always put my foot down and demanded respect and was always ready to prove me with hard work and intelligence, so it worked for me but having said that you do get unwanted attention around you, you are considered the weaker sex many a time, and you have to break the barrier and prove yourself time and again. one has to be precautious in terms of how they are dealing with someone and sometimes have a very straight face kinda straight cutthroat kind of personality and not be free with their being when you are outside in this world because there is always a fear of inviting unwanted attention. As a large generation of women has been fighting this, I hope we can create a place wherein men and women can be treated equally, and there can be more freedom between them, and more trust can be built along the way.
ON DEALING WITH HATEFUL COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
I have developed a way by not paying attention to hateful comments on social media, and I try not to take them personally. I also try to continue to put my point forward in the most respectful way possible, and I am always open to a dialogue. I really believe that one can agree to disagree, and you do not need to be vicious or mean to one another. I try to address the problem in the best way possible, and I also try to give what I would want to receive.
ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE
If I have to maintain a work-life balance, I try to spend time with my family whenever I get some free time. I try to get some time for myself daily for my meditation, my workouts, and recreational activities. I am making it a point that every day I should be growing personally and professionally by being there for my loved ones and understanding what is truly important for me in my life.
MESSAGE FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
You, as a woman, are extremely special. God has gifted you so much; with internal beauty, with resilience like no other, with the ability to nurture, and multitask, be resilient, be empathetic and loving, and be extremely strong. So please do see yourself for who you are, do not be afraid, go out and chase your dreams, do not let anybody block you, and change the world around you. Asking for what you deserve is very important. And I think more and more participation from women in workplaces and industrial front and the corporate front would only make a better working atmosphere for everyone around and make work so productive as well. So please go out and contribute to yourself as well.
MOVIES ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SHE WOULD LIKE TO WATCH
One is Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, which I truly love. It is a beautiful story, another would be Astitva which starred Tabu, and the third would be Mirch Masala. I just love the movie and all the women who were part of it and the way all the characters were shaped and built upon.
HOW DOES SHE PLAN TO EMPOWER WOMEN
I hope that through my work, not just my acting work but also through simply being who I am. I can inspire few women around me or my fans to pursue what they want to pursue in their lives and fulfill their dreams and ambitions to stand for who they are and to explore themselves fully because that is what I continue to do through everything I do in life be it being a part of the corporate world in business as well as now in acting which is more of artistic space. Everywhere I have discovered something new about myself. So I think it is very important to explore oneself, and in terms of acting through the kind of work I do and plan to do, like criminal justice season 2, where we spoke about Domestic Abuse and highlighted it, was a very significant work for me because of the important issue it was talking about, and I hope I get to do many such projects which highlight some of the social issues in our society especially with regards to women.