“Indiawaali Maa” actress Sucheeta Trivedi is not someone who just plays strong and powerful characters on-screen, even off-screen she is known for expressing her opinions without any fears or judgement. And she feels there is a need to talk about the hardships that a female hairdresser goes through.
Addressing their plight, she said, “There are very few female hairdressers who want to work in the film industry because the job here comes with a 14-16 hours shift. Now imagine if someone is taking up this work that mean they must be in a dire need that’s why they leave their kids, family and home for such long hours. To begin with they need to have a card which allows them to work in the industry, and to get that card they need to pay around Rs.1 lakh. If someone has that kind of money, why will they sweat for 14-16 hours?”
“Someone who takes the local trains and buses to commute, who can’t even afford to travel in an auto, where will they get one lakh from? If the industry can talk about women empowerment and encouraging women then the first thing that needs to be done is that their committee should reduce the charges of that card, and make it affordable to more such women who want to make an identity for themselves,” she added.
The “Baa Bahoo Aur Baby” actress further stressed that these hairdressers are many a time deprived of basic amenities on the sets.
“They need to get the artists ready on time, so if the shoot begins at 9 a.m. they need to get the actors ready before that and many a times they miss their breakfast because of it. Then they need to be present during shots and even then when they ask for tea, it’s mostly delayed or ignored,” she said.
“Some of these women try to be cordial with the spot boys so that they can get at least a cup of tea, but they are quickly judged on that and are looked down upon,” she added asking “Why do you have this partial attitude towards them?”
Sucheeta went on to say there are a handful of production houses who treat them well, but most of them don’t even count a hairdresser a part of their crew. She added, “I have seen that many a times when the stylist leave, these hairdressers help us in getting ready or change, they do a lot of other work too, but if they are seen talking to someone they will be immediately taunted for that, I feel this should change.”
“If you can’t acknowledge their work at least give them a little respect. This is the least they expect and I want the industry to give more respect to the female hairdressers and a promise that they will be treated well. They are one of us and will always be,” Sucheeta concluded.
