{"id":6330,"date":"2016-03-19T04:40:21","date_gmt":"2016-03-18T23:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/13.201.39.237\/?p=6330"},"modified":"2026-07-17T22:08:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T16:38:28","slug":"arre-recommends-six-iconic-films-to-revisit-on-international-womens-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/13.207.105.184\/?p=6330","title":{"rendered":"Arr\u00e9 Recommends: Six Iconic Films To Revisit On Women’s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\nIn less than 24 hours, every woman\u2019s phone is likely to blow up with messages from well-wishers declaring their undying love for our gender, and affirmations about how women deserve a day to themselves, because apparently, for the rest of the year, it ceases to be a woman\u2019s world. For years, capitalism<\/a> has promoted this day dedicated to women, giving us sacred buzzwords, like, \u201cdiscount\u201d, \u201csale\u201d and \u201cgift vouchers\u201d.\n\nBut, as it turns out, Bollywood isn\u2019t far behind when it comes to shaping the idea of womanhood. In fact, the Hindi movie industry has been a key player in defining women, who for ages, have been seen as mere props, devoid of any personality or agency. This International Women\u2019s Day<\/a>, let\u2019s revisit a few of the films that have allowed their women to stand on their own feet, and given them a platform to raise their voice, such as…\n\nMirch Masala<\/strong>\n\nSet in colonial India, Smita Patil\u2019s Sonbai is a rebellious, fierce woman who refuses to be exploited by a power-abusing subedar (Naseeruddin Shah). While women still struggle to stand their ground to this day, Mirch Masala<\/em> reflects on a society that hinged on the idea of solidarity, where women act as support systems for each other to overcome shared trauma, decades before the #MeToo<\/a> movement began to appear on timelines.\n\n

\"womens_day_movies_mirch_masala\"\n

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Smita Patil\u2019s Sonbai is a rebellious, fierce woman who refuses to be exploited by a power-abusing subedar.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\nBased on a short story by Chunilal Madia, Mirch Masala<\/em> is a telling story about oppression \u2014 the subedar, who holds ultimate authority over the village, views its women only as his property. Sonbai, meanwhile, refuses the subedar\u2019s advances, both wounding his male pride and ego<\/a>, and leaving a lasting impact on the audience.\n\nKahaani<\/strong>\n\nBollywood\u2019s go-to leading lady for women-centric films, Vidya Balan, plays a pregnant woman in search of her missing husband in 2012\u2019s Kahaani<\/a>. As Vidya Venkatesan Bagchi, the vulnerable yet resilient lead of the film, Balan breaks the stereotype<\/a> in which the hypermasculine hero is expected to be the one saving the damsel in distress. Inspired by some real-life experiences<\/a> of novelist and screenwriter, Advaita Kala, Kahaani\u2019s Vidya doesn’t lose her zest for life, or her ability see the silver-lining, even though she lives in a male-dominated world that tries to hold her back.\n\n

The Hindi movie industry has been a key player in defining women, who for ages, have been seen as mere props.<\/blockquote>\nSita Sings the Blues\n\n

\"womens_day_movies_sita_sings_the_blues\"\n

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This witty re-interpretation of the epic focuses on Sita, a woman who is betrayed and heartbroken by the one she loves the most.<\/p>\n

GKIDS<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\nAn animated (and technically, not a Bollywood) film, Sita Sings the Blues<\/em>, is a musical retelling of the Ramayana by American artist Nina Paley. This witty re-interpretation of the epic focuses on Sita, a woman who is betrayed and heartbroken<\/a> by the one she loves the most. Set to the 1920s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, Sita\u2019s plight runs parallel to Paley\u2019s own struggles \u2014\u00a0her partner ended their relationship over a surprise email, with no further explanation provided. The film focuses on the sisterhood that brings women who have experienced similar heartbreak together.\n\nEnglish Vinglish<\/strong>\n\nSridevi<\/a> breathes life into English Vinglish<\/em> \u2014 a tale of women empowerment<\/a> and growth \u2014\u00a0with her contagious positivity. Shashi Godbole is your average, upper-middle-class mother of two, a small-time entrepreneur. But despite being a skilled and self-sufficient woman, Shashi is also shown to suffer from a tiny, but also a glaringly unmissable \u201chandicap\u201d \u2014 not being able to speak fluent English. Shashi represents every Indian mother<\/a> who has dedicated her life to her family, but is constantly looked down upon for not being perfect. When she eventually enrolls for an English crash course (behind her dismissive family\u2019s back) she takes control of her own life, unlearning the docility that allowed her daughter to disrespect her, and identifying the complacency that had slipped into her marriage<\/a>.\n\nIzzatnagari Ki Asabhya Betiyan<\/strong>\n\nA 93-minute-long documentary directed by FTII graduate Nakul Singh Sawhney, Izzatnagari Ki Asabhya Betiyan<\/em> deals with honour killing<\/a> and the khap panchayat system in Haryana. The bold documentary exposes the hypocrisy of the patriarchal modern India and its intolerance towards women who \u201ccross the line\u201d. Mapping the lives of five women who have nothing in common except for the fact that they must deal with these stifling traditions, Izzatnagari Ki Asabhya Betiyan<\/em> is an honest wake-up call.\n\nChaalBaaz<\/strong>\n\nWhile ChaalBaaz<\/em><\/a>\u2019s storyline reads like that of any rom-com, Sridevi\u2019s unwavering charisma as she takes on a double role, is a joy to watch. Her flamboyance as \u201cManju\u201d and sheepishness as \u201cAnju\u201d lend ChaalBaaz<\/em> a distinctive individuality. The loud and untameable Manju is unapologetic, while the timid and quiet Anju only wants to please \u2014 and in just two characters, Sridevi plays hundreds of women. While the plot isn\u2019t without its loopholes and skittish caricatures, ChaalBaaz<\/em> allows the women to shine and co-exist.\n\nSo this year, as we continue to figure out ways to \u2014 as the\u00a0 International Women\u2019s Day website<\/a> says \u2014 “forge a gender equal world\u201d, let\u2019s start small, by surrounding ourselves with the stories of strong, independent women.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Kahaani to English Vinglish, there have been few Bollywood films that have allowed their women characters to shine, rather than be used as mere props, devoid of any personality or agency. Ahead of Women’s Day, let’s look back at a few of these classics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":6334,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3114],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bollywood"],"yoast_head":"\nArr\u00e9 Recommends: Six Iconic Films To Revisit On Women's Day<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Kahaani to English Vinglish, there have been few Bollywood films that have allowed their women characters to shine, rather than be used as mere props, devoid of any personality or agency. 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