Director Shoojit Sircar says the rise of empowered female characters in movies are a testimony to the growing importance of women in real-life.

Sircar, who showed Deepika Padukone as an independent daughter in Amitabh Bachchan-starrer "Piku" and Dolly Ahluwalia as a widowed mother who runs a small parlour in "Vicky Donor", said because he views women in the society as progressive, he shows them in the same light in his movies.

"Earlier, women were dependent on the men of the family, as they were the only bread earners. But today, women don't want to be dependent on men. Hence, me and my writer are able to blend them in such a way in our characters," Sircar told PTI on the sidelines of Jana Natya Manch event.

Sircar made his directorial debut with the 2005 romantic-war-drama "Yahaan", after switching from making television commercials.

Even though he feels women characters are doing good in movies, they are still being treated in an old fashion way in commercials.


"Yes, women in advertisements are still being treated the same way. But I am hopeful things will slowly change for the better."

Sircar, who has dabbled with different genres of films, from John Abraham-starrer political-thriller "Madras Cafe" to his last film about an old man with constipation problems, says he makes only those movies he believes in.

"I am often being asked how do I manage to make movies on diverse subjects. But honestly, I don't have any agenda to prove in my films. I just have an idea, which is then developed and we start working on it and finally make the movie."

The director feels that when a viewer buys a ticket of Rs 250, the least he should get in return is complete entertainment.

Sircar said he does not want to preach in his movies and would rather prefer to put home his message to the audience in a light hearted way.