Sakti, Sampatti, Sadbuddhi - New Goddesses of Indian Women Power in Bollywood

On this women's day, I would like to write this note of salutation to women based on some Bollywood movies I watched in the recent past and which I found different from the typical plots, daring and equally entertaining. I also observe with surprise and gladness that the art and craft of Bollywood appears to be changing. The sparkling stars of Bollywood - who in the modern times have gone beyond their typical glamorous and conventional roles, have consciously made attempts to explore the realms of art of theatre by taking up challenging roles, which in turn, have made them more powerful artistes.  Some recent movies come to my mind  evoke respect for womanhood, and present some powerful women. 

I would place in the first spot, Taapsee Pannu's characterisation of Amrita in Thappad (Anubhav Sinha, 2020). A 'slap' in a party by an unthinking and irritated careerist husband, who didn't mean anything more than a mere ventilation of his frustration by that, and glossed over it as just another instance in the family life, becomes a starting point of critical selfhood for the happy Amrita, who, till then, thought she was having a perfect home and life. It was almost like the enlightenment of a Bodhisatta, the thappad arouses an awakening! The woman was brought to stark realisation of one's selfhood and the kind of taken-for-grantedness one is forced into by the systems of family, religion and society. She rebels and does away with the shackles of that enslavement, even while maintaining her self-respect and respect and regard for all else concerned - gentle and firm.  That triggers off a series of revolts in her circles, with women from the elitist to those considered very dregs of the society taking a cue from her revolt, break off and free themselves from the exploitative relations they were in. 

Then there is the portrayal of two very powerful women by Kangana Ranaut - one from 19th century Indian history - the epic like saga of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, Manikarnika (Radhakrishna  Jagarlamudi, 2019), where her heroics are depicted as challenging the societal norms and challenging the imperial exploiters against the background theme of patriotism.  The song 'desh se hai pyar ho to..mein rahoon ya naa rahoon, bhaarat yah rahna chahiye.' is very energizing  for me, in spite of its patriotic overtones and my avowed abhorrence of the present trends 'patriotism' takes around the world - bordering jingoism. We also see Kangana in Thalaivi (A.L. Vijay, 2021), portraying Jayalalita the tinsel-world dream girl turned Amma of Tamil Nadu, as a very bold and empowered woman who created history in Tamil Nādu in our own times. 

Taapsee and Kangana also bring out two other women power characters through Naam Shabana (Shivam Nair, 2017) and Panga (Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, 2020). In the former, Taapsee playing Shabana, a sports woman, using her athletic prowess becomes a covert agent while managing to wreak vengeance against the unjust murderers of her boyfriend.  In the latter, Kangana acts the role of Jaya Nigam, a national Kabaddi player, once the national team captain, who comes back powerfully into the game, with the whole hearted support of her family (husband and son) for whom she had set aside her sports career. It is a fight against several odds like family attachment, duty consciousness, age etc. 

I was also charmed by the movie Saand Ki Aankh (Tushar Hiranandani, 2019) where the two young female stars - Taapsee and Bhumi Pednekar display the life of  Chandro Tomar and Prakashi Tomar,  two rural Haryanvi women condemned to the life of bearing children and taking care of the household under the fierce male chauvinist family system. As late-bloomers they show forth diplomacy in covertly pursuing the belated discovery of their skill in shooting. Still leading the very rustic life, they are seen to be naturals and quick learners for an otherwise totally male dominated sport.  They grow and blossom, and in turn, inspire their daughters to be great sports women. But the movie rocks when they feel empowered to challenge the system, dare their powerful husbands, and gain acceptance by those very husbands and still maintain the family in one piece.  Marvellous portrayal of unglamorous roles for otherwise glamorous tinsel world of Bollywood, while scintillatingly revealing the women power! The characters emerge through them, in spite of their persistence with the ghungat, as ultramodern revolutionaries. 

Yes, I was charmed by Parineeti Chopra's rendering of Saina (Amole Gupta, 2021), the badminton icon of India, but was enamoured by the daring role of the unqualified sexologist (Baby Bedi) following Unani practices of Mamaji, so very well presented by Sonakshi Sinha in Khandaani Shafakhana by Shilpi Dasgupta (2019). Baby Bedi shocks not merely by a young woman donning a forbidden role, but also by openly challenging the established norms of discussing topics generally considered che-che! 

But the real toughie was the uncrowned empress of Kamathipura of Mumbai, Gangubai Kathiawadi (Sanjay Leela Bansali, 2022) powerfully rendered by Alia Bhatt.  Her flight from home for bright filmy future ends up as a fight for the respect and welfare of the women in prostitution, and her logical appeal for their rights buttressed by arguments, apparently silencing all critics and regaling the viewers with the subtle wit implied in every statement, deserve hats off to the director and the actor.  I would end this small note with her powerful statement: 

Sakti, sampatti, sadbuddhi (power, wealth and intellect) - teenon hi auraten hain, to in mardon ka kis baat ka guroor hai? Thus challenges Gangubai Kathiawadi, the rebel victim of Bombay's Kamaathipura trying to empower the womanhood of the Mumbai red streets. 

While I feel awed by the efforts taken by these women actors, I can't but salute the visionary directors behind the screen. - how well have they thought out these characters, highlighting both the systemic subjugation and the oft hidden and suppressed feminine power.   That two of these movies have women as the directors and some others have women co-directing is a matter worth noting, that it is not really the issue of talents not being there, but of opportunity which the system, more than often denies the women. 

Salutations to all women, especially those marvellous women who manage families full-time, and those working women, who double up to make and keep a family while earning a living, and in either case whose tremendous contribution is hardly ever reckoned.  I have several of them in my mind, of my family, my friends and my colleagues.  Perhaps, I should write about them, some other time.

May they all be happy and enjoy peace from the source of all peace and consolation!