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These upcoming Hindi movies appear to be a breath of fresh air, at least as far as their trailers reveal. Stay tuned for these new releases!
Are you tired of Bollywood churning out one movie after another that revolves around the same age-old themes (which most of the times are misogynistic and sexist)? Do you, like me, wait for movies which are different in their outlook, movies that show women having agency over their bodies and minds?
For every Angry Indian Goddesses or Queen, Bollywood has five big banner releases glorifying the hero’s valour while portraying the young and beautiful heroine as a damsel in distress, waiting to be rescued from the evil clutches of the villains. The heroine, in most of these films, exists solely for the purpose of being the hero’s love interest and for helping enhance the hero’s positive image to the world.
If you have been living under a rock somehow, do watch this video by AIB, where Kangana Ranaut takes a jab at Bollywood’s sexist practices from the director not even remembering a heroine’s name until she’s introduced as the hero’s love interest to a 50+ hero dating a 20+ heroine on screen (while older actresses are relegated to selling ‘tikiyas’).
So, when I got to see a few trailers of some upcoming releases which seem to be dealing with refreshingly different themes, I was eager to share those with you all.
The movie Ribbon seems to be talking about the themes of motherhood, a woman’s career, and also perhaps a relatively unexplored issue in the Indian context: the treatment of unwed mothers in contemporary India.
Jia Aur Jia, on the other hand, looks like a road trip between two women whose similarity ends with their names. While the Jia played by Kalki looks like a fun-loving and carefree woman, the other Jia played by Richa Chadda looks more somber and serious about life.
In the movie, Tumhari Sulu, Vidya Balan seems to be working for a radio program where she tries seducing men.
In Secret Superstar, a talented youngster starts making YouTube videos of her songs when her father forbids her to follow her musical dreams.
In Qarib Qarib Single, a man and a woman, who are not in any relationship, take a journey around several parts of India together.
All these movies seem to be portraying women as human beings capable of having a life of their own beyond solely existing to be the male lead’s love interest. These movies deal with women who have careers, women who go on road trips, women who dare to dream even in the face of an orthodox society.
We need more such movies in Bollywood and we should definitely support these with our money so that producers are encouraged to bring more such realistic themes onscreen rather than continue serving us with the stale platter of formulaic male-centered movies.
Kasturi’s debut novel, forthcoming in early 2021, had won the novel pitch competition by Half Baked Beans Publishers. She won the Runner Up Position in the Orange Flower Awards 2021 for Short Fiction. Her read more...
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