Bollywood has worked to change the way women are depicted in films in recent years. It shifted from abla naari to able naari – or at least tried to! However, when it came to portraying a strong, independent woman, these films failed miserably:
1. Guilty
The plot of the film revolved around a group of women banding together to fight rape culture and victim-blaming. Unfortunately, the film’s female characters were so full of cliches that they caused more harm to the idea of women having a voice than the film’s hackneyed plotline.
2. Love Aaj Kal
According to this film, the modern Indian lady is still unable to combine job and personal life and is willing to be hounded in the name of love. SMH!
3. Tribhanga
Despite a strong ensemble, the picture was a letdown, with its primary characters depicted in extremes, with no complexity and, at times, no empathy. Domestic abuse, childhood trauma, and sexual assault were all depicted as tokens, further alienating female characters and making them into caricatures rather than relatable women.
4. Akira
Many writers make the mistake of writing a female protagonist as if she were a male protagonist in an attempt to make her the protagonist of the novel. Given that most of our male protagonists leave a lot to be desired, this fails to create a likable or inspiring female character. And Akira is a great example of how this can go wrong.
5. Namaste England
A film on women’s empowerment that failed miserably on so many levels left you feeling deeply disappointed. Let’s just say this isn’t what strong female characters or empowerment look like.
6. Aisha
I’m not opposed to portraying flawed or entitled female characters, but does it have to be so boring? Sonam’s portrayal of Aisha left a lot to be desired, especially in terms of portraying a woman who is secure in her choices and mature enough to deal with her mistakes, as Emma was.
7. Cocktail
Cocktail did the greatest disservice to women by portraying two young, vivacious women fighting for a man-child like Gautam. Even the little agency Veronica had was eviscerated when the film reduced women to flawed polarised versions of bad vs. good girl. Archie Comics had more nuance than this film, where even the little agency Veronica had was eviscerated when the film reduced women to flawed polarised versions of bad vs. good girl.
8. Haseen Dillruba
Haseen Dillruba, which was supposed to be a whodunit in the form of a smutty murder thriller, had way too much going on, and most, if not all, of it,, was irrational. But the most absurd aspect was Rani’s character growth, which was a complete disaster, completely undermining the concept of women who own up to their wants.
9. Begum Jaan
Watch Begum Jaan if you’ve ever wondered how a single film can let down an audience, a star cast, and feminism. The film mixed together sex work, patriarchy, and partition to produce a jumble that only served to reinforce the faulty assumptions it promised to dispel. It also conveyed the lesson that just because a film has a predominantly female cast doesn’t mean it’s a feminist story.
10. Mardaani
Cops with inflated egos who break rules and slam criminals in the head aren’t cool or badass; they’re just obnoxious, regardless of gender! While the first picture was tolerable, the sequel and the lackluster character development were unwelcome.
Of course, this list does not include films in which the presence of a lady exists solely to support the hero’s interest and character arc.
Women who are strong and self-reliant are not unicorns. These ladies exist in the real world, therefore showing them realistically and making them sympathetic should not be difficult.
