It’s not every year that you watch feisty women take control of your screens. While bidding adieu to 2021, we only witnessed a handful of films that dared to challenge patriarchy, but 2022 is already serving us some different flavours.
We’re two months into 2022, and the characters essayed by the women of Bollywood have smashed the tried-and-tested tropes and already have us cheering aloud for them on streaming platforms as well as cinema halls.
1. Taapsee Pannu in Looop Lapeta
Taapsee Pannu has confessed to being approached by filmmakers looking for dominating actresses. But the truth lies in the fact that she also aces her roles with finesse. In Netflix’s latest Looop Lapeta, she was paired with Tahir Raj Bhasin (an excellent emasculated male protagonist) and had the onus of rescuing her boyfriend from the trap on her shoulders.
2. Deepika Padukone in Gehraiyaan
Shakun Batra’s Gehraiyaan proved that women don’t need to be perfect to deserve a story of their own. Deepika Padukone as Alisha was one of the most vulnerable and flawed characters that we’ve witnessed since a while. Her character reflected the shades of many women, ultimately making it Deepika’s finest film.
3. Bhumi Pednekar in Badhaai Do
It’s not the first time Bhumi Pednekar has effortlessly won our hearts with her filmography, but Badhaai Do definitely merits special praise. She played the character of a lesbian who enter into a lavender marriage to dodge her family’s urge to get married which hits home. Even beside brilliant Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi is naturally charming and a show stealer.
4. Yami Gautam in A Thursday
Leaving behind the gharelu roles Yami Gautam was famed for doing, she absolutely stunned us in this thriller drama. She stepped into a character she had never played before, showcasing her versatility and potential.
5. Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi
Gangubai Kathiawad is nothing but a celebration of Alia Bhatt’s career-defining film. The actress, who has already leaved us impressed in films like Highway, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s project brought out the best in her. This biopic featuring the Mafia Queen is proof that grand films turn out to be grander when women dominate the screen.
6. Madhuri Dixit in The Fame Game
Madhuri Dixit made her debut into the OTT space in Netflix’s latest The Fame Game. Madhuri as a superstar and a ‘family woman’ has brilliantly unveiled the darker side of being a star. She has single-handedly ensured that the show lives up to its hype.
7. Anchal Singh in Yeh Kaali Kaali Akhen
We began binge-watching Yeh Kaali Kaali Akhen swooning over Tahir Raj Bhasin but ended up rooting for Anchal Singh. This sinister politician’s daughter had a lustful gaze that was unlike anything we’d seen before. Throughout the show, you love to hate her, demonstrating that she totally killed it.