Films & Screens

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023 on screen

Arundhati Mukherjee

Recently, there has been an increasing focus on portraying female actors in more substantial and meaningful roles in Hindi films and series. These characters are often portrayed as independent, self-reliant, and empowered, breaking away from traditional gender roles and stereotypes. This International Women's Day can be one perfect opportunity to catch up on some of these new releases with strong female leads ruling our digital screens.

The complex musical drama 'Qala' tells the story of an aspiring singer in the 1930's Indian film industry. Swastika Mukherjee as the veteran singer Urmila and her daughter Qala, an aspiring star, played by Triptii Dimri, can be captured in one of the most potent depictions in recent times. This film deserves special mention on International Women's Day because of the powerful and often grey character portrayal of two women fighting for existence and caught up in their own web in a male-dominated society of that era.

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Several new Zee5 dramas showcase bold and brave female leads in Khaki uniforms. A fierce actor in her own league, Radhika Apte played the character of a police officer, Sub-Inspector Megha Sharma, in the thriller 'Forensic'. She is shown as a no-nonsense professional who is passionate about her work and determined to get to the bottom of the case. The crime thriller series 'Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke' sees Regina Cassandra as an IPS officer exuding patriotism and valour. Major Monica Mehra, played by Jennifer Winget, is a complex and compelling character who is central to the plot of the web series' Code M'. Her strength, intelligence, and determination make her a powerful force for justice and a true hero of the series. Actress Yami Gautam's performance as Pallavi Sharma in 'Uri: The Surgical Strike', an undercover RAW agent, is also notable in this context. The film is now available on Amazon Prime and on Zee5.

Moving away from women in forces, Shefali Shah's portrayal of respected gynaecologist Dr Nandini Shrivastav in Doctor G on Netflix is not to be missed. This light-hearted comedy-drama that makes some very hard-hitting points in favour of feminism and breaking barriers is one for keeps.

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And as we catch up on these beautiful female-centric dramas, we also wait with bated breath for the much-anticipated Hindi adaptation of 'The Good Wife' on the Hotstar with Kajol in the lead. For those who have already watched the popular US drama need not be told this exciting courtroom drama with the super talented actor Kajol in the lead certainly has the potential of being an all-round favourite.

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