10 WOMEN CENTRIC MOVIES OF BOLLYWOOD: a ray of hope against the surging sexism in bollywood.
Priyambada Bhagawati
“There are only three things to be done with a woman. You can love her, suffer for her, or turn her into literature”- Henry Miller.
Women are the ultimate mystery and the easiest solution. But, being women is no easy task and it is not especially easy for the women of bollywood. Amidst the hypocrisy surrounding “equality” and “free-choice”, women centric movies are a rare sight. But again, once in a while comes in a movie that portrays women of substance and dares to break even the prejudices concerning the frailty of female roles. Here is a list of my Favourite 10 women-centric movies:
1. BLACK
Black is a testimony that quality Bollywood movies does exist. Black is Michelle McNally’s (Rani Mukherjee) world. Playing a blind and a deaf character, Rani steals the show with her extraordinary performance, a performance which will be talked about for a very long time. The movie is yet another masterpiece of Sanjay Leela Bhansali with Rani playing her part with such finesse that even though Michelle cannot speak nor hear, you feel her every emotion, her every battle, her every pain. The young Michelle, played by Ayesha Kapoor, is another gem of a discovery.
2. DOR
Dor, another one of Nagesh Kukunoor’s gems is a story that was needed to be noticed, shared and told. Simple, uncomplicated and stripped of all melodrama, Dor tugs your heart in ways unimaginable. Ayesha Takia makes you fall in love with Meera. A simple, innocent and an affectionate wife, Meera is elegant, unrestrained and beautiful. Gul Panag as Zeenat slides in her role perfectly as the independent, self-assured women. The movie beautifully describes feminism without any unnecessary slogans or raucous calls.
3. NO ONE KILLED JESSICA
No one killed Jessica manages to make you feel sad, angry, frustrated, hopeful and proud, all at the same time. Rani Mukherjee as ‘Meera Gaity’ is stupendous. Her portrayal of the foul-mouthed, ballsy journalist is impeccable. Vidya Balan as usual, shines as the ‘doomed’ common-man who has lost faith in the judiciary. NOKJ is both poignant and hard-hitting and makes for a memorable viewing.
4. THAT GIRL IN YELLOW BOOTS
Anurag Kashyap’s TGIYB, pushes the boundaries of contemporary Indian cinema and manages to awe and shock you in the process. Kalki’s portrayal of Ruth is both honest and impressive. Kalki literally slips into the shoes of Ruth and plays the part of a lost and anguished daughter in search of her father with unparalleled finesse. This is one movie that should be a must watch, not only for its unnervingly realistic
.
5. ENGLISH VINGLISH
The movie marks the return of Sridevi to silver screen after a gap of 14 years, and what a return it was! Gauri Shinde’s English vinglish tugs the right cords and manages to give one of the finest movies of 2012. A movie about redeeming ones self-esteem by surmounting all apprehensions, English vinglish is sure to put up a smile on the toughest of faces.
6. HIGHWAY
Imtiyaz Ali’s Highway is a beautiful rendition of how a kidnapped girl falls in love with her own captivator. Alia Bhatt as Veera, captivates the heart of everyone in a performance which exudes a rare vulnerability and a charming innocence that stems out of a lifelong abuse at the hand of her own uncle. Alia delivers a life time of a performance, especially in the scene wherein she comes out of the closet and tells her family about the abuse.
7. QUEEN
Watch queen and you are definitely going to fall in love with Rani! Kangana floors both the audience and the box office with her performance in queen. A story about overcoming one’s shortcomings and finally rediscovering oneself in the process; queen is one movie that every movie buff should definitely watch!
8. KAHANI
Vidya Balan is a name that is synonymous with impeccable acting. In one of the most stellar performance of her career, Vidya shines as a pregnant Vidya Bakshi who arrives in Kolkata in search of her missing husband. This much acclaimed Sujoy Ghosh movie is a must watch because of the brilliant story, and the lady herself who manages once again to pack a punch!
9. FASHION
Fashion is all about glamour and glitz but fashion is so much more underneath. Fashion is a reality; a reality of competition, connections, money, soul, passion, luck, body, pain, rise and fall. Madhur Bhandarkar’s fashion entertains, shocks, moves and enlightens you. Priyanka, Kangana and Mugdha are stunning, confident and utterly believable. Priyanka shines as Meghna, a small town girl who is quite ambitious and who fights for her dreams as well as against the harsh realities. Mugdha delivers a punch with her small yet heart wrenching role. But the surprise of the movie is Kangana, who plays her part with such confidence and panache that she definitely deserves an ovation.
10. CHAK DE INDIA
Chak de India is one of those rare movies that you can keep on watching yet never feel bored. The girls are the real jewels of the movie thereby making the movie a complete winner. The film explored the different themes of religious bigotry, gender stereotypes and sexism. The conversion of these girls from an unruly pack of amateurs to a disciplined and a united pack of ultimate winners is beautifully portrayed by these girls. The movie might be about a certain coach (Shah Rukh Khan) redeeming his self-esteem by winning the women’s hockey championship, but
Clearly these girls steal the show