New Delhi:
Pratibha Ranta rose to prominence with her role in Kiran Rao’s film Laapata Ladies. The actress, who hails from Shimla, made her acting debut in the 2020 TV show Qurbaan Hua. In an interview, Pratibha discussed the issues of women’s safety, feminism and menstruation. The actress recalled the time she had a conversation about periods with her first boyfriend in school. “Mine was an all-girls school. My first boyfriend was from a boys’ school and I was his first female friend. I was coming home from dance class when I ran into him. I was a bit bothered because I was on my period and I told him, ‘Listen! I’m on my period today. I can’t walk much.’,” Pratibha said in a conversation with Hauterfly. The actress added, “As soon as he heard about periods, he panicked a little. It was the first time someone had openly talked to him about it. He started biologically explaining how long it lasts and how it happens, speaking in textbook language. I laughed a bit and said, ‘Yeah, I know.” Pratibha Ranta emphasised the importance of males having open conversations about menstruation. She added that even though the men have technical knowledge, the real understanding of the situation only comes with conversation with women who have experienced it. “Some things are better understood through experience,” the actress said. In the same interview, Pratibha Ranta also talked about her family. The actress added that women in her family have always had financial freedom. “It’s quite challenging for someone from Himachal to establish themselves in Mumbai. I come from a family where women have the freedom to make their own decisions. My grandmother was a teacher when Indian women weren’t working. She used to teach students to play during that era. My grandmother taught Hindi and had a passion for dance. My mother is a housewife and we have an apple business at home,” she said.On the work front, Pratibha Ranta was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The show featured Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal in key roles.