Celebrating the essence of Women on 70mm

By: Kirtika Chander

Women on 70mm. Women-centric films in the spirit of International Women’s Day

The very word ‘woman’ brings to mind an entity that can seduce with sensual beauty, endure with inner mind control and mould to any situation as though born to handle just that.

Of course there have been roles where the woman of substance has emerged from the chrysalis, thanks to strong-willed film-makers who have broken fresh ground. Read on for the list of favorite woman oriented Hindi-English flicks:

Bollywood movies:

Mother India

If there is any movie that is as spectacular and captures the indomitable spirit of a woman like Gone With The Wind did, it is Mother India. Nargis played the lead role, doubling up as mother to her own children and to society at large. A poverty-stricken mother fights against every odd - there are a lot of those in the movie - to raise her sons. There is perhaps no other movie that tries to capture the essence of being a mother like Mehboob Khan's epic drama.

Dor

This fairly-recent one by Nagesh Kukunoor not given its due warmed the cockles of heart witnessing female ties. The pathos interwoven as one woman connects with another is touching. The joy of living that Gul Panag’s character infuses into the colorless life of widowed Ayesha Takia is moving. Recall the scene where the latter’s paternal grandmother urges her to leave for a better world. This scene has etched itself forever in mind as giving strength to the protagonist’s wings to fly towards self-redemption.

Kahaani

"Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned", said William Congreve. And Kahaaniproves it. The mystery thriller, co-written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh, was set in Kolkata during the Durga Puja festival and followed a pregnant woman, Vidya Balan, who connives, manipulates and basically leaves no stones unturned to find her husband's killer and avenge his death. And all along you root and cheer for her.

English Vinglish

Sridevi made a comeback in the comedy drama. The movie is about the women not from English background better say not well versed in English, but lives with the people of English background--- classified as 'Modern'. The movie prescribes the way society lives and how the woman is categorized if she not proficient in English. How this women learns English, the situations she overcomes, beats the challenges is the excitation plot and the movie is designed alike 'grope we are up taking the travel along'.

Queen

It hardly gets as badass as a jilted bride going off on her honeymoon alone. Kangana Ranaut starred in the comedy drama about a young, over-protected Delhi girl who decides to go off on her honeymoon by herself after her fiancé dumps her just before their wedding. Rani taught us that it is all great to love your family and friends and be grateful for them but at the end one must be able to stand for self and hold one's own.

Hollywood movies:

 Bend It Like Beckham

Gurinder Chadha's magnum opus is all about girl power. Beg, lie, fight but do not let go of your dreams because of gender stereotypes. And a more befitting ode to women football fans might not be found.

Gone With the Wind

If you need to pick one movie that revolves around the will to survive and prosper, then there is hardly any movie that does more justice than Gone With The World. It is the story of a woman, Scarlett O'Hara versus the swiftly-changing world. Scarlett wins. And how!

Thelma and Louise

If there is one movie that shows the power of female friendship and support, it is Thelma and Louise. It is the story of two women who take a break from their usual lives and go on a seemingly harmless road trip. But things soon get out of hand and they are pitted against the entire world for their survival and they only have each other for help.

The Color Purple

Lives of black women were unbelievably tough to say the least. Things may look better now but not everything is right. The Color Purple tells the story of a poor, abused woman Celie Harris who finds solace in two other women Shug and Sofia. This is another movie that shows that a woman can be a woman's greatest support.

Winter's Bone

This movie just sets to prove that age is never a hurdle when you set your mind to something. Seventeen year old Ree takes care of the entire family, destitute and abandoned by the father. She sets out to look for her father, but that is when things turn for the worse. But then Ree is not one to give up so easily.