Overview

• At the Freedom to Feed live session on August 7, Apte recounted an Indian producer’s refusal to grant her medical access and insistence on tight-fitting clothes during her first trimester.
• She contrasted that experience with a Hollywood filmmaker’s empathy, who welcomed her changing body and prioritized her comfort throughout the shoot.
• Earlier this summer, Apte joined peers in petitioning for eight-to-nine-hour shooting shifts and flexible schedules for pregnant actresses.
• Her testimony exposes systemic insensitivity on Bollywood sets, where pregnant women often work 12-hour days without guaranteed healthcare or rest.
• Organized by Neha Dhupia, Freedom to Feed is amplifying calls for formal industry reforms to protect maternal rights in film productions.