MAM
Women lead just 13 per cent of key creative roles in Indian cinema: O Womaniya! 2025 study
Telugu content shows sharpest rise in female representation
MUMBAI: Prime Video has released the latest edition of O Womaniya!, its annual study tracking female representation in Indian entertainment, showing uneven progress across content, creative roles, marketing and corporate leadership.
The 2025 report analysed 122 films and series released in 2024 across streaming and theatrical platforms in nine Indian languages. Researched by Ormax Media and produced by Film Companion Studios, the study remains one of the most comprehensive audits of gender representation in the industry.
According to the findings, only 32 per cent of titles passed the O Womaniya! content test, which measures whether women have agency and drive their own stories. Streaming films showed a marked improvement, with 47 per cent clearing the test, up 16 percentage points from the previous year, while theatrical releases continued to lag.
Telugu-language titles, historically among the weakest performers in female representation, recorded the sharpest improvement, rising 21 percentage points to 31 per cent. The report also found that while women-commissioned projects performed better, gains among male-commissioned titles underlined the importance of male allies in closing the equity gap.
Behind the camera, progress stalled. Women held just 13 per cent of head-of-department roles across key creative functions, down from 15 per cent last year. Representation fell most sharply in editing and cinematography, while only 8 per cent of titles featured a female director.
Marketing remained skewed. Women accounted for just 29 per cent of trailer dialogue time, though streaming titles continued to allocate higher visibility than theatrical releases.
At the corporate level, female representation in director and CXO roles across leading media and entertainment firms rose to 18 per cent, up from 12 per cent last year: a modest but notable gain.
Prime Video India director and head of production and post, international originals Stuti Ramachandra, said balanced representation was essential for storytelling that resonates at scale. Ormax Media founder and CEO Shailesh Kapoor said the report aimed to move the industry from intent to measurable impact.
Five years since its launch, O Womaniya! continues to frame the debate on gender equity in Indian entertainment, highlighting progress in pockets while underscoring how far the industry still has to go.
MAM
Republic Media Network appoints Mohit Dhamne as group CEO
Founding member elevated as network reports 149 million monthly digital users
NEW DELHI: Republic Media Network has appointed Mohit Dhamne as its group chief executive officer, elevating a founding member who has been part of the organisation since its inception in 2016.
Dhamne’s rise within the network has been steady and multi-layered. He began as head of finance, later taking on responsibilities as company secretary and EVP (Finance), before being elevated to chief financial officer in December 2023. In his new role, he will now oversee the group’s overall strategic and operational direction.
The network described him as a key architect of its evolution into one of India’s leading broadcast and digital news platforms. He brings cross-functional expertise spanning finance, law and management, backed by qualifications as a chartered accountant, company secretary, and a postgraduate management degree from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Congratulating him, Arnab Goswami said Dhamne has been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s growth journey since inception. He added that the founding team’s shared experience and leadership framework will help the network pursue new opportunities and scale further.
The appointment comes at a time of strong momentum for the network. Over recent months, Republic has expanded its core business team by 30 per cent and strengthened its leadership structure with senior executives managing defined revenue portfolios across platforms.
On the digital front, Republic Digital has reported 149 million monthly users, according to Comscore data, reinforcing its position as one of India’s most widely consumed digital news offerings.
The growth has also been supported by expansion in its integrated brand solutions division, Republic Brand Studio, as the network continues to build a more diversified revenue ecosystem.
With this leadership transition, Republic Media Network is positioning itself for its next phase of expansion, combining broadcast strength with accelerating digital scale.
