New ad film focuses on pregnancy bias in corporate world

New Delhi, Dec 4: Fashion portal Myntra whose ad film earlier this year dwelt on the 'social taboo' of homosexuality today released another short film starring Bollywood's Radhika Apte highlighting pregnancy-based discrimination at workplace.

The film titled "The Calling" for Anouk forms the sequel to the ethnic wear brand's trilogy of films "Bold is Beautiful" that dealt with other social issues such as single parenting, eve-teasing and women's relationship choices.

The new film is a tight narrative of two minutes that takes place in a drive after work when Uma, a senior architect drops her pregnant colleague Shaheen (played by Radhika Apte) home.

En route Shaheen confronts Uma on the discrimination she is facing at work due to her pregnancy, for which Uma (played by Shernaz Patel) is largely responsible.

By the end of the film, Shaheen eloquently delivers the message that she can manage both roles of being a mother and an architect with aplomb.

The two minute long film is set to be aired across digital platforms starting today.

"I truly believe in the brand's philosophy of celebrating the bold and beautiful attitude of Indian women. I loved the simple yet powerful script and felt myself being completely involved in narrating the story of a pregnant woman who takes her choices very seriously and defends them feistily. It's very important for women to do that," Apte said in a statement.

Apte attempts to personify women who when considering maternity are at their most vulnerable state of their careers, with many corporates handling a pregnant woman's insecurities in the most callous and discriminating manner.

Manish Aggarwal, VP,MARKETING , Myntra Fashion Brands, said, "Anouk is for the modern Indian woman of today. Taking the topical short film approach forward, we wanted to communicate the brand message of 'Bold is Beautiful' in a non- intrusive manner through a real, slice of life story."

The film, he said exemplifies how the Indian woman can voice herself, express her identity and craft her own destiny.

"It is more about individualism than feminism," he said.

Commenting on the new TV commercial, Abhishek Verma, Head, Myntra Fashion Brandssays said, "We see Anouk as the bridge between the old and the new, not just in terms of the apparel we design, but the attitude associated with the brand. All our short stories clearly bring out the essence of the brand while celebrating the modern Indian women."