--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Films with female protagonists don't…" description: "\"Films with female protagonists don't attract many eyeballs. Most of them are perceived as feminist films. If Bollywood starts giving women major roles ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg" --- # Films with female protagonists don't attract many… ![“Films with female protagonists don't attract many eyeballs. Most of them are perceived as feminist films. If Bollywood starts giving women major roles in entertaining movies, then the audience, too, will open up to the idea of watching commercial films in which the actresses do more than just play…” quote by Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg) > “Films with female protagonists don't attract many eyeballs. Most of them are perceived as feminist films. If Bollywood starts giving women major roles in entertaining movies, then the audience, too, will open up to the idea of watching commercial films in which the actresses do more than just play the role of the hero's love interest.” [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that Bollywood’s perception of female‑led films as niche limits their audience, but giving women central, entertaining roles can broaden viewer acceptance. **In simple terms:** Female leads are seen as niche, but strong roles can change that. Key Takeaway Create compelling, female‑centric stories to attract wider audiences. Themes gender film industry audience perception representation Mood optimistic challenging Type industry insight social commentary When to use this quote - casting decisions - script development - marketing strategies - audience research Key Concepts feminist cinema market dynamics character agency Questions to Reflect On - How can producers balance commercial appeal with strong female leads? - What barriers exist for audiences to accept women as protagonists? A Different Perspective Changing perceptions may be slow and face entrenched biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [Attract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attract/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Bollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bollywood/) [Commercial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commercial/) [Entertaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertaining/) [Eyeballs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyeballs/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Female protagonists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-protagonists/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Feminist Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist-films-3014080/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [Films Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-actresses-3014079/) [Films Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-female-915047/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open/) [Perceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceived/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Protagonists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonists/) [Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Starts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starts/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Watching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [I have been involved in some films other actresses would not have done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-have-been-involved-in-some-films-other-actresses-would-not-have-done/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I think it killed my sister as the times she was living in were so conformist. This is a subject I really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-think-it-killed-my-sister-as-the-times-she-was-living-in-were-so/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I'd say I got three or four offers for films that had female directors, so in my career I haven't had that opportunity before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-d-say-i-got-three-or-four-offers-for-films-that-had-female/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Oftentimes in films, the female character, if she's not the protagonist - and often, even if she is - feels like an imitation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-thompson/oftentimes-in-films-the-female-character-if-she-s-not-the-protagonist/) [Tessa Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-thompson/) > [ I looked at \[Geena Davis\] research and see things like 21 percent of filmmakers are women, only 31 percent of speaking roles in popular… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-looked-at-geena-davis-research-and-see-things-like-21-percent-of/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [We as women have a voice and we are decision makers in what film to see. We always support our boyfriends and husbands by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/we-as-women-have-a-voice-and-we-are-decision-makers-in-what-film-to/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I've worked with Lars von Trier on many films, and there's always a female character that's like an open wound - everything just pours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-ve-worked-with-lars-von-trier-on-many-films-and-there-s-always-a/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [I don't believe in distinguishing between single-heroine films or those that have more than one female protagonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-batra/i-don-t-believe-in-distinguishing-between-single-heroine-films-or/) [Pooja Batra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-batra/) > [I wish that there were more female driven films, female-centric films being made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-graham/i-wish-that-there-were-more-female-driven-films-female-centric-films/) [Heather Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-graham/) > [I really get fired up with female protagonists. I can really feel the difference in myself when I am writing a script that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-woolverton/i-really-get-fired-up-with-female-protagonists-i-can-really-feel-the/) [Linda Woolverton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-woolverton/) > [We only see female protagonists who are likeable, with one cute flaw, such as adorable clumsiness. I'm fed up with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/we-only-see-female-protagonists-who-are-likeable-with-one-cute-flaw/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [I'm always drawn to female stories with female protagonists, and I particularly yearn for more older actresses to take centre stage in 2018.