How Jennifer Winget Is Breaking Glass Ceilings With Challenging Women Characters

Jennifer Winget is a known name in every Indian household and in the fashion, film and TV industry. She has won many hearts and applauds for her skills in acting, fashion sense and unique choice of daily soaps and series. From Sneha Bajaj of Kasautii Zindagi Kay, defiant Maya Mehrotra of Beyhadh to Monica Mehra of Code M, Winget has come a long way in earning name and fame in life. Here is a look at her journey, choices and badass opinions on feminism and women’s representation on TV.

Her Career

Jennifer Winget began her career in acting at age 12 in 1997 as a child actor in the Rani Mukherjee’s first Raja Ki Aayegi Barat. Later, she made her debut in daily soaps as Piya in Shaka Laka Boom Boom in the year 2000. Her first daily soap as a lead female actor was Karthika where she played the role of a young struggling woman who wants to become a singer. Winget became a household name with her character of Sneha Bajaj in Ekta Kapoor’s popular daily soap Kasautii Zindagi Kay.

Saraswatichandra and Beyhadh: Major Breaks In Career

Winget later touched new heights of fame as she began appearing in daily soaps with a unique storyline and challenging and powerful women characters. The most memorable and remarkable character that Winget essayed on the TV screen was that of Maya Mehrotra in the popular thriller and love story Beyhadh which was aired in the year 2016-17. She won Lion Gold Awards and Indian Television Academy Awards for Best Actress Jury for her acting.

The daily soap was so popular that it released its second season in the year 2019 where Jennifer Winget appeared as Maya Jaisingh with another new thriller and love story.

Apart from Beyhadh, Jennifer Winget is also known for her role as Kumud Desai in Saraswatichandra, a daily soap produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and based on a novel of the same name Govardhanram Tripathi. It was aired in the year 2013-14. Her performance in this daily soap won her many awards and recognition namely Indian Television Academy Awards for Best Actress (Drama) and Indian Telly Awards for Best Actress (Jury).

Apart from these, Winget has worked in many other award-winning daily soaps like Bepannah, Dil Mill Gayye, Kahin Toh Hoga and as contestant in comedy and dance shows among others. She also appeared in Bollywood film, Phir Se, as lead role

Code:M: Debut on OTT Platform

Now Jennifer Winget has made her debut on OTT platforms also with her equally powerful and appreciated web series Code M which is going to release its second season too. She essays the role of Monica Mehra, an Indian Army Lawyer who breaks a conspiracy while investigating a military encounter case. She won the Filmfare OTT Awards Best Actor Series: Drama (female) for Code:M

Her Views On Daily Soaps And Women

Jennifer Winget strongly believes that TV serial empower women with opportunities and it is nothing without its women. In an interview, Winget spoke about the changing times, narratives and representations of women on TV. She said, “I think the industry today has stepped up from what it was even a few years ago. It has grown to become very forward, putting out the realistic cinema.”

She further added, “I love that we are slowly but surely moving from regressive to the progressive cinema and are not shying away from choosing and showcasing powerful women protagonists over male leads, and more so for their true selves in the world today."

Jennifer Winget on marriage and relationship

Jennifer Winger married her Dil Mill Gayye co-star Karan Singh Grover in the year 2012 but the couple split up in 2014. However, Winget calls her failed marriage a life changing experience. Here are some empowering quotes by her on marriage and relationship:

"Failed is too harsh a term to refer to something you gave your best to, and tried hard at. It has not left me disillusioned. We should never close our doors on love. Why should it be restricted to a companion?"

"Marriage, it is a beautiful institution and it's amazing if two people want to be together. However, the decision has to be mutual; it's a team work."

"There is no ideal man, woman or relationship. Life is full of ups and downs. I have absolutely no bad memory of the marriage even though it has ended."

Jennifer Winget as a Feminist

Jennifer Winget has been outspoken about her feminism by breaking the glass-ceilings and making brave choices in the TV industry. By choosing and essaying the roles of powerful women characters on TV, Winget has set a new trend of women empowerment on TV screens. Moreover, Winget is as much a feminist outside the screen also. It was reported that when a Paparazzi asked Winget how much time does she take in dressing up, she gave a witty reply. She said, “Never ask a woman that question.”

In an interview, Winget spoke about her ideas of feminism and said, “Women Empowerment, Women’s rights, are actually basic human rights. Some of us may cringe at the word Feminism - but Feminism is gender equality and Men, gender equality is your issue too."

She further added, “It's not man-hating when you fight for women, guys! And I say this to the lovely ladies and the boys and men too.”

She rightly said, “Gender stereotypes pull us down as much as they do to you. Why aren’t we fighting for each other and empowering the other? My point here is, we’re in this together, men and women alike.”