Days before her JioHotstar series Hunkkaar: The Roar drops, the actor explains why she calls herself a feminist without apology and cites Priyanka Chopra Jonas as her template.
Fatima Sana Shaikh isn't shy about calling herself a feminist, and she thinks the word gets treated far worse than it deserves.
Speaking ahead of the September 25 premiere of Hunkkaar: The Roar on JioHotstar, the actor pushed back on the idea that women in the industry should stay quiet about identifying as feminists. "Feminism is treated like a bad word by a lot of people. It's shocking that there are actresses who say they aren't feminists. By being a feminist, I'm not snatching away a man's rights. I'm just asking for equal rights for myself," she said.
Her reference point for how this should actually look is Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Chopra Jonas, in Fatima's telling, has never hidden behind the label and hasn't paid any price for it either. "Priyanka Chopra calls herself a feminist and has a huge male fan base. If your intention is clear and you aren't dumb about it, people will listen to you."
That conversation lands at a fitting moment professionally. In Hunkkaar: The Roar, Fatima plays a police officer investigating a case where a minor, played by Aneet Padda, accuses a spiritual guru of sexual assault. It's a fictional storyline, not a real case, but it's heavy material and the makers seem to have leaned into that weight rather than soften it. Fatima has called the shoot one of the more rewarding stretches of her career, crediting how her character was written and how her performance was handled on set.
A stacked supporting cast
Beyond Fatima and Aneet Padda, the show brings in Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Arjun Mathur and Raghubir Yadav in principal roles. Nitya Mehra and Karan D. Kapadia share directing duties. Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment produce, alongside Purple Pebble Pictures and Mangata Films.
For Aneet Padda, this marks her first significant promotional run since Saiyaara made her one of the most watched new names in the industry. Reports around the trailer launch describe a packed paparazzi turnout for her first public appearance tied to the project. Padda has spoken separately about auditioning for the part at 19 and about how sensitive the material felt to her even then.
Hunkkaar: The Roar streams on JioHotstar this Friday, September 25. Whether the show handles its central assault plotline with the seriousness Fatima describes will be the actual test once viewers get to it, not the interviews leading up to it.
Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.