“Why should a heroine be considered big only because she has acted with Rajinikanth?” asks Andrea

Andrea Jeremiah who participated in a panel discussion recently for Women’s Day has called out the double-standards and gender discrimination in the industry.

“There is something that I learned recently. I did a film called Taramani, I don’t know how many of you have watched it. After Taramani, I haven’t signed a single film yet. Not a single film. Whereas a girl who acts opposite Vijay and does nothing except comes and dances for three songs, if the film releases and it’s a hit she will sign three-four film consecutively. Why after Taramani, where everybody loved the film, everybody raved about my performance – I am yet to sign a film. Because when a woman does a strong role that asks uncomfortable questions and she says ‘Hello, I am not happy to be a pretty young thing on screen.’ I want to do more than that. Yes, I can look hot and sexy and I can act also. So, write roles for me and don’t ask me to come on screen and jiggle my butt and wear revealing clothes and be happy with that,” she said.

“Even a Deepika Padukone had to do a film with Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor to become a Deepika Padukone. A Nayanthara has to do films with Vijay, Ajith, Suriya, Rajinikanth and then she becomes Nayanthara. Why can’t an Andrea just do good strong roles and become an Andrea? Why does the worth of an actress have to be determined by her co-stars? Why should a heroine be considered big only because she has acted with Rajinikanth?” Andrea added.