CHENNAI : Krupa GE, a columnist of Cinema Express — the cinema division of The New Indian Express, won the Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity 2017, under the Print - English (Best Column) category for her weekly column about cinema, Ms. Representation.
Krupa says that the column that looks at cinema through the prism of gender portrayal was born out of a question that kept at her. “Though I love Indian commercial cinema, the way women were portrayed in such films made me wonder if filmmakers ever thought of women in the audience. Do they know or care that women are watching the film?” she asks.
The award cites her columns for The New Indian Express as highlighting gender nuances in films that one might not otherwise have observed. It also adds that Krupa’s column for Cinema Express raises questions about deep-seated stereotypes, and applauds those films that break gender barriers. A year since her column’s inception, Krupa shares that film writers sometimes reach out to her in response to her columns. “Many times, filmmakers share the Cinema Express column on social media when I have good things to say. When I pan a film though, there is usually complete silence,” says Krupa, who adds that the reception from readers of her column has been heartwarming.
Talking about the importance of this column in Chennai Express, the awardee says, “Filmmakers recognise the existence of such a column. When a national newspaper shows interest in highlighting gender issues in films, it carries weight.”