10 Best - Bollywood Women Oriented Films
Indian cinema is not known for its portrayal of women. In an industry dominated by male superstars women are often reduced to playing flowerpots - a romantic accessory to the hero's main romantic plot. A plethora of other sexist problems are also rampant and persistent. Love stories often glorify chasing and persistence as romantic, and the hero often woos the heroine against her will until she says yes. Many movies also directly or indirectly snub modern Indian women. Plots often portray working educated women as too western and unsuitable for marriage or family. On the other hand the coy submissive Indian bride willing to sacrifice everything is put on a pedestal. Movies also tell women that they have to be decked up, slathered in make up and be feminine. That tomboys and plain Janes are undesirable women who need to change themselves to fit in. All in all cinema tends to feed into a very larger social problem about the perception of women in India.
Despite that every now and then Bollywood produces fantastic little gems that pleasantly surprise and delight. They feature women in the lead or as a critical part of the plot. They do not submit to stereotypes but etch out some very well developed female characters. Off late many of these movies have enjoyed both critical as well as commercial success. Bollywood is finally recognizing that you do not always need larger than life heroes, women are completely capable of carrying a film on their own shoulders.
Here is a list of my top ten women oriented films in Bollywood. There is a surprisingly wide selection of women oriented films. In my opinion these are the best must sees to begin with.
10. Damini
This 1993 film was a surprise hit considering its theme. Meenakshi Sheshadri gives her career best performance as Damini. The film is also renown for Sunny Deol's iconic performance as the lawyer Govind. Many of the courtroom scenes and dialogues have become Bollywood legend.
Damini plays a simple lower middle class girl who falls in love with and marries a wealthy businessman. When her brother-in-law rapes their maid servant, the wealthy family decides to bury the incident to protect family name and prestige. Unable to digest this injustice Damini decides to risk her marriage and future by reporting the crime. However, getting justice is easier said than done as Damini has to fight against the power wielded by her wealthy in-laws and corruption deep within the ranks of the system. Eventually, she finds support in the alcoholic lawyer Govind who helps her get justice for the maid.
Damini is iconic because it not only touches upon the sensitive subject of rape but deals with many social issues such as class differences and bridal harassment. Indian women are expected to be obedient and bow down to their husbands and in-laws. Damini challenges every social expectation to do the right thing and serves as an inspiration to many women.
9. Julie
Julie was a path breaking film for Indian cinema on several levels. Not only did it delve into the issues of inter-religious relationships and unwed motherhood; it was made in 1975 and was well ahead of its times. The film has been remade several times in various languages the latest being 2006. Pre-marital sex is still a taboo in India. That Julie found critical and commercial success is testament to the fact that it was a well made film that managed to get Indian audiences embrace a controversial character.
Set in the Christian Anglo-Indian community the film is a coming of age journey for a young girl Julie. She falls in love with a Hindu boy Vikram. While he goes away to college, Julie finds herself in a predicament as she is pregnant with his child. Julie is sent away to give birth in secret and is forced to give up her child to an orphanage. Eventually, Vikram runs into Julie and finds what she has been through. He wishes to marry her but faces objections from both mothers as they are off different faith. Vikram's father becomes the voice of reason and sets things right including reuniting Julie with her child.
Till today Julie remains one of the most progressive films of Bollywood that was well ahead of its times. Julie became the stepping stone that slowly over time would change the image of women in Bollywood. It social message of better understanding and acceptance of unwed motherhood is still slowly trying to change Indian society.
8. Aisha
Many people will find this a surprising or even shocking addition to the list. The movie received mixed critical reviews and performed poorly at the box office. Perhaps my views are tainted as a Sonam Kapoor fan. However, Aisha has become a cult classic for Indian women. It is the perfect movie for a girl's night or a lazy weekend evening lounging around in pajamas.
Sonam Kapoor created the chick flick genre in Bollywood with this movie. Bollywood never really had movies for girls about girls and things girls do. Chick flicks didn't exist. The closest option was Bollywood romances which we know are not always palatable. No one wanted to make movies marketed towards women. Aisha took that risk. Based on Jane Austen's classic Emma, Aisha centers around a modern fashionista who hopelessly meddles in the lives of others trying to play matchmaker.
