"Close your eyes and picture a hero." 

Chances are you thought of Shah Rukh Khan, Leonardo Di Caprio, Ranbir Kapoor, Timothee Chalamet, or some other man, right?

We’ve been conditioned to see men as heroes and men’s stories as grand, universal, and worth telling. 

When it comes to pop culture, women’s stories are often put in a box- rom coms, chick flicks, or just ‘niche’. The message is clear: these stories aren’t for everyone. A man’s story is just a story. A woman’s story is a ‘genre.’ But why?

Take Four More Shots Please!—often dismissed as an ‘urban feminist drama’ rather than a relatable story about ambition, relationships, and personal struggles. Workin’ Moms follows four women navigating motherhood, careers, and identity crises—yet it gets boxed into ‘mom drama,’ as if parenting struggles only belong to women. Even Queen, a Bollywood hit about self-discovery, is reduced to ‘girl power.’ A commercially and critically successful film like Laapataa Ladies, which re-examines the portrayal of marginalized women in cinema, is labeled ‘quirky but niche.’ The pattern is clear: women’s stories are treated as if they exist in a bubble, separate from the ‘mainstream’ audience.

This gendering of stories isn’t accidental—it shapes whose narratives are seen as important. When we categorize female-led films as ‘for women,’ we reinforce the idea that men’s perspectives are default, while women’s are optional.

Look at The Kapil Sharma Show, which now streams in 192 countries. Why does it rely on male actors cross-dressing for laughs? Marketed as a family show, its humor often reinforces outdated gender stereotypes. The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix secured the third spot on Netflix’s Global Top 10 list with 2.5 million viewers. But when most of that audience is male, it raises the question: what kind of humor is being promoted, and at whose expense?

Meanwhile, stories about men are simply… stories. James Bond’s escapades aren’t called ‘dude flicks.’ Oppenheimer isn’t labeled a ‘male-centric biopic.’ Marvel movies aren’t dismissed as ‘boys’ fantasy films’—they’re just blockbuster cinema. Male friendship stories like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara find appreciation from all audiences, but you rarely see men celebrating films about female friendship. Women are expected to relate to male-dominated narratives, yet the same courtesy isn’t extended in reverse.

This isn’t just about labels—it’s about visibility, investment, and opportunity. When a film is categorized as ‘women-centric,’ it tells audiences—especially men—that it isn’t for them. It discourages creators from taking risks, leading to fewer diverse portrayals of women on-screen.

And the industry reflects this bias. A 2020 study on gender representation in entertainment found that across 11 countries, only 31% of speaking characters were women.

Just 23% of films featured a female protagonist, closely mirroring the 21% of women filmmakers. In the 92-year history of the Oscars, only five women have ever been nominated for Best Director.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this message is worth a million. Women’s stories are far from niche. They explore ambition, resilience, and identity—universal themes that shape our world. Imagine if Gangubai Kathiawadi had been dismissed as ‘just another women-centric biopic.’ Instead, it dominated the box office, proving that female-led narratives can be powerful and profitable.

So next time someone labels a women-centric movie or show as ‘niche’ take a step back and think. Instead of seeing them as “women’s-experiences” we need to recognize them as human experiences. The shift is small—but the impact? Huge.
After all these stories are powerful, relatable, and deserving of the spotlight. 

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References:

UN Women | Girls on Tops | Speakola

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