Prakash Jha

The stereotypical portrayal of women in cinema can change only if their representation is more in every aspect of film-making, feels producer-director Prakash Jha. The film industry is dominated by men and the portrayal of women on screen depends on the "male gaze" from behind the camera, he said. "It is the male gaze and social gaze which reflect the cinematic gaze. The male gaze from behind the camera reflects how women are portrayed on screen," Jha said today at a panel discussion during the Difficult Dialogues conference here on the portrayal of gender in cinema. He said the representation of women in every aspect of film making -- like story-telling, writing, directing and cinematography -- is abysmally low.