In a candid conversation that has resonated with many working women, Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor has spoken about the often-unseen challenge of navigating male egos in the film industry. Despite acknowledging her privileged position, Kapoor revealed that she has felt compelled to downplay her intelligence to maintain harmony in professional settings.
The Pressure to 'Play Dumb' in a Male-Dominated Room
Janhvi Kapoor shared her experiences during an appearance on the talk show Two Much With Twinkle and Kajol, hosted by Kajol and Twinkle Khanna, with filmmaker Karan Johar also present. She identified managing male egos as one of the significant hurdles in her career.
"I understand that I am coming from a place of privilege in my work environment," Kapoor began. "But I feel for me it's been (about) navigating egos, male egos." She contrasted her current situation, where she feels freer to voice opinions, with past experiences. "I have been in rooms and situations where I kind of need to precede someone and pretend to be dumb. You need to pick your battles and manoeuvre how you need to put your point across without rubbing anyone the wrong way," the actor explained.
Her co-panelist, Twinkle Khanna, immediately related, recalling similar diplomatic challenges she faced as a young actor in the 1990s. While the discussion centred on Bollywood, the sentiment of choosing strategic silence or self-effacement over confrontation is a familiar reality for countless women across various professional fields.
The Psychological Toll of Constant Self-Censorship
But what is the long-term cost of consistently dimming one's own light? Psychologist Rasshi Gurnani explains that this behaviour can lead to severe psychological consequences. "When women repeatedly downplay their intelligence or 'pretend to be dumb,' it can create a deep psychological conflict known as cognitive dissonance, where their true abilities and external behaviour don't align," Gurnani states.
This dissonance, over time, can erode self-belief and manifest as imposter syndrome, lowered self-esteem, and chronic anxiety about being exposed. Gurnani further notes that suppressing one's competence to protect others' egos can result in emotional exhaustion and a state of learned helplessness. Women may internalise the belief that authenticity or ambition will lead to rejection, which chips away at their core sense of self-worth and can distort their professional identity, breeding long-term stress and resentment.
Root Causes and Pathways to Change
These dynamics persist due to deeply ingrained patriarchal structures in many workplaces, where leadership traits are unconsciously coded as masculine. Gurnani points out that when women exhibit these same traits, they often face a backlash bias, being labelled "aggressive" or "difficult." Furthermore, social conditioning that teaches women to prioritise harmony creates an unspoken rule for them to self-edit in male-dominated spaces to avoid disrupting the status quo.
For individual women, Gurnani suggests practising assertive communication—a middle ground between passivity and aggression. Building emotional intelligence to manage tone and timing, along with cultivating self-validation to reduce dependence on external approval, are key steps. Mentorship and allyship from both men and women can also help normalise strong female voices in the workplace.
On a systemic level, change requires creating psychological safety where employees can speak without fear. "Regular gender-sensitivity training, inclusive leadership, and clear accountability policies can dismantle these outdated hierarchies," Gurnani concludes. Janhvi Kapoor's openness has sparked a crucial conversation, highlighting that even from a place of privilege, the pressure to conform to gendered expectations remains a pervasive professional challenge for women.
