Former journalist Nidhi Vasandani is keeping herself busy traveling across India, making vlogs for her YouTube channel and making the audience aware about the hidden gems in the country. When she is not doing that, she is talking to celebrities on her podcast and sharing their perspective with the world. Recently actress Maninee De came on her podcast, and Nidhi asked her a question that often comes up around women working in television.
To Maninee, she asked whether the industry is genuinely safe and respectable for them. She replied, “Is the TV industry safe and respectable for women? Yes, it is. Is there any credit? Yes, there is.”
She was quick to point out that the presence of both good and bad people is not unique to her field alone. She said, “Look, in every field, in every profession, there are some professional, some unprofessional, some dirty, some cheap, some very good people. In every industry. I am sure of yours as well. Everyone gets it.”
Maninee went on to stress that this mix of people exists everywhere, and singling out the television industry would not be fair. She said, “Everyone gets it. Yes, everyone gets it. So, it cannot be said that only our industry has such people.”
What she believes sets her industry apart, however, is the sheer visibility that comes with working in front of a camera. She said, “Because our industry is more optics-ruled.” And it is seen more. Yes, it is seen more. Big screen or small screen. People see it daily as well. Yes, absolutely.”
Despite that constant visibility and scrutiny, Maninee remained confident in the resilience that women in the industry have built over time. She said, “But I think we become so hardcore that we know how to navigate our path very well.”