Aisha's box office failure was not due to the fact that it was a bad movie. It failed because unlike most Bollywood films it catered to a young female audience. It didn't have flashy romances or larger than life heroes. The movie was very much centered around Aisha who is far from being the perfect Bollywood heroine. She is selfish, irritable, meddlesome and full of flaws. At the same time she is fun, she is quirky, adorable and you root for her too. Instead of a hero's antics or gratuitous action sequences to flaunt him, Aisha focuses on her fashion, her shopping, her friends, her social life.
Post Aisha Sonam Kapoor continues to woo female audiences with chick flicks like Bewakoofiyan, Khoobsurat and the upcoming Dolly Ki Dolly. In my opinion, creating a genre deserves merit.
7. Jab We Met
It is true that Jab We Met isn't a woman oriented film. It is a love story. However, anyone who has seen Jab We Met will testify that Kareena Kapoor's Geet Dhillon steals the show. Move aside larger than life hero, here comes the larger than life heroine. Geet Dhillon is some girl. She is hyperactive, she is chatty, she is obnoxious, she is loud and she is totally and utterly crazy. As soon as she comes on screen we have to fasten our seatbelts for one heck of a crazy ride she takes us on. And like the hero Aditya Kashyap, despite her craziness we cannot help but fall for her.
Jab We Met is an opposites attract love story. A melancholy depressed businessman Aditya Kashyap boards a train and bumps into a loud mouth Punjabi girl full of life and energy. They end up missing the train and are stuck with each other. After a few mishaps Aditya agrees to help Geet elope to her boyfriend. However, Geet makes him laugh and love life again, and he falls in love with her.
This was a rare occasion in a Bollywood love story where the plot centers around the female character who towers above everyone else. While a few other movies have let the women shine, Jab We Met did it memorably and successfully. Geet Dhillon reminded us that female leads do not need to be flowerpots or damsels who need to be chased and wooed. She can stand on her own and even carry an entire movie.
6. Aandhi
Very loosely inspired by the life of Indira Gandhi, Aandhi focuses on the life and career of a fictional female Indian politician Aarti Devi. As a young woman Aarti the daughter of a politician, falls in love with and marries JK a hotel manager. The relationship is disapproved by her father, but she still moves forward with the marriage. Post marriage the couple is severely tested by Aarti's political ambitions. She struggles to balance work and married life. Despite best efforts to be supportive, JK finds himself feeling insecure about Aarti's growing career. The couple eventually separate. Years later they run into each other and feel the same attraction and affinity. However, Aarti still struggles to decide in which direction she wants to move.
As of 2015, after 239 years of independence the United States is yet to have a female president. Yet, on the other hand; the fledgling democracy India elected Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister within 20 years of independence. She was elected into power for three terms and was dubbed Woman of the Century' by BBC. Part of her success and popularity is the Nehru-Gandhi legacy, but a large part of it is the odd status of women in India. Despite the expectation of being homemakers, women have somehow found acceptance in Indian politics. Aandhi beautifully explores the challenges of being a female politician and how they are torn in two directions.
Suchitra Sen, a veteran of Bengali cinema gives a soulful performance as Aarti while veteran actor Sanjeev Kapoor excels in his award winning role as JK.
5. No One Killed Jessica
Based on a true story, this 2011 crime drama was the one that started it all. Focused entirely on two female characters the movie didn't fuss with songs, romances or the stereotypical Bollywood cliches. While a few melodramatic insertions did take place the narrative was gritty, tense and gripping. Who would have thought that you could have two women at the helm of a crime drama in India and pull it off. The film received lavish critical acclaim and had a moderately successful box office run. The films success would inspire several more filmmakers to take the risk of putting women at the forefront.
No One Killed Jessica was inspired by the Jessica Lall murder case. Model Jessica Lall was shot dead at a charity event where she was bartending The murder took place in front of a crowded bar with several witnesses. However, since the killer Manu Sharma was the son of a wealthy powerful Haryana politician no witnesses came forward. Desperate to get justice for her dead sister, Jessica's shy, diminutive and introverted younger sister Sabrina teams up with a reporter Meera Gaity to investigate the incident and crusade for justice. The abrasive, uncouth Meera Sharma fighting to hold her own on in a male dominated world is the perfect foil to the more submissive Meera.
