Make up women face gender discrimination
When women in other professions have broken the glass ceiling (read male-dominated segments) to race ahead in their chosen careers, Andhra Pradesh Make-Up Artists Union is stuck in a time-wrap and has declined to issue card of ‘Chief Make-up Woman’ to seasoned make-up artist Shobha Lata and sitting over her renewal application for last 14 years
Hyderabad: When women in other professions have broken the glass ceiling (read male-dominated segments) to race ahead in their chosen careers, Andhra Pradesh Make-Up Artists Union is stuck in a time-wrap and has declined to issue card of ‘Chief Make-up Woman’ to seasoned make-up artist Shobha Lata and sitting over her renewal application for last 14 years.
Despite having the achievement of being the first chief make-up woman of Indian cinema way back in 1980s but when she applied for renewal in AP union when industry has shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad, she was de-promoted and was issued a card of just a make-up woman but she hasn't given up her fight and making rounds to the union office with no mood to give up.
"It has been a long long struggle but I don't want to give it up until I get my Chief make-up woman card. Although, I am proud to claim to be the first Chief Make-up Woman Chief in India cinema in the late 80s but when I applied for renewal with Andhra Pradesh Make-up Union when we shifted to Hyderabad from Chennai, they cited a few bye-laws and de-promoted me and issued a just make-up artist card and ill-treated me," says Shobha , who worked for big producers like K S Rama Rao, Ramanaidu and has been the personal make-up artist to actors like senior Naresh, Aamani and Seetha.
She lost her career and huge sums of money, due to this discrimination against woman professionals. "It’s nothing but male-chauvinistic attitude of union members than anything else, which affected my career prospects for more than a decade. But I am fighting it for the next generation women, who should get the recognition. Even courts have dismissed those non-existent byelaws but still I am waiting my coveted card," she adds.
Apart from Shobha, the gender discrimination has affected the career prospects of two other more make-up woman in Bollywood and Kollywood too. Sharu (Mumbai) and Bhanu (Chennai) also suffered insults on sets and Mumbai Make-up Union imposed fine on Sharu for working without their permitted union chief card. “Court came down heavily on the Mumbai union and directed them to issue chief post card immediately,” reveals Shobha, who also reminds about her other colleague Bhanu, in Chennnai, who was reportedly, sent out from shooting, while doing make-up for cricketer Kapil Dev for an ad campaign. With support of superstar Kamalhassan and Rajnikanth , she is recommended for the card. “I had no such luck, I am left fighting alone for years,” she rues.
By:BVS Prakash
