Mumbai, September 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh has spoken candidly about sexism and deeply entrenched patriarchal attitudes in the film industry, saying women often have to challenge social conditioning to make their voices heard.
Speaking at the trailer launch of her upcoming courtroom drama “Hunkkaar—The Roar,” the Dangal actress said patriarchy should not be viewed solely as a problem created by men, as women are also part of a system that has been deeply embedded in society.
“Patriarchy is not only the fault of men. There are also women in it. They are also included. It internalizes. And we are all born in the same conditioning. And we have to fight it,” Shaikh said, acknowledging how deeply rooted such attitudes are.
Sharing an experience from the film industry, she recalled attending meetings where she was presented with female-centric stories focused on women finding their voices and dealing with issues of empowerment and social politics.
However, Shaikh said she had also encountered situations where, despite the subject being centred on women, she was the only woman in the room. She described the contradiction of being expected to discuss women’s experiences while having her own views dismissed.
She recalled instances where women’s responses to violence were explained to her by others, with her perspective being met with inappropriate jokes or what she described as “mansplaining.”
According to Shaikh, confronting such attitudes requires women to assert themselves rather than remain silent.
“You have to learn to stand up for yourself and fight,” she said.
In “Hunkkaar—The Roar,” Shaikh plays a no-nonsense police officer in the courtroom drama. The series is produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment in association with Priyanka Chopra’s Purple Pebble Pictures and Mangata Films Production.
Directed by Karan D. Kapadia and Nitya Mehra, the series is scheduled to stream on JioHotstar from September 25.
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