Mumbai, Sep 4 : Actress Kritika Kamra has talked about the true meaning of feminism, saying the movement has been 'misunderstood and demonised,' saying that it stands for fairness and empowerment, not hostility towards men.

Kritika said, "It's honestly a pity that so many women today hesitate to call themselves feminists. The term has been misunderstood, demonised, and twisted beyond its meaning. Being pro-women's rights does not mean hating men.

'Feminism is not about taking away anything from men, it's about demanding equal rights and opportunities for women, which should be a basic human expectation.'

The actress asked women to reclaim feminism, stressing it stands for fairness not confrontation.

She added: 'We've reached a stage where standing up for your own gender is almost seen as being confrontational. That needs to change. We must reclaim the word 'feminism' for what it truly stands for fairness, equity, and empowerment.'

The actress said she has always believed that the roles she takes on should mean something.

'The characters I play, the stories I choose, they should reflect a perspective I stand by. I want to be part of narratives that break stereotypes, challenge bias, and showcase women as multi-dimensional individuals. To me, that's not just art, it's responsibility,' said Kritika.

Kritika will next be seen in a film by Anusha Rizvi. It brings together female talents such as Juhu Babbar and Shreya Dhanwanthary. The yet-to-be-titled project was shot extensively in Delhi and is currently in post-production.

She also has Matka King, which stars Vijay Varma. Directed by "Sairat" and "Fandry" maker Nagraj Manjule, "Matka King" is a tale set in the gritty world of 1960s Mumbai.

"Matka King" is expected to chronicle the journey of an enterprising cotton trader in Mumbai who starts a new gambling game called Matka, taking the city by storm and democratizing a terrain previously reserved for the rich and elite.

The series also stars Sai Tamhankar, Gulshan Grover, and Siddharth Jadhav in significant roles, along with others. Written by Abhay Koranne and Nagraj Manjule, the project has been produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Manjule, along with Gargi Kulkarni, Ashish Aryan, and Ashwini Sidwani, under the banner of Roy Kapur Films.

/IANS