The professional chemistry between Meera Gaity and Sabrina Lall is phenomenal. They highlighted that Bollywood need not have love stories to be successful. Other relationships can be equally compelling. Vidya Balan made her impact as Sabrina Lall while Rani Mukherji wowed people to bag the best supporting actress award as Meera Gaity.
The movie will always remain iconic in Bollywood history for inspiring a generation of women oriented films. But outside its Bollywood influence the movie showcased real inspirational women. It portrayed women who dared to stand against and shake up the corrupt machine and system.
4. Kahaani
No One Killed Jessica catapulted Vidya Balan to stardom. While she had several successful films prior to it, she established herself as an actress who could carry the weight of an entire film on her shoulders. She followed it with two women oriented films that took Bollywood by storm. One of them being Kahaani.
Kahaani is a mesmerizing crime thriller. A pregnant woman Vidya Bagchi arrives from London to Kolkata during Durga Puja. She is in search of her husband Arnab Bagchi who has gone missing. Unfortunately, early investigations seem to indicate that no such person existed. With the aid of local inspector Rana, Vidya decides to get to the bottom of her husband's disappearance. The movie follows her as she frantically canvasses the streets of Kolkata as she pieces together the trail of clues.
The movie is well known for two things. The first is the stunning cinematography and narrative that captures the colors, ambiance and electric atmosphere of Kolkata during the Durga Puja festival. The second was Vidya Balan's award winning performance as Vidya Bagchi. This film was stupendous on many levels. Not only did the makers decide to create a film with a woman in the lead, they put her at the helm of a gritty crime thriller. If that was not pushing the envelope, they even made her pregnant. We now had a pregnant heroine going through dark alleys, digging up secrets and engaging in thrilling chase sequences. And the audiences loved it.
All the elements of Kahaani made it an instantaneous cult classic. The Mona Lisa guest hows where the character Vidya Bagchi stays became a popular destination. The creepy character of Bob Biswas became an internet phenomenon and meme. The film was so well received that two regional language remakes were made and even an English language remake is in the works.
3. Queen
Queen was Bollywood's biggest sleeper hit in the year 2014. Released without much fanfare or ado in the usually lull period of Bollywood in March, Queen flourished with positive word of mouth and became one of the year's biggest hits. It initially started off with a poor reception, but slowly picked up business and was able to hold a steady sway on the box office for weeks.
A delicate mix of drama and comedy, Queen is a heartwarming coming of age story of a simple Indian woman. Rani is an under-confident Indian girl from New Delhi who comes from a very conservative background. She doesn't even venture outside of home without family accompanying her. Her life seems picture perfect with a loving family and an upcoming wedding to her longtime boyfriend Vijay. However, just two days before the wedding Vijay breaks of the engagement citing Rani to be too simple and conservative for his western way of life abroad. Desperate to make sense of the situation and gain control of her life, Rani decides to go on her pre-booked honeymoon on her own. Thus begins her Rani's journey of self discovery.
Rani's journey through Paris and Amsterdam is both bold and unusual set against Indian stereotypes. For the first time in her life she opens up to drinking and partying. She starts befriending people from all walks of life and shares a dorm room with a group of young male tourists. She visits a sex shop and befriends strippers. Once upon a time, Bollywood would have clung to the false dichotomy of the traditional vs. modern girl. They might have shown a traditional Rani as being above these western habits. The beauty of this film is that it shies away from that stereotype. It shows that there is nothing evil or sinister about western culture. That there is no harm in a woman drinking, partying or even having male friends. Rani preserves her innocence and her traditional Indian values through the journey. At no point in the film do you feel that Rani is no longer a traditional Indian girl. At the end of the day she is still a very simple, innocent and conservative girl. The difference is a new found confident and a balanced world view.
Apart from Rani, the film also did a phenomenal job in the portrayal of Vijaylaxmi, the mixed heritage woman who befriends Rani. It shows her as a warm friendly person who goes out of her way to help Rani who is clearly lost and confused in Paris.
As a breezy flick full of light hearted humor, heartwarming moments and a brisk pace narratives Queen struck a perfect balance between commercial cinema and serious cinema.
