Woman power

10 Bollywood roles that scream women empowerment

Feminism has been a trending topic in Bollywood for quite a while now. In the past few years, the film industry has bestowed us with several women-oriented films. Moreover, of late there are several films that are focusing on women and have women as the sole protagonists. With feminism and women empowerment turning into a hot topic worldwide, Hindi cinema is not far behind in promoting such films. Here are 10 Bollywood roles that scream woman empowerment:

Vidya Balan in ‘Kahaani’
Vidya Balan has delivered several blockbuster films in the past few years and her role in ‘Kahaani’ is undoubtedly one of her best till date. To portray the role of a pregnant woman in search of her missing husband was definitely a task for her. However, Vidya carried it off with perfection. The film basically enlightened us on to what extent a woman can go to if she is determined about her decisions in life.

Rani Mukerjee in ‘Mardaani’
2014’s sleeper hit, ‘Mardaani’ was a hard-hitting film that aimed to highlight women’s safety in the country. Rani‘s role as a police officer was praised by not only the masses but also the police department of Mumbai. She was so well praised that she was recently felicitated with an award for the film.

Kangana Ranaut in ‘Queen’
One of the best films of 2014, Kangana Ranaut starrer ‘Queen’ was appreciated and loved by the masses. The film beautifully takes us on a journey of a woman who transforms from a naive young girl to a free-spirited and strong woman. This light-hearted film is definitely a must-watch for all.

Sridevi in ‘English Vinglish’
There couldn’t have been a better comeback for Sridevi than this! She effortlessly portrayed the role of a mother, who sets out to prove her capabilities, when her weaknesses are challenged. The story basically preaches the fact that one should empower a woman and not feed on her incapabilities.

Urmila Matondkar in ‘Pinjar’
‘Pinjar’ is the story of a woman’s fight against society, norms, her family and most of all, herself. Set during the Indo-Pak partition, it showed us how a woman efficiently overcomes her vulnerability and ventures out to set things right. Featuring Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpayee in lead roles, the film strongly pursues the message of self-empowerment.

Ayesha Takia and Gul Panaag in ‘Dor’
Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, ‘Dor’ preaches a completely different emotion of a woman. The story throws light upon the understanding shared between two complete strangers (women). Especially, on how one of them displays the strength of forgiving the other woman’s husband, who is apparently responsible for her being a widow.

Priyanka Chopra in ‘Mary Kom’
This film is one of Priyanka’s best till date. Priyanka played the role of Mary Kom who is a famous female Indian boxer. ‘Mary Kom’ depicts Mary’s journey of becoming a boxer to her victory at the 2008 World Boxing Championships in Ningbo. The film focuses on how a woman goes against all odds to become a star in a sport that is considered to be male-centric.

Kareena Kapoor Khan in ‘Ki & Ka’
‘Ki & Ka’ is a 2016 Indian romantic drama film written, directed, and produced by R. Balki. The film follows a young, married couple contradicting the gender roles placed upon women and men in Indian society. It stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Arjun Kapoor. Kareena was absolutely brilliant in the film and her role is an inspiration to women, worldwide.

Deepika in ‘Piku’
Deepika and Amitabh Bachchan were fantastic in this film about a father and daughter’s beautiful relationship. The film portrays how Deepika is a single independent woman who not only manages everything herself but also takes care of her father’s needs right until the very end. This film shows that a woman needs no one if she is determined.

Rani Mukerjee in ‘No One Killed Jessica’
Let’s just say that Rani Mukerjee’s choice of roles is brilliant. The film is about Jessica Lall, a Delhi-based model, who is shot dead by the son of a wealthy politician. Journalist Meera played by Rani, sets out to expose the corrupt system and the culprit responsible for her murder. Not only did Rani totally nail the role, she also garnered a lot of praise from critics and audiences alike.

-Courtesy Times of India