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.