Women’s Day Marathon: 7 female Bollywood characters who inspire

As a child, the meaning of belonging to a particular gender was lost on me. I was a child, enjoying my childhood just like my neighbour’s son. It was only after growing up that I discovered the not-so-subtle differences between the two sexes. And while differences are meant to be accepted and even celebrated, the distinction was very obvious.

Even in this modern day and age, there are things that our mothers and sisters do that go unnoticed, like taking care of an entire household. There are sacrifices women make at work and in life that are taken for granted in most families and communities simply because women hold the title of primary caregivers in almost every set-up. While it is a continuous journey towards equality that we all undertake, a day like Women’s Day makes you sit up and think about how you can educate and better your society.

Cinema is a great lens to understand issues that our society deals with. And to that end, there are some very inspiring Bollywood characters that stay in our minds even after the movie is over. They make us question things. Sometimes, they ignite in us a feeling to be better. And at other times, they make us want to raise our voices. Soulveda takes this special day to highlight some inspiring Bollywood characters that are female and are made up of ingredients we all desire to have.

Vidya Bagchi in Kahaani (2012)

Imagine a pregnant woman going from pillar to post asking about her missing husband to cops, seedy people and just about anyone. In just one attire for the whole film, exhausted but determined Vidya Bagchi roams the City of Joy relentlessly in the award-winning Sujoy Ghosh film Kahaani.

Vidya Bagchi, played by the versatile actor Vidya Balan, is a powerhouse. She is one of the strongest characters written for Indian cinema. A woman who avenges her husband’s wrongful death but not in an ordinary manner, Vidya is a force to reckon with. She is heartbroken in more ways than one, but she picks up the pieces to create an elaborate plan of revenge that is not for the weak-hearted.

Kahaani captures Kolkata’s nooks and alleys in ways that match Vidya’s sombre moods and her resilience. On Women’s Day, there is no better treat for a cinephile than watching Vidya Balan’s portrayal of a wronged woman on her road to revenge.

Piku in Piku (2015)

Piku Banerjee is a delight. She is a working woman. She is a daughter of par excellence. She is nobody’s fool. Piku, played by Deepika Padukone in the film of the same name, is a woman we all want to be. A modern woman who takes care of her hypochondriac father like a nurturing mom, Piku knows she has her hands full and yet chooses to smile at life’s challenges – she is perfectly okay not finding a companion in a hurry and isn’t ashamed to say she wants to take care of her father even after she gets married. Ofcourse, life throws a curveball every other moment, with her ageing father’s health scares and society’s constant nagging about her biological clock ticking. But Piku is self-assured and happy making lemonade with the lemons life gives.

We either wish we were Piku or would want to have a Piku as a friend who has our back always.