The entire country is raving about the strong female perspective of Netflix’s ‘Bulbbul’. Starring Tripti Dimri in lead and produced by Anushka Sharma, the show is set in the late 1800s and deals with the perception of a free-willed woman as a ‘dayan’ (demon-woman). While the show has got immense love from the audience and critics alike, it’s not the first Indian show with a feminist approach.
Way before when Indian television was still the one-stop for entertainment, many renowned filmmakers brought stories that shackled the ‘stereotype’ of an ideal Indian woman and led the progressive movement of female empowerment.
Here’s a list of shows that made ripples with their independent approach towards female characters.
Rajani
Directed by late filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, Rajani had Priya Tendulkar in lead role. Chatterjee, know for films like Rajanigandha and Chhoti Chhoti Si Baat, entered the world of TV with this show. The show was about a middle-class housewife who transforms into a strong-willed and determined woman as she questions the work ethics of various government offices.It became immensely popular for creating awareness among lax government offices and officials. It was written by Karan Razdan and Anil Chaudhary. You can actually catch the classic show during lockdown on DD Bharati.
Saans
Written and directed by Neena Gupta, ‘Saans’ was the story of a woman who has to deal with her husband’s extra-marital affair. It starred Neena Gupta and Kanwaljit Singh in lead roles and focused on how the female protagonist works towards building her own identity, away from her role as just a wife and mother.
Shanti
Today we find shows and films that often use profession as nothing more than a ‘characteristic’ when developing female characters. But Shanti which starred Mandira Bedi in the lead role, used her profession as a journalist as an actual tool to take the story forward. It was a rare show with a female lead that was a complex, flawed, well-developed and multi-layered character.
Tara
At a time when Indian cinema was still new to the concept of feminism, there existed a show that actually dealt with the problems that urban Indian women faced. The female leads were progressive with habits and demeanor that were realistic. The show starred Navneet Nishan in the lead role, along with Ratna Pathak Shah, Neha Sharad, and Amita Nangia.
Aarohan
Written and produced by Pallavi Joshi, who also starred as the lead in the show, the show focused on the story of three female naval cadets. The show was only 13 episodes long, and far ahead of its time, considering that when it released in 1996, women were not even allowed to join combat forces in the Indian Navy.
