Direction, production no more male-dominated: Javed Akhtar

New Delhi: Noted lyricist-poet Javed Akhtar says filmmaking is no more a male-dominated profession as many women are making their mark in direction and production.

The 71-year-old celebrated writer is positive about women succeeding in various departments of cinema and leaving their male counterparts behind.

"Earlier women were restricted to playback singing, acting and hair-make up but today there is no vocation in cinema where we don't have women," Akhtar today said at Urdu festival, 'Jashn-e-Rekhta'.

"No one thought women would direct films. Today there are so many successful movies being directed by women. No one is surprised by it anymore. Production is no more a men's club, it is looked after by women. There are so many great women script writers. I respect them," he added.

Akhtar noted the only section left for women to show their dominance is music composition but he is hopeful that it will also "change soon."

Speaking at a session, 'Zindagi, Aashiqui aur Shayari', the National Award-winning screenwriter said the reason India has lesser female writers than men is because earlier, the fairer sex was not given enough opportunities to succeed.

"Women have written very less, not because they don't have talent but because they were not allowed. So, why is it that no great painter was a woman. It is because she was not allowed. That's the reality. Even today, we have miles to go."