2. English Vinglish
Historically, Bollywood heroines are considered to be "expired" post thirty. While the newer generation has managed to stretch it somehow closer to forty, the fate of Bollywood heroines is a sharp contrast to heroes who can be seen romancing young belles well into their forties and fifties. So when Sridevi, a superstar of the eighties and nineties was set to make a comeback at fifty, all eyes were on the film. Bollywood actresses usually do not fare well in their comebacks.
English Vinglish was the perfect film for a comeback. It was a wholesome family entertainer that made a lot more sense than typical Bollywood movies and featured the female star in a meaty role. The story is about Shashi Godbole a Maharashtrian housewife. Her husband and daughter take her for granted often making fun of the fact that Shashi has a very poor command of English. Due to their criticism she finds herself feeling very insecure and under confident. When her niece Meera is getting married, Shashi decides to fly to New York in order to help her sister Manu with the wedding preparations. In New York, Shashi is once again humiliated at a fast food joint where she is mistreated due to her inability to speak English. Determined to finally earn some respect for herself she enrolls in a conversational English class and is supported by her younger niece Radha in this endeavor.
The film was relevant for touching upon many relevant aspects. It beautifully captures the struggles and humiliation immigrants feel due to their lack of fluency in English. I hope people will empathize that immigrants are making the best possible efforts to communicate. The movie also serves as vindication for Indian housewives. A lot of them unfairly get looked down upon as backward, conservative or anti-feminist. English Vinglish sheds light on housewives who struggle to keep up with both changing times and the needs of their families.
Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of the film though is the relationship between Shashi and Laurent. Laurent a French chef in her conversational English class becomes a close and fast friend of Shashi. He has romantic affections for her and often flirts with her. Shashi too enjoys the company of this man who makes her feel smart and confident, much unlike her husband. Eventually though, she spurns Laurent's romantic advances. They both accept that she is married and committed to her family. But she does thank Laurent for helping her feel good about herself.
There was a time when a married woman developing close friendship with another man was a major taboo. To let him flirt and harbor romantic intentions was unheard off. Some movies may have featured a dramatic slap as the Indian woman asserts her conservative values. Instead, Shashi acknowledges his affections and appreciates his role in helping her overcome her insecurities. The touching friendship and affection between Shashi and Laurent was one of the greatest triumphs of English Vinglish. It shows married women can make male friends without betraying their families.
1. The Dirty Picture
The mother of all women oriented films in Bollywood, The Dirty Picture rightly deserves the top spot not only for its female lead but for its content and theme. Indian's have always been in denial about sex and sexuality. Indian society will pretend to be coy and innocent decrying erotica. The Dirty Picture strips of the veil of lies and exposes the double standards and hypocrisy rooted in Indian culture.
The Dirty Picture is loosely based on the life of Silk Smitha, wildly popular South Indian sex siren and soft po*n star. While Silk Smitha was an extremely talented and critically acclaimed actress, her claim to fame was sensuality. People lapped up her semi-nude dance routines and erotic films. Several of her erotic films became cult classics. Used and abused by an industry that failed to respect her as a person, Silk Smitha eventually committed suicide in 1996.
The movie traces the journey of Reshma a South Indian girl who aspires to be an actress. Unable to bag a role on her own merit by fair means, Reshma resorts to using her body as a weapon. She gains access to the filmmaking industry as Silk. Within a short time she is having an affair with married South Indian star Suryakant with whom she creates several soft po*n films.
Despite her success and popularity Silk fails to gain credibility and respect. Even her illicit lover Suryakant degrades her for being nothing more than a dirty secret. He fails to acknowledge her as a person. However, the great thing about Silk is that she is unapologetic. She feels no need to be ashamed of what she does for a living. With great confidence she proclaims that she provides "Entertainment, Entertainment & Entertainment" which the industry thrives on. She boldly questions the integrity of men like Suryakant who cheat on their wives and use women like Silk to satisfy their lust, but pretend to be respectable men. She questions a society that voraciously consumes the kind of films she makes but then turns around and blames her for it.
After the success of No One Killed Jessica, Vidya Balan had established herself as an actress. The Dirty Picture firmly stamped her as one of the best, a woman who could carry any role or film. Her transformation from the shy Sabrina Lall to the sex siren Silk was phenomenal. The witty dialogue, the seductive body language, the loneliness within a crowd - every aspect of her performance was flawless.
