Movies and films in India are not just part of entertainment and fun. Films and their characters represent human society. In the Indian film industry, women have played a significant role in bringing success to individual ones. However, their roles have changed over a period women wear mostly portrayed as an element of entertainment. There have been blockbusters movies with the female lead that have no dialogue and relevance to the movie plot. In many movies it has also been noticed that a woman is characterized to certain roles only like being obedient, why is beautiful girlfriend teammate pretty soft-spoken and more. Gender inequality is and has been a major problem in cinema. Women are insinuated in films as bearing the burden of sexual objectification that Male roles cannot.
5 powerful characters portrayed by women that will surprise you:
English Vinglish – Sashi
A movie about an Indian homemaker who struggles to speak English due to illiteracy in English. Directed by Gauri Shinde starring Sridevi, this movie was released in 2012. It was shortlisted as India’s official entry for academy awards in the best foreign-language category.
Thappad – Amrita
Starring Taapsee Pannu this movie was released on the auditory platform Amazon prime in 2020. This particular movie revolves around many themes primarily on the fact that women are not anyone’s property that no one, not even her husband can have on her as he married her. “Thappad” means slap. A slap is not acceptable no matter what the situation is even when society is ready to ignore it.
Lipstick under my Burkha – Usha Parmar, Rehana Abedi, Leela, and Shireen Aslam
Hindi language black comedy written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava and produced by Prakash Jha. This film is about food different from men in the same locality facing the oppression of man and society.
Neerja – Neerja
It is an autobiographical Hindi Indian film directed by Ram Madhvani, Saiwyn Quadras, and Sanyukta Chawla Shaikh. Sonam Kapoor portrays Neerja. The film revolves around the life of an air hostess who sacrificed their own lives to save a plane full of people who had been Hijacked.
Pink – Minal, Falak, Andrea
2016 legal thriller film directed by Aniruddha Roy Choudhary starring Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang, and Amitabh Bachchan. This movie depicts the corrupt system and deals with a very serious topic: molestation. It is the story of the fight against truth and the system.
As time has moved forward Indian film heroines are no more embodiment of perfection. Now Indian ladies are killing it nationally and internationally. Bollywood has seen more movies where the woman is more than just an accessory. Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma have moved on to the house of production to make sure not to neglect the role of women that society needs to see.