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-m-always-drawn-to-female-stories-with-female-protagonists-and-i/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I've always read broadly: literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, chick lit, historical, dystopian, nonfiction, memoir. I've even read Westerns. I prefer female protagonists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-ve-always-read-broadly-literary-fiction-sci-fi-fantasy-chick-lit/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Crime is a very hard genre to feminise. If you have a female protagonist she is going to be looking after her mum when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/crime-is-a-very-hard-genre-to-feminise-if-you-have-a-female/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [We "chicks" have munched our popcorn while romantic comedies became just comedies, and then each female protagonist got recast for Mathew McConaughey or Seth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/we-chicks-have-munched-our-popcorn-while-romantic-comedies-became/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) ## More by Bipasha Basu > [I have blind trust in people. Even if that ends up hurting me, I won't change. I will go on trusting people because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-have-blind-trust-in-people-even-if-that-ends-up-hurting-me-i-won-t/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [It's a brutal world out there. If you consider the case of superstar Rajesh Khanna, he was a darling of the masses in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/it-s-a-brutal-world-out-there-if-you-consider-the-case-of-superstar/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I have always believed that if you need to take your clothes off to get your man, you've begun to lose the battle. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-have-always-believed-that-if-you-need-to-take-your-clothes-off-to/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I have been called 'Bongshell' the day I stepped into showbiz. So, any adjective coming my way, I take it positively. Sometimes it's also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-have-been-called-bongshell-the-day-i-stepped-into-showbiz-so-any/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [As a child, I was a brat, and my parents didn't know how to control me. So they told me ghost stories, which stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/as-a-child-i-was-a-brat-and-my-parents-didn-t-know-how-to-control-me/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [When I started out as a model, I took things for granted. Because I bagged work thanks to my looks, I didn't give my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/when-i-started-out-as-a-model-i-took-things-for-granted-because-i/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I would never put on 20 kilos and mess up my system because a role demands it. Hindi cinema doesn't offer you roles that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-would-never-put-on-20-kilos-and-mess-up-my-system-because-a-role/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [An unforgettable experience happened on December 15, 1996 when I won the Supermodel contest while still in school. I was just seventeen years old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/an-unforgettable-experience-happened-on-december-15-1996-when-i-won/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [You don't have to do offbeat films to prove that you can act. I have done it but only to prove myself that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/you-don-t-have-to-do-offbeat-films-to-prove-that-you-can-act-i-have/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I want to do a movie on sports - like a movie on a racer or a marathon runner - as I feel I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-want-to-do-a-movie-on-sports-like-a-movie-on-a-racer-or-a-marathon/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I am so pathetic with machines in real life, it's not a joke. I'd rather walk, or even run, than take the car out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-am-so-pathetic-with-machines-in-real-life-it-s-not-a-joke-i-d/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I can't let the baggage of my private life get into work. Artists are more fragile than normal people. But I know that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-can-t-let-the-baggage-of-my-private-life-get-into-work-artists-are/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [You're born single, you die single, but why not being in a relationship is some special 'single' status, I don't understand. Life is less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/you-re-born-single-you-die-single-but-why-not-being-in-a-relationship/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I was a lady gunda in school. Everyone was scared of me, and I was really short and round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-was-a-lady-gunda-in-school-everyone-was-scared-of-me-and-i-was/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I am very proud of my role in 'Singularity.' It pushed me into the territory of period romance. It was a very emotional and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-am-very-proud-of-my-role-in-singularity-it-pushed-me-into-the/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) [Explore all 53 Bipasha Basu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) ## More Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) [Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Films with female protagonists don't attract many eyeballs. Most of them are perceived as feminist films. If Bollywood starts giving women major roles in entertaining movies, then the audience, too, will open up to the idea of watching commercial films in which the actresses do more than just play the role of the hero's love interest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bipasha Basu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-attract-many-eyeballs-most-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-attract-many-eyeballs-most-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/bipasha-basu-12843_actress_films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-att_319487.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Films with female protagonists don't attract many eyeballs. Most of them are perceived as feminist films. If…” — Bipasha Basu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bipasha Basu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Films with female protagonists don't attract...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-attract-many-eyeballs-most-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/films-with-female-protagonists-don-t-attract-many-eyeballs-most-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```