International Women's Day Interview: Tara Kapur, CMO, Supari Studios

Name: Tara
Kapur

Age: 31
City: Mumbai, India
Occupation: CMO, Supari Studios

ST: Please tell us briefly about you.

Tara: A media professional with 9 years of experience in the
industry in India – from television journalism, feature programming, branded
films and original content. Besides work, I love being outdoors – I enjoy
travelling and am an avid runner, having completed several marathons and
ultra-marathons over the past few years.

ST: Who is a woman that inspires you the most
and why?

Tara: The
biggest inspiration for me would be my sister, Jaya. I have seen her work ethic
and drive towards her job, and have seen her grow and achieve success with
anything that she puts her mind to. At the same time she’s someone who
has balanced her personal life with family, running a house and maintaining
relationships with everyone around. I have a lot to learn from how she manages
her life.

ST: How are you celebrating this year’s
International Women’s Day?

Tara: This
Women’s Day, I am celebrating the one year anniversary of our female-centric
YouTube channel – Vitamin Stree. Last year we released a powerful video called
‘What Were You Wearing’ around women’s day, and there has been no looking back
for the channel since then. ‘What Were You Wearing’, addressed the issue of
victim-blaming in a very bold and thought-provoking manner; our fitness anthem
‘Fit Is Not a Body Type’, took on the issue of body image and has eventually
led to a fundraising initiative for Maharashtra’s Wheelchair Basketball team;
and our educative content has helped raise awareness around birth control,
women’s rights, health and fitness.

ST: What is the most important
message you want to send out to all the women around the world on this
occasion?

Tara: Never settle.

ST: What according to you is ‘women
empowerment’?

Tara: I
think women empowerment is all about independence and having the ability to
speak up and have your voice heard. It is about equality, and having an equal
footing in all aspects of life – be it work, marriage, family or in society as
a whole.

ST: What would you say are the main
challenges facing women at present in India?

Tara:
The
issue of gender is still deeply entrenched in the fabric of Indian society.
Whether it’s in terms of safety, sexuality, health, education or equal
opportunity – there’s a huge amount of progress that needs to be made here in
India. Growing up in this environment, gender issues has always a central topic
of conversation in my life. The paradox that exists in the country, especially
around gender, is confusing to say the least. There are Indian women smashing
the glass ceiling, yet the participation gap of women simply entering the
workforce is one of the lowest in the world; there are women taking over
streets, protesting and fighting for their rights, but there are still women
getting raped on every corner; women are working, running their homes, and
taking care of their families; yet parents still question giving birth to a
girl child.

ST: Where do you want to see yourself
in next 5 years?

Tara: I
see myself growing in tandem with Supari Studios and our other businesses.
Being a company that functions at the intersection of film, design and
technology, the industry is ever-evolving, and I see things rapidly changing
for the business over the next 5 years.