In the early days of Bollywood, women were often portrayed as passive and submissive, serving mainly as love interests and eye candy for the male lead. Movies focus on their physical appearance over their personality or abilities and their worth is often tied to their relationship status or ability to attract a man. While progress has been made in this regard, there is still room for improvement, as women in Hindi movies continue to be sexualized and objectified. They are often shown as one-dimensional characters without much depth.
The portrayal of women in Hindi movies has evolved over time. There has been a shift towards more empowering and nuanced depictions of women in Hindi movies, with female characters taking on more central roles in the story. Women are being portrayed as strong and independent, with careers, ambitions, and personalities that extend beyond their relationships with men.
Over the years many women centric movies are made in Bollywood. Below is the list of top 10 movies that represent women as central characters.
1. Mrityudand
Protagonist: Ketki
The movie is about two corrupt Zamindars who manipulate the villagers for their own benefit. Ketik’s Husband Vinay comes under the influence of one of the zamindar and later has to lose his life. Ketki is a strong willed woman who fights back to protect her family.
2. Beta
Protagonist: Saraswati
When Sarawati marries Raju, everything seems like one cheerful family. Until she figures out that Raju's stepmother is exploiting him as she needs Raju's cash, property, and fortune. Saraswati is a brilliant woman who leaves no stone to bring out the truth about Raju's step mother. The immaculate performance was given by Madhuri.
3. Mimi
Protagonist: Mimi
The story is about Mimi, a local dancer who decides to be a surrogate mother to an American couple who are unable to conceive. During the course of pregnancy, they find out that the unborn child has Down syndrome and ask Mimi to have an abortion because they no longer want the child. Mimi, however, intends to give birth to the child. The child is born healthy. The American couple demands their child back after discovering this. Mini portrays a strong mother who will do whatever it takes to protect her child.
4. Tumhari Sullu
Protagonist: Sulochana Dubey
Sulochana Dubey, a middle-class homemaker, has always desired to have a job. When an opportunity comes her way to be a Radio Jockey she is more than delighted to accept it. However she is forced to quit her job because her husband doesn't agree with her being a RJ. Determined to continue working, when she sees the tiffin person arguing with the receptionist at the Radio station, she quickly asks her boss to give the tiffin contract to her. Sulochana portrays a strong, tenacious woman who sees potential in even the merest tasks.
5. NH10- Anuksha Sharma
Protagonist: Meera
Arjun and Meera witness an honour killing when they stop in a village at a dhaba to have food. They were going on a road trip to celebrate Meera’s Birthday. As they are chased by the gang of men they run for their life and they kill Arjun. Meera leaves no stone to take revenge from the men who were responsible for killing Arjun. Women are always considered physically weak, but in times of distress, their willpower makes them even stronger.
6. Thappad
Protagonist: Amrita
When Vikram slaps Amrita in front of everyone at a party, life comes to a complete standstill for her. Her only fault was trying to prevent her husband from getting into a fight with his boss. Women are always taken for granted and can be treated by men as they like. What Amrita did was very brave. She separated from Vikram and demanded a divorce. It’s not about getting slapped, but about how you are treated. Every women should be treated with respect and dignity.
7. Dushman
Protagonist: Naina
Naina and Sonia are twin sisters. Tragedy strikes when Sonia is raped and brutally murdered by Gokul. Unable to bear the pain of losing her sister, Naina decides to take revenge. It is heart-wrenching to see how Naina bravely fights with a psychopath rapist like Gokul. When you lose a loved one the pain drives you to any extent.
8. Filhaal
Protagonist: Rewa
When Rewa agrees to be a surrogate mother for Sia and Dhruv’s child, jealousy sets in and the friendship between Rewa and Sia suffers. The movie was far ahead of its time. It takes a lot of bravery for a woman to have someone else's child even at the cost of losing her best friend.
9. Damini
Protagonist: Damini
Shekhar Gupta (Rishi Kapoor) who is a wealthy businessman marries Damini (Meenakshi Seshadri). Damini witnesses her maid being raped by her brother-in-law and his friends. While her family wishes to conceal the entire incident, she decides to inform the police. Her battle against her own family and husband to fight for what is right demonstrates her bravery and courage.
10. Astitva
Protagonist: Aditi
Why is it that a woman has to justify and prove herself for any mistake that she has committed while a man’s mistakes are easily overlooked? She has to fight for her existence. Aditi Pandit has a child out of marriage with her dying music teacher. Her husband due to his work commitments has to travel leaving Aditi alone. Despite the fact that Shrikant is impotent, it is the women who are always blamed.
Conclusion
These movies showcase women in a variety of powerful roles. These stories highlight the strength, determination, and resilience of women, and aim to inspire women to pursue their ambitions and goals. These movies have been praised for their depictions of women, and for challenging traditional gender roles and societal attitudes toward women.
It's important to note that the representation of women in Hindi movies can impact societal attitudes towards women, and it's crucial for filmmakers and the industry as a whole to work towards creating more empowering, and respectful depictions of women on screen.
Author Bio: I have always been fascinated with the world of cinema. Having worked for many years sitting in my cubicle, I finally started working on my passion for movies by expressing my personal views and thoughts. https://www.cinemasection.com/
