After a tough time in Bollywood, the acceptance of films without male superstars shows a growing appreciation for female talent, writes ABHI SINGHAL
I have been a binge-watcher for many years now. I love watching web series, movies, short films, and anything and everything with a story. To be honest, the genres excite me like nothing else. I am a cinema lover. Watching films evolve all these years is the most beautiful change of acceptance I have seen. With this change, I talk about the entry of female-led films on the silver screen being the hit. Also, with that, the stories of movies have become female-centric, breaking taboos and barriers that play a huge part in shaping society.
From films having just male protagonists to films only led by female actors, it has been a journey of hardships and flops for the actors. I will begin giving the spotlight to Fashion and Queen as some of the films that showed female protagonists and were taken forward by the audience on the performance.
Apart from that, women have also faced criticism and backlash on the roles they play. An example of the same is Deepika Padukone. Be it Padmavat, due to the culture of her role, Rani Padmavati, or be it Fighter, where she was criticised for her costume in the film, it has always been hard for women. There have been web series bashed by the audience like Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar for the showcasing of women as tawaifs and at the red light areas.
But over time, scenarios have changed many misconceptions, and the audience has started to accept films with women protagonists and even films that don't have a male superstar.
THE SHIFT: FROM PERIPHERAL TO PROTAGONIST
Fashion (2008): Priyanka Chopra's portrayal of Meghna Mathur, a small-town girl going through the cutthroat world of modeling.
Queen (2013): Kangana Ranaut's Rani was a revelation. Rani's journey from a heartbroken bride to an independent woman struck a chord with viewers, proving that a female-led film could be a massive commercial success.
NH10 (2015): Anushka Sharma's production and performance in NH10 offered a raw and gritty portrayal of a woman fighting for survival.
Neerja (2016): Sonam Kapoor's acting as Neerja Bhanot, a flight attendant who sacrificed her life to save passengers. This film highlighted the courage and heroism of an ordinary woman, proving that female-led stories could be powerful and impactful.
Mardaani (2014) and Mardaani 2 (2019): Rani Mukerji playing a fierce and determined police officer, Shivani Shivaji Roy, challenged traditional notions of femininity.
Hichki (2018): Rani Mukerji again, this time as Naina Mathur, a teacher with Tourette syndrome. This movie displayed that women can be strong role models.
Veere Di Wedding (2018): The film, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Swara Bhasker, and Shikha Talsania, celebrated female friendship and challenged societal expectations of women.
Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022): Alia Bhatt's powerful performance as Gangubai, a brothel madam who fought for the rights of sex workers, was a testament to the changing landscape of Indian cinema.
Darlings (2022): Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah's film explored domestic violence with a dark comedic twist, keeping all the responsibility to themselves.
Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023): Rani Mukerji, starring, brought to light the struggles of an immigrant mother without a male actor in any sort of lead.
Crew (2024): This very recent film starring Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon is a comedy about flight attendants, showing that women can carry a comedy film.
The journey of female-centric films in Indian cinema is ongoing. While challenges remain, the progress made is undeniable. The increasing number of powerful and impactful female-led stories reflects a changing society and a more inclusive and diverse cinematic landscape.