One of The Dirty Picture's greatest accomplishments was making female sexuality mainstream. Rather than be locked away as a dirty secret, it finally showcased forgotten stories of sex sirens in a mainstream hit flick. Like Abraham, once Silk's greatest nemesis and eventually only friend, we are made to wonder whether Silk was wrong or society wronged Silk. As we question social hypocrisy we discover that female sexuality is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. Women should not be judged by a different standard than men.
Another refreshing accomplishment was the aspect of body image. Sex sirens like Silk and her peers were not skinny women. They had bodies that would be considered large by some of today's unrealistic standards. Yet they oozed confidence and sex appeal. Vidya Balan wowed audiences with her sensuality in The Dirty Picture. Her thunder thighs and fuller body, once the butt of criticism became an asset. Vidya Balan and The Dirty Picture got everyone in the audience singing Ooh La La
Other worthy mentions
Mother India - This critically acclaimed drama usually tops most lists about Bollywood, especially female oriented Bollywood. While the fantastic film is an eternal classic and ode to the rural Indian woman, I skipped it simply because it never caught my fancy. Many film fanatics will criticize and dismiss my list for this.
Dushman - Fantastic Bollywood veteran actress Kajol played a gritty role of a woman hunting down the psychopath who killed and raped her sister. However, Ashutosh Rana steals the show as the serial rapist Gokul.
Seeta Aur Geeta/Chaalbaaz - One of the few comedies with women at the helm. The theme of two separated twins with disparate personalities has been reused and recycled several times. The 1972 version Seeta Aur Geeta had Hema Malini at the helm, while Chaalbaz was Sridevi.
Chameli Ki Shaadi - While a love story in essence the film is often considered one of Bollywood's early feminist films for the powerful role of Chameli as played by Amrita Singh.
Rudaali - A beautiful heartbreaking film that captures an ancient tradition of Rajasthan. Low caste women are hired to mourn and cry at funerals instead of upper class people who are not permitted to cry. Dimple Kapadia plays Shanichari, a low caste mourner whose life the movie is centered on.
Dor - A lovely tale of female bonding and friendship. Two women, one a Muslim from the North and another a traditional Rajasthani Hindu are brought together by fate. How they guide each other through their life's tragedies forms the story.
Saat Khoon Maaf - Based on a Ruskin Bond short story, this delightfully creepy and dark tale traces the life of Susannah and her seven husbands. Priyanka Chopra chills and thrills as Susannah.
Mardaani - After a very long hiatus, Rani Mukherji came back in Mardaani as a tough cop who tracks down and busts a major child trafficking ring.
Lajja - This one could easily be titled "No Country For Women". A stellar cast of Bollywood actresses play women from various walks of life facing misogyny and abuse.
Chandni Bar - A very gritty dark tale of a bar dancer/prostitute. Tabu plays Mumtaz an innocent women trapped in a vicious cycle. It shows no matter how hard people try to rise above, circumstances force them back to the usual.
Chameli - One of Kareena Kapoor's career changing roles. She plays a street smart prostitute Chameli whose philosophy and attitude to life changes a man's life.
The Muslim Trilogy - Acclaimed director Shyam Benegal directed a trilogy of three films penned by Khaled Mohammed. The three films Mammo, Sardari Begum and Zubeidaa trace the tragic lives of three Muslim women who were bold and dared to swim against the tides of society.
Astitva - Indian cinema often shows men having men having extra-marital affairs and displaying infidelity. Eventually, they apologize and the woman forgives them. Astitva broke that cliche and showed a woman who had an extra-marital affair. Unlike most movies it portrays her cheating in a very touching and beautiful manner. How the story concludes is the best aspect of the story.
Dedh Ishqiya - While both Ishqiya movies focus on the antics of the uncle-nephew duo of Khalujan and Babban, they both feature a femme fatale that gets the better of the two men. Dedh Ishqiya takes it a step ahead with a lesbian subplot. An subtle ode to the 1942 lesbian short story Lihaaf (The Quilt), Dedh Ishqiya is probably more important and positive than Fire because the two women are bolder, stronger and have a radiant aura about them.
https://www.returntohades.com/2015/01/28/10-best-bollywood-women-oriented-films/
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