TV Industry Is Safe and Respectable, Says Maninee De - But Admits "Optics" Make It Different

Actress Maninee De has weighed in on the long-debated question of whether the television industry is a safe space for women, and her answer was a confident yes — albeit with some nuance.

The actress was a guest on former journalist Nidhi Vasandani's podcast, where Vasandani, known for her travel vlogs and celebrity conversations, posed a question that frequently surfaces in discussions around women in TV: is the industry genuinely safe and respectable for them?

Maninee didn't hesitate. She affirmed that the industry deserves credit for being a secure and dignified space for women to work in, while also pointing out that no profession is immune to having both good and bad apples. According to her, every field has its share of professionals and unprofessionals, and television is no exception.

She pushed back against the idea that the industry should be singled out for criticism, noting that such a mix of people exists everywhere - and that singling out TV alone wouldn't be a fair assessment.

What she believes does set the entertainment world apart, though, is the sheer level of visibility that comes with working in front of a camera. Unlike many other professions, she explained, the industry runs on optics - people see actors daily, whether on the big screen or the small one, making their lives far more exposed to public scrutiny than most.

Despite that constant gaze, Maninee expressed confidence in the resilience women have built within the industry over the years, saying they've grown tough enough to navigate their professional journeys with clarity and assurance.