Loved Laapataa Ladies? Here Are 5 Other Women-Centric Bollywood Films To Watch(Photo Credit –IMDb)
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Kiran Rao’s film Laapataa Ladies was recently released on the streaming platform Netflix after its initial release in theatres earlier this year. The light-hearted comedy-drama has been appreciated by the audience for its simplistic portrayal of some societal issues without being too preachy. The writers of the film Biplab Goswami, Sneha Desai and Divyanidhi Sharma have weaved a story around patriarchy and how women struggle to strive for equality in such a society.
Laapataa Ladies stars young, talented actors like Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav and industry veterans like Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan. The film, set in fictional Nirmal Pradesh, revolves around two newlywed brides, who travel by train to reach their respective ‘sasurals’.
However, when it was time to deboard, a confused Deepak (Sparsh) dragged Jaya (Pratibha), whose face was completely hidden behind a red-colored long veil, out of the train instead of his Phool (Nitanshi). The story then showcases how Jaya helped Deepak find his lost bride Phool.
If you absolutely loved watching Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, here we suggest you watch these women-centric films next.
English Vinglish (2012)
English Vinglish is Gauri Shinde’s first feature film that tells the story of a homemaker, Shashi Godbole, played by the late Sridevi. She manages her entire house, her husband, two children, and a mother-in-law along with running a small ladoo-making business. However, her corporate husband Satish, played by Adil Hussain, and her daughter Sapna, played by Navika Kotia, repeatedly mock Shashi for her broken English.
The naive homemaker’s life takes a turn when she lands in New York City and gets a chance to learn the language that had made her life miserable back in India. During the course of learning English, Shashi faces inner and outer conflicts, even questioning her role as a mother. English Vinglish encapsulated the plight of every Indian homemaker, who lives between these scarring remarks and little appreciation. Sridevi resumed her career in acting after 15 years as Shashi and was even praised for her role.
Gangubai Kathiawadi(2022)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s directorial is based on Gangubai Kathiawadi’s story from S. Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens Of Mumbai. The film stars Alia Bhatt as the titular character and Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Jim Sarbh, Ajay Devgn and Seema Pahwa in other important roles. The story revolves around the lives of sex workers in the infamous red-light district Kamathipura in Mumbai.
An innocent 16-year-old Ganga (Alia) who aspired to become a Bollywood actress, runs away from home with her boyfriend only to be sold by him to a brothel. The constant torture there transformed Ganga into Gangu, who later introduced labour laws in the brothel. Gangu was named Gangubai when she became the madame of the brothel after her predecessor, Seema died. The filmmaker captured the life of an ordinary woman who fought tooth and nail for the rights of sex workers. Gangubai Kathiawadi has won several accolades including National Film Awards for Best Actress and Best Screenplay.
Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016)
Alankrita Shrivastava-directed film Lipstick Under My Burkha revolves around the secret lives of four women who are in search of their freedom. The comedy-drama features Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aahana Kumra, and Plabita Borthakur in lead roles. Alankrita portrayed the lives of four women who were living alternate lives: their regular, mundane ones and the second lives of their choice away from society’s regressive mindset.
While the filmmaker tried to discuss feminism through this film in an engaging and entertaining manner, it caused quite a stir in the media, especially with the censor board when its trailer was first released. However, it was well-received by the audience and was even awarded at several film festivals.
Margarita With A Straw (2015)
Shonali Bose’s film revolves around the life of a wheelchair-bound Laila with cerebral palsy. She has normal aspirations just like any other girl of her age. As she matures, Laila eventually gets confused about her sexuality. Her dilemma starts when she gets attracted to a man named Jared, played by William Moseley while being in a serious relationship with Khanum portrayed by Sayani Gupta.
Eventually, she comes out about her bisexuality to her mother Shubhangini, played by Revathi, who strongly disapproves of it. The three lead women did a splendid job of portraying their own inhibitions and apprehensions. Moreover, Margarita With A Straw isn’t just another story of a differently-abled person but one of self-discovery.
Queen (2013)
Vikas Bahl’s Queen celebrates self-love, turning a tragedy into a path to discover oneself. The story revolves around Kangana Ranaut’s lead character Rani, who is left heartbroken when her fiance Vijay (Rajkummar Rao) calls off their wedding saying that he no longer wishes to marry her. The meek and naive Rani then decides to go to their pre-planned honeymoon destination Paris and Amsterdam after keeping herself locked in her room for a day. After initial hesitation, Rani’s parents agree and let her vacation in the foreign lands on her own.
During her time in Paris and Amsterdam, she met with several people, who ultimately led her to gain confidence in herself. While Vijay tried to come back into Rani’s life after seeing her all changed, the latter thanked him for giving her the chance to grow and handed over the ring to him. Over the years, Queen has emerged as one of the most-watched films in Indian cinema for its simplistic storytelling.
