Prime Video has unveiled the latest edition of the ‘O Womaniya!’ report, highlighting the progress and gaps in female representation across Indian entertainment.

The study, which examines trends across content, creative talent, marketing and corporate leadership, indicates that while certain areas show improvement, the industry still faces significant challenges in achieving equitable representation for women.

According to a Prime Video press release, the ‘O Womaniya!’ 2025 study has been researched and curated by Ormax Media, produced by Film Companion Studios, and supported by the streaming platform.

The report analysed 122 films and series released in 2024 across nine Indian languages — Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gujarati — covering both streaming and theatrical releases to assess industry-wide trends and gaps in female representation.

The findings show that streaming platforms continue to lead the push for more balanced representation both on-screen and behind the camera. ‘The O Womaniya!’ Toolkit, a test introduced last year to measure female representation in content, found that 32 percent of analysed titles passed its criteria this year. Streaming films showed a significant improvement, with 47 percent of titles clearing the test, marking a rise of 16 percentage points over the previous report. Telugu content, which had historically lagged in female representation, also recorded notable improvement, with 31 percent of films and series passing the test after a 21-percentage-point surge.

However, the report also points to a setback in female participation behind the camera. Only 13 percent of head-of-department roles across direction, cinematography, editing, writing and production design were held by women, down from 15 percent in the previous year. The biggest declines were seen in editing and cinematography, while female directors remained limited to just 8 percent of analysed titles. Hindi content showed relatively higher participation in off-camera creative roles, while other languages recorded less than 5 percent representation in most categories.

In marketing, the study found that women accounted for 29 percent of talk time in trailers, a marginal increase from 27 percent in 2022. Streaming films and series demonstrated a stronger trend toward equitable visibility, allocating around 36 percent talk time to female characters in promotional content. Several titles, including ‘Follow Kar Lo Yaar’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Do Patti’, ‘Crew’,’ Heart Beat’, ‘The Tribe’, ‘Naach Ga Ghuma’, ‘Call Me Bae’ and ‘Heeramandi’, ranked high in showcasing stronger female presence.

The report also presents encouraging signs in corporate leadership within India’s media and entertainment sector. Among 110 director and CXO positions analysed across 25 leading companies, female representation rose from 12 percent to 18 percent within a year, reflecting gradual progress toward gender-balanced leadership despite remaining relatively low overall.

Commenting on the findings, Stuti Ramachandra, director and head of production and post for International Originals at Prime Video India, said strong female representation across all levels of storytelling and decision-making remains essential for the industry’s growth. She noted that the report serves as a reminder that meaningful change requires sustained collaboration and continued efforts to create opportunities for women to lead and contribute.

Shailesh Kapoor, founder and chief executive officer of Ormax Media, said the study aims to provide actionable insights to help stakeholders drive gender inclusivity and move from intent to measurable impact. Film critic and producer Anupama Chopra described the report as a call to action for the industry to make space for authentic and diverse female voices.

To further explore the report’s findings, Anupama Chopra hosted a roundtable discussion featuring Bhumi Pednekar, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Rahul Ravindran, Shazia Iqbal, Suresh Triveni and Ramachandra. The panel discussed key issues such as the gap between women-led stories in theatrical releases and streaming platforms, the scarcity of meaningful roles for women, and the broader disconnect between industry intent and action.

Now in its fifth year, ‘O Womaniya!’ continues to spark conversations around gender equity in Indian entertainment, positioning itself as a key industry study tracking both progress and persistent challenges in building a more inclusive creative ecosystem.