By Vishakha Pandit, Hindustan Times

Amid the growing unrest, Iranian-German actor Elnaaz Norouzi believes the ability to speak freely is something women must value and protect, especially at a time when many across the world are still fighting for that basic right. Reflecting on the significance of Women’s Day, the actor says women living in countries that allow freedom of speech must recognise the responsibility that comes with it.

“I think the one thing that’s really important as a woman nowadays is the fact that we live in times where, in most countries, and especially in the country that we live in right now, we have a voice,” she says. “And we can use our voice, and that is something we shouldn’t take lightly. For years and years, and even today in many countries, women are literally fighting to have a voice and to be able to say what they stand for. So when you live in a country like India where there’s freedom of speech and women are allowed to say what they think and what they want, you should be fearless and take that opportunity to create change for the better.”

Born in Iran, Elnaaz has consistently spoken about the situation in her homeland — something that has often invited criticism and backlash. However, she maintains that standing by one’s beliefs matters more than seeking universal approval. “When you’re standing for something you firmly believe in, and you know what you’re standing for is right, then it doesn’t matter how many people oppose you,” she says. “Even the leader of a country never has a hundred per cent of the votes. The whole point of life is that there are so many different types of people in this world with different opinions. Freedom of speech means exactly that.”

For the actor, the issue in Iran is deeply personal, not just because she was born there, but because her family still lives in the country. “I’m not just speaking about what I feel. I’m speaking about what 75 million Iranians are thinkin actually even more than that. I’m trying to be the voice of the voiceless, because in Iran you don’t have a voice. You’re not allowed to speak against the government. The government will kill you. So what I and many other Iranians outside the country are doing is trying to be the voices of those who don’t have one.”