On the occasion of International Women’s Day, actor Tejasswi Prakash reflected on what freedom means to her as a woman today. In an exclusive conversation with Mid-day, the actor spoke about the journey women have taken over generations to achieve rights that are now often taken for granted, while also acknowledging the privileges she enjoys in her personal and professional life.
Tejasswi Prakash on freedom
Speaking about how the meaning of freedom has evolved over time, Tejasswi said it is deeply personal and shaped by history. “For me, freedom is so subjective, especially for women, right? When we talk about from back in the day, probably not wearing a pallu and just finally getting home and just taking it off or probably finally getting to vote or probably finally getting to do sports or let`s just say, be a pilot or let`s just say, drive or get permission to go out or even freedom to study, freedom for education. There`s so many freedoms that us as women have fought since ages.”
A long battle for women
The actor believes women today are benefiting from the struggles and determination of those who came before them. Reflecting on her own life, she expressed gratitude for the environment she grew up in. “So if you`re asking me what freedom means to me today, I feel like I`ve been blessed with such a free world, especially in the time that we were living in. We have got so much freedom, especially because, again, we come from educated families. Our families are also always okay. In fact, very encouraging of us having education, doing the kind of jobs we`d like to do.”
For Tejasswi, one of the biggest privileges she enjoys today is the ability to make her own choices in her career. “So I am blessed with a lot of freedom, both in my personal life, in my professional life. I get to today have the freedom to choose the kind of roles I want to be doing and be a part of projects that I want to be a part of. That to me is the freedom that I could only hope for and I have it today, so I`m more than thankful.”
Through her reflections, Tejasswi highlighted both gratitude for the freedoms she enjoys today and the long journey women have taken to achieve them.
