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‘Queen’, ‘NH10’, ‘Kahaani’ & ‘Mom’: when Bollywood found its heroes in women – Girl Power

By Brandon F. Wells
‘Queen’, ‘NH10’, ‘Kahaani’ & ‘Mom’: when Bollywood found its heroes in women – Girl Power | The economic period

A while ago, Bollywood featured only men fighting bad guys, planning strategies and rescuing the damsel in distress. But, times have changed.

With a number of creative female directors and complex personalities to explore, Bollywood has welcomed the entry of new heroes with open arms.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, here is a look at the new-age female-focused films being made by Bollywood.

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'NH10'
This chilling 2015 thriller shows the harrowing journey of Meera, played by Anushka Sharma. The main character is the victim of violent crimes by some people involved in an honor killing, who attack and kidnap travelers on their way. Meera’s fight for survival is scary, but a feast for the eyes. Although the film is not based on any particular story, it was inspired by many incidents that occurred on the Gurgaon-Haryana stretch. The film was directed by Navdeep Singh and written by Sudip Sharma.

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'Raazi'
Director Meghna Gulzar beautifully captures one woman’s struggles, patriotism, relationships and family in this 2018 spy thriller. Alia Bhatt plays an Indian spy who marries a Pakistani army officer (Vicky Kaushal) to spying on the neighboring country during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Bhatt’s screenplay and portrayal of Sehmat garnered high praise from fans and critics alike. It was a film adaptation of author Harinder Sikka’s 2008 novel, “Calling Sehmat”.

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'Tumhari Sulu'
The 2017 drama and comedy, directed by Suresh Triveni, depicts the story of an ambitious middle-class housewife whose world changes when she is given the chance to achieve her dreams. Sulu, played by Vidya Balan, faces the struggle of juggling work, household responsibilities and a mother’s guilt. The film paints a realistic picture of the real issues plaguing women.

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'Mom'
This 2017 crime thriller shows Devki, a mother, turned vigilante to avenge the sexual assault on her stepdaughter. Played by Sridevi, the title character meticulously plans to punish the abusers after the court acquits them for lack of evidence. The late actress won the National Film Award in the Best Actress category for her powerful performance in the film. It was his 300th and last film before his death in February 2018. Composer AR Rahman also won the award for best background music.

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'Kahaani'
The 2012 thriller, directed by Sujoy Ghosh, is the story of a pregnant woman, played by Vidya Balan, searching the busy streets of Kolkata for her husband during Durga Puja. Exploring motherhood and feminism in a male-dominated society, the film that became a hit with mostly word-of-mouth publicity has a gripping ending that will leave audiences amazed. It was also reported that the “Kahaani” team had adopted “guerrilla filmmaking techniques” to avoid attracting attention on the city streets. A sequel to this film, “Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh”, was released in 2016.

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'Queen'
This 2013 drama, starring Kangana Ranaut, was a breath of fresh air. Directed by Vikas Bahl, the film is about a Punjabi girl, Rani, whose fiancé refuses to marry her. She decides to stick with their honeymoon plans and go to Paris and Amsterdam. Vacations help him gain perspective and the confidence to take charge of his life. Critics had even called it an “influential feminist film”, and the film has built a cult following over the years.

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'Lipstick under my burka'

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‘Lipstick under my burka’

The 2016 black comedy, directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, explores the stories of four women in search of freedom. Despite a number of obstacles, these strong protagonists achieve their goal with small acts of courage. The film had hit a snag before its release after the Central Board of Film Certification denied certification due to the use of “sex scenes, abusive words and audio pornography”. Later, it won several awards at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Glasgow International Film Festival, Films des Femmes de Créteil, Mumbai Film Festival and Cines del Sur – Granada Film Festival, among others.

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'Vinglish English'
The 2012 drama is the story of a female entrepreneur who makes and sells snacks. The protagonist, played by Sridevi, is mocked by his family for not being fluent in English. Written and directed by Gauri Shinde, the film shows how she enrolls in an English class and finds her self-esteem. It was Sridevi’s return to the big screen after 15 years. The film has won awards from the Women’s International Film and Television Showcase, the Laadli National Award and various other international festivals.

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'Fashion'
In this 2008 film, director Madhur Bhandarkar gives us insight into the fashion industry. The story tells of a small-town girl (played by actress Priyanka Chopra) who aspires to be a model, but realizes that this glamorous life comes at a high price. This young girl’s journey of transformation and how she is getting back on her feet after suffering a major setback has been an inspiration to many. Kangana Ranaut won her first National Film Award in the Best Supporting Actress category for playing the role of a successful model who had a major downfall.

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'Chhapak'
This 2020 drama is based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. Through the biopic, director Meghna Gulzar tries to spread the message of human courage and shows how women can support each other. The story is about Malti, played by Deepika Padukone, who becomes the victim of an acid attack and decides to fight for justice for survivors.

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'neerja'
The 2016 thriller is based on the real-life event of September 1986, when Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked at Karachi airport in Pakistan by the Libyan-backed Abu Nidal organization. The film was shown from the perspective of senior flight attendant, Neerja Bhanot, who saved the lives of her crew and passengers on board, and died in the process. The character of Bhanot was played by Sonam Kapoor. The film, directed by Ram Madhvani and written by Saiwyn Quadras and Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh, won the National Film Award for Best Hindi Feature Film.

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'Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare'

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‘Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare’

The 2020 film explores the complexities and different layers of femininity that fall short of societal expectations. The film explores themes like love, sex, and societal struggles. The main characters are played by Konkona Sen Sharma (Dolly) and Bhumi Pednekar (Kitty). The film was released on Netflix in 2020 in the wake of the pandemic.

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'Pink'
This 2016 legal thriller, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, focuses on the importance of consent. The courtroom drama shows the struggle of women trying to prove to the judge that their choice matters, regardless of their lifestyle. The star-studded film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang, and Angad Bedi, among others. It received critical acclaim and even won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.

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'Thappad'
The 2020 drama tells the story of a housewife, played by Taapsee Pannu, whose perfect life is shattered when her husband slaps her during a house party. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the film attempts to send a social message that domestic violence, even a slap in the face, is the bedrock of a toxic relationship. The protagonist’s strong personality to make a difficult decision based on a slap was praised by many critics.

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'Hitchki'
This 2018 comedy film is about an aspiring teacher, played by Rani Mukerji, who is rejected by many schools because she has Tourette Syndrome. A school offers him a chance to teach children from a slum, in order to fulfill the government’s underprivileged quota. Co-written and directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra, the film shows the protagonist’s struggle to achieve her dreams and earn the respect of her students and fellow teachers, despite having neurodevelopmental disorder. The film is based on motivational speaker Brad Cohen’s autobiography “Front of the Class”.

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Brandon F. Wells
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