Chennai, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Filmmaker Madhumita has urged journalists and film reviewers to refer to her simply as a director rather than prefixing the designation with a gender-specific label, saying such categorisation can create preconceived notions about a filmmaker’s work even before a film is made.
Speaking at the trailer launch of her upcoming psychological thriller John Doe, starring Arjun Das, Madhumita said she wanted to explore different genres without being confined by expectations associated with women filmmakers.
“My desire is that I should do films in all genres and leave no genre unexplored. However, the common factor in all of them is the human emotion in them. Human emotion will be the USP of all my films,” she said.
Making a specific appeal to reviewers, she said films should be judged on their merits rather than the gender of their directors.
“When you review a film, please do not say the film by a female director is good or bad. Please write if the film is good or bad alone,” she said.
Madhumita clarified that her request did not mean she was not proud of being a woman. However, she felt that describing filmmakers as female directors could lead to assumptions that they would make only romantic or feel-good films.
Known for the critically acclaimed social drama KD Engira Karuppudurai, Madhumita has co-written the story and screenplay of John Doe with Nicholas Chevaillier.
The film follows the disappearance of a young boy shortly after his family moves to India from Dubai. Arjun Das plays Chandru, a police officer investigating the case alongside Sanchana Natarajan, who plays the female lead. The story takes a darker turn as the investigation progresses.
The film also features Zaara Vineet Chandhoke and Nirav in pivotal roles. Produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni under the Arka Mediaworks banner, with Kishore Kedari and Madhumita as co-producers, it is presented by AGS Cinemas.
The technical team includes music composer Mujeeb Majeed, cinematographer Preetha Jayaraman and editor Vijay Venkataramanan. John Doe is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 13.
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