Being brought up by three women Rom Bhimana thinks that women are the best decision makers. They are selfless and achieve great things. Rom Bhimana tells us what made him do the film Swashakthi and his thoughts on women empowerment.
What prompted you to make a film on women?
All through my life I have been motivated by women. I was brought up by three women, my mother and my two sisters. They have been very affectionate and we bond amazingly. Women have been selfless and they have not got credit which is long due to them. This has been a cause of concern and I thought of making a film on women. Four different stories and how they face challenges that are thrown at them. I personally know various problems faced by women today.
What is women empowerment according to you?
To me if women are at the helm of affairs and make key decisions without any inhibitions then that is real women empowerment. All decisions regarding their career, education, marriage, should be taken by them without any fear. Also there is financial freedom and self-esteem, which are of great importance. This has to be boosted as well.
In your life, could you relate to any instances where women were either celebrated or oppressed?
The beauty of women is they achieve great things but they write them off as menial things. They run homes and multi-task, but they think this is regular stuff. It isn’t easy, as one thinks it to be. Come to think of it they are actually the king makers. In Telugu there is a song which translates to “even god is a son to some mother”. My mother and sisters are my true inspiration. They are the ones who taught me that women have to be respected.
Tell us about personal women icons who made a difference to the society or to you ?
Without a doubt it is my mother. She is the one who has empowered me and made me what I am today. She raised three children alone and educated us. My father passed away soon and she strived really hard to give us a good living.
How should society go about enabling women to be empowered?
Gender diversity is there in some fields. This should happen more often. My team has many women working in different departments. For example, Avani Chaturvedi has become the first women fighter pilot. This is amazing. Women themselves should come forward. I always want women to be in top posts as they are the best decision makers. Society should not hinder this process because this is their right.