Women can be Hired as Make-up Artists in Indian Film Industry: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (SC) broke the long-standing tradition of hiring only men make-up artists by a ruling which allowed female artists to be hired as well.

Apparently female make-up artists had petitioned the court in January that they didn't get work in the film industry in the area of their expertise due to the presence of a strong union.

However on Monday, SC removed the 59-year-old practice going on in the film industry and ruled in favour of the female make-up artists, according to The Indian Express.

It said that in the film industry men are supposed to be the make-up artists and females hairdressers.

"How can this discrimination continue? We will not permit this. It cannot be allowed under our constitution. Why should only a male artist be allowed to put makeup?" a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit quoted in The Indian Express.

"How can it be said that only men can be make-up artists and women can be hairdressers? We don't see a reason to prohibit a woman from becoming a make-up artist if she is qualified."

The report further says that nine women filed the petition against a powerful Bollywood union which didn't let the females work as make-up artists. SC said that the practice was "constitutionally impermissible discrimination."

Charu Khurana, one of the petitioners told the BBC, "I have worked on a couple of films but it has been tough. The unions are strong and come to the set to stop the film. Producers have to pay fines."

Zee News reported that the court has given instruction to India's Cine Costume Make-up Artists and Hair Dressers Association to remove the ban on female artists immediately.