Mysore/Mysuru: Film critic Maithili Rao, a veteran in the field, expressed her opinion that it is impossible to envision a film without a female character. She shared this viewpoint during an interactive session on the topic “Is the millennial woman more than a buzzword” at the evening session of the Mysuru Literature Festival.

Highlighting the historical context, Maithili Rao noted that until the 1970s, advertising companies gave little importance to women. However, she acknowledged that the situation has significantly improved, with women now prominently featured in most advertisements.

Reflecting on the history of cinema over the past century, Maithili Rao observed that the majority of films were male-dominated, providing limited scope and prominence for female characters and roles. She cited the widespread discussion surrounding actress Vidya Balan’s films, which attract the youth, as evidence of actresses excelling in their roles and matching their male counterparts.

In addition, Maithili Rao discussed various aspects of the world of cinema, such as acting styles, dialogue delivery, dance, songs, stories, and publicity. The session was moderated by Preethi Maroli.