We Need To Give Women An Opportunity To Showcase Their Talent: Deepshikha Deshmukh

Deepshikha Deshmukh with Kids

A FEMALE PRODUCER WHO WEARS MANY HATS WITH EASE Women, as we know, wear many hats. And one such person is Deepshikha Deshumkh. From being a producer, entrepreneur, wife and a mother, she has been a symbol of strength and courage to many. On International Women?s Day, Deepshikha talks about how she juggles so many hats, producing Bell Bottom during the time of Covid-19, her love for nature and her idea of empowering women.

What is the best thing about being a woman in today's world?

The best thing about being a woman is our ability to multitask and juggle various roles at home and at work with great competence. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a producer, and an entrepreneur and like all women I play every role competently.

It is not possible for most men to juggle as many roles with as much ease. I also love the fact that we are resilient beings and bounce back no matter what life throws at us. In today's world, with all the new paths we are carving for ourselves, I just wish, we gave ourselves more time as we are always the last on our own priority list

You are a daughter, wife, mother, producer, and even an entrepreneur. How do you manage to juggle so many roles?

I have realised, it's best to not go chasing after balance. Being a mother gives you superpowers and makes you a lot more organized. You learn to delegate. You meet your deadlines with time to spare so that you can get home fast to be with your kids and family.

But I make sure I begin and end my day with my kids. I tuck them into bed every night and read to them. That is our nightly ritual and I am also the first person they see when they wake up. We spend all our mornings together before they head to school and then my workday starts. Dhiraj, my husband is also always on an extremely tight schedule, and is always on the go but he too makes it a point to FaceTime the kids when he is away. He spends most of the evenings at home when he is in town. We have managed to create a happy home with two super happy kids who always have one of us around.

As a producer, you'll were the first ones to get into the production with Bell Bottom during the pandemic. Share with us what was the experience like shooting during Covid-19.

The experience was challenging but ultimately rewarding because we pulled it off, against all odds. I am so grateful that in a 60-day schedule, the safety and the health of our unit was not once compromised. We created a safety bubble and quarantined everyone before we even started the film. Post the quarantine, all 200 of us, the entire cast, and the crew only moved in that safety bubble between the set and the hotel. The sets had to be sanitized and surfaces needed to be disinfected frequently. Everybody's temperature levels were constantly monitored and we had to work with social distancing protocols in place. The actors removed their masks only before the camera. We even had our own chefs make sure that the food being served was safe and made in the bubble. To keep this level of meticulous planning going, Jackky, my father, and I made sure that the safety rules were being followed stringently. We were also lucky to have a brilliant team at Pooja Entertainment and the entire production crew was really solid too. We were the first film in the world to start and finish a film during the pandemic, which was gratifying and made us all extra proud.

How did the pandemic experience change you as a producer?

As a producer, the lockdown made me think long and hard about the future of our collective well-being as a race and as an industry. This year, I feel grateful that we are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The industry has gone back to work and to dream and create again. We are releasing our films in theatres though with safety protocols in place. I feel we have emerged stronger and grown even more resilient as an industry. I now see cinema not just from the perspective of a producer but as a person who wants the industry to grow even more organised and prepared for contingencies. And yes we must start telling new stories, leave behind our comfort zone because as we found out in 2020, it doesn't exist.

During the pandemic, you introduced your kids towards organic farming. Your mother-in-law Vaishali Deshmukh looks after the family farm in Latur. Tell us a little more about it.

I am extremely proud and thankful to ‘Aai' who manages the farm and all the produce. At home I fiercely advocate healthy food and makes sure the family has enough of home-grown goodness on the table every day.I have always ensured that my children know about the basics of farming and are aware of the journey the produce undertakes before it reaches their plate. They know now that good farming habits translate into healthy food. If we take care of nature, nature takes care of us and gives us a healthy yield. Plants need loving care and we have to ensure they are nurtured in the right way.

Deepshikha Deshmukh

Do you think the film industry needs more women at the helm?

Absolutely, Why only the film industry i think alll industries need more women. In the film industry We have seen the rapid growth in the way women have taken over pivotal roles in production houses, in technical roles, behind the camera, in think tanks, and in board rooms. I would also like to encourage more and more women in my capacity as a producer

Tell us about your skincare brand Love Organically and your new line Love Veda. How are you taking this initiative forward?

At Love Organically, we are going to launch a lot more products in the wellness space. The pandemic has made us realise how important it is to take care of our health and wellness. Our skin being our largest organ, we must concentrate a lot more on nourishing it and finding natural ways to keep it healthier using the knowledge of the 5000-year-old scriptures of Ayurveda.

We are launching Love Veda -a traditional, holistic product line that is tailor-made to serve your ‘dosha' (one of the three substances present in the body). For years our customers have wanted us to delve deeper and in the past year, we have. Once only the royalty could afford milk and honey baths, or have access to exotic spices and rare herbs. We've taken their secrets and the knowledge as old as time to formulate just what your skin needs.

Can you share a few tips for upcoming women entrepreneurs?

From my own experience, I can say, there will always be a unique set of challenges before you. None of us have everything worked out for us so trust yourself and your ability to solve your own problems. I want every woman to strongly believe that nothing is impossible. Have faith in your dreams and don't let anyone discourage you. Trust that if you work hard, you will achieve anything that you want. All you need is focus and self-belief. And it is okay to fail. The best amongst us have failed and then risen again several times before succeeding. So, go ahead and chase the impossible and make it possible.

As an entrepreneur, you have been conscious about the environment and used your position to champion and voice many cause ? Could u tell us a Little more about this I am humbled that I could bring light to some issues. I try to help however I can and want to continue empowering rural women and spread awareness about climate conservation. I go plastic-free on my film sets and also ensure that we don't use anything toxic in our brand and try to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible either through planting as many trees as possible or by going zero waste. I want to help mother earth to flourish and teach my kids to be good caretakers of the planet because it is the only home we have.

What is your idea of empowerment for women?

In my opinion, to empower women we just have to give them a platform to speak, an opportunity to showcase their talent. That's the most important thing because once you have space, you can create something of value that will be judged for its merit and not for what gender you belong to. Your body of work will speak for you.

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