American public health expert and human rights advocate Jason A. Zangara has filed a formal complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), accusing the Government of India and leading figures in its film industry of committing ongoing human rights violations against female actors.
According to Zangara’s submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, the Indian film industry — including Bollywood and regional sectors like Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam cinema — has exhibited systemic discrimination based on gender and skin color for more than three decades.
The complaint alleges that India’s government and film regulators have “allowed and enabled a pattern of bias” through inaction, violating international human rights agreements and India’s own constitutional protections.
35 Years of Gender and Color Bias
Zangara’s report, covering 1990 through 2025, draws on data from 250 films and pay records from 120 actors, revealing persistent inequality.
According to the findings:
- 96.8% of lead roles were given to male actors,
- 99.6% of female leads were fair-skinned, and
- Women earned 85–90% less than male co-stars on average.
The complaint lists well-known Indian actresses — including Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Katrina Kaif, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur — as examples of those affected by the alleged bias.
Zangara contends that this pattern of discrimination “undermines dignity, equality, and professional autonomy” and contributes to damaging societal norms for India’s population of 1.4 billion.
Legal Roadblocks in India
Before turning to the United Nations, Zangara filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the Supreme Court of India in April 2025, citing violations of constitutional rights under Articles 14, 15, 19(1)(g), and 21. He says that despite confirmation of delivery, the Court has not acknowledged or processed the case after more than five months. Multiple follow-up emails, letters, and appeals to government officials reportedly went unanswered.
“This lack of action left no choice but to pursue justice through international human rights mechanisms,” Zangara stated in his filing.
Citing Recent Industry Examples
The complaint highlights several recent controversies, including Deepika Padukone’s reported removal from major film projects such as Spirit and the Kalki 2898 AD sequel in 2025 — allegedly after disputes over equal pay, work hours, and maternity accommodations.
Other actresses, including Kriti Sanon, Bhumi Pednekar, Shefali Shah, and Kangana Ranaut, have also spoken publicly in recent years about unequal treatment and pay disparities in the industry.
Call for UN Action
In his cover letter to the UN, Zangara urged the Human Rights Council to open a full investigation into what he describes as “a state-enabled pattern of gender and color-based discrimination” in India’s entertainment industry.
“Systemic gender and color bias in India’s film industry is not just a workplace issue — it’s a human rights crisis,” he wrote.
The complaint names multiple entities, including the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Film Federation of India, and leading studios such as Yash Raj Films and Vyjayanthi Movies, as responsible or complicit through regulatory failures.
