Jyotika is gearing up to captivate audiences with her forthcoming series, Dabba Cartel. In an interview the actress, currently busy promoting the show, opened up about the ongoing challenges she faces in the film industry, particularly the discrimination she experiences due to being married to a superstar.
Jyotika Discusses Sexism in the Film Industry
Despite having an extensive career spanning over a decade, Jyotika, who is married to superstar Suriya, shared how casual sexism continues to affect her. She explained, “It feels like an everyday occurrence. Being married to a superstar, I face this every now and then. Even during interviews, when I mention that I feel fortunate to have married Suriya, people respond with how nice he is. But if he says he’s lucky to have married a good woman, it becomes something like, ‘Suriya is such a wonderful guy for appreciating his wife.’ You experience this kind of subtle sexism in even the most trivial situations. For instance, if I buy a car, someone else is expected to handle the buttons and check the features.”
She went on to emphasize that such instances are part of her daily life, and they sometimes make her question her identity. “It’s almost like you reach a point where you feel like you’re losing your sense of self. A woman’s journey to discover her identity often leads her to make many personal decisions on her own, and that’s what guided me in choosing my career.”
Jyotika and Suriya’s Relationship
Jyotika and Suriya first met while working on the 1999 Tamil film Poovellam Kettuppar. After dating for several years, they got married in 2006. Their journey into parenthood began in 2007 with the birth of their daughter, Diya, followed by their son, Dev, in 2010.
Jyotika’s Upcoming Project
Jyotika will star alongside Shabana Azmi, Gajraj Rao, Nimisha Sajayan, Shalini Pandey, Anjali Anand, Sai Tamhankar, Jisshu Sengupta, Lillete Dubey, and Bhupendra Singh Jadawat in the crime drama Dabba Cartel. Directed by Hitesh Bhatia and penned by Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher, the show is set to premiere on Netflix on February 28.
