Shibani Dandekar: We have to pave the way for women who come after us

Actor Shibani Dandekar is not disappointed that there is still a lot to be done and achieved when it comes to empowering women, and says it is important to keep looking forward instead of nitpicking.

“The whole thing about women empowerment is like a double edged sword. You kind of have to think of all the progress that we have made over the years, and then sometimes you think, ‘man, we are just not moving fast enough’,” Dandekar shares.

The 41-year-old adds, “One has to just take the positives out of it, and try and focus on that, rather than thinking about how we’re still struggling and fighting”.

“Should this be a fight at all? No, it absolutely shouldn’t. But we are making progress. We have been given a voice. We have been given a platform. We need to do whatever it is that we can. We are paving the way for the women that come after us. There’s a certain sense of responsibility,” she adds.

Dandekar, who last appeared in a segment of anthology Love In The Times Of Corona, continues, “We think we just have to keep pushing forward, rather than just letting the fact that it’s taking so long hold us back”.

She feels every woman goes through a struggle, and deals with societal stereotypes.

“We all ask ourselves, why do we even have to deal with this? But then we have to think about all the women that came before us for much tougher battles. Take some sort of comfort in knowing that it’s a little bit easier for us today, and be a bit appreciative of that”.

It’s also important to be proud of what they have achieved to be able to get us to this point. “And use that to keep on pushing forward. That’s all we can do. There are little girls out there who want to live in a different world, and we have a responsibility to make that happen. My team is filled with young girls. We have to think about fighting the good fight”.

On the work front, Dandekar is also working on expanding her horizon as a producer, and says, “I have created a web show, which will go into pre-production at some point later this year. It is really exciting, fulfilling, gives me a lot of joy, and feeds my soul”.