Her new show, Do You Wanna Partner, stars Diana Penty as a marketing whiz who quits a sexist workplace to launch a beer startup. In conversation with Hindustan Times ahead of the show’s release, the actor says many of the incidents in the show were relatable and had real-life parallels.

As an actor, you want to be known for more than your looks

In the show, despite being proficient at her job, her character is reduced to being the attractive front and is asked to smile. Drawing up a small example of how female actors are similarly reduced to being known for just their looks, Diana says, “When you are introduced on stage, for example, the adjectives are always ‘the most stunning’, ‘the most beautiful’. It lacks depth. It’s great that people are being polite and complimenting your looks. But, as a woman, you’d hope it goes beyond that. You hope that as an actor, you can be known not just for that, but also for your craft and your performance. There is so much more to us. To only be called beautiful, stunning, or effervescent is great, but not enough.”

On female actors in 30s being bracketed into mom roles

In the show, an amusing scene shows Diana and her co-lead, Tamannaah Bhatia, ambushing Neeraj Kabi (who plays a liquor baron). As Tamannaah’s character, barely in her 30s, calls Neeraj’s 50-something-year-old uncle, he calls her aunty instead. Diana agrees that even this has a real-life parallel in many men not wanting to act their age.

We point out how many leading actors in films still play heroes in their 60s, while female stars are reduced to playing mothers in their 30s. “Mother of three,” interrupts Diana. When asked how female actors fight this status quo, Diana responds, “It’s not a fight but something we don’t even bother getting into. One has come to accept over a period of time that this is what it is. It’s working for everybody. So, it’s almost like, who are you to interfere in that process? I have never fought this, but made my own decisions about whether I want to be a part of something like that or not. That is the best way to deal with it.”

Do You Wanna Partner is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.