Earlier, the film industry portrayed females as commodities and subjected them to sexism, and males as perennial macho men. The concept of “Ladke rota nahi hai and mard ko dard nahi hota” was pretty visible, but now things are changing. Also, some prominent characters in the film industry stand out as superb portrayals of the strength of both males and females. From Shashi, Piku, and Dr. Jug to Kabir Kamlesh Bansal, let us take a look at six such characters.
Shashi Godbole
Movie: English Vinglish (2012)
Played by: Sridevi
Famous Dialogue: “Jab apne aap ko pasand nahi karte hain naa, toh apne se judi huyi har cheez acchi nahi lagti. Nayi cheez akarchit karti hain. Jab apne aap ko pyaar karne lagte hain, toh wohi puraani zindagi nayi lagne lagti hain, acchi lagne lagti hain.”
Shashi is yet another name that pops into mind when talking about strong female film characters in Bollywood. She makes a statement without outright making one. In the film, the late actress plays a homemaker and entrepreneur who is continuously ridiculed by her family for not being fluent in English, and her journey towards reclaiming her identity, integrity, and respect is the plot of the film.
In English Vinglish, Shashi broke all the stereotypes visible in a society that women can only do household work. In the end, Shashi not only gains her family’s respect but also becomes confident in her abilities and herself.
Piku Banerjee
Piku (2015)
Played by: Deepika Padukone
Famous Dialogue: “Semi-liquid motion first, then two days of constipation; what should I do? Yeh koyi message hota hai dene ke liye office mein?”
Deepika Padukone played the titular character in the film. Shoojit Sircar’s directorial debut followed the lives of Piku and her father, Bhashkor Banerjee (Amitabh Bachchan), as the latter struggled with his bowel movements. Deepika’s character in Piku resonated with a major chunk of women in India with her independent, irritable, moody, yet caring personality.
Aisha
Movie: Wake Up Sid (2009)
Played by Konkana Sensharma
Famous Dialogue: Tumhe kabhi laga hai ki apna ghar ho, apna khana khud banao, apne paise khud kamao aur udao, Sab kuchh apna banaya hua ho? Independence, you know what I mean?”
It’s worthwhile to watch Aisha in Wake Up Sid. A girl with a strong opinion, is financially independent, organised, and has aspirations in life. She completely stole the show with her presence in Wake Up, Sid. Her journey of self-discovery and love in Mumbai is worth watching.
Kabir Kamlesh Bansal
Movie: Ki and Ka
Played by Arjun Kapoor
Famous Dialogue: “Main apni maa jaisa banna chahta hoon.”
For years, we have seen in the films women taking command of the household and running the kitchen, but Kabir in Ki and Ka aspired to be a homemaker and let his wife earn. Ki and Ka gave good exposure to the film industry and the audiences, and this film helped many people alter their perspectives towards male and female working matters.
Dr. Jug
Movie: Dear Zindagi
Played by Shah Rukh Khan
Famous Dialogue: “Jab hum apne aap ko achhi tarah samajh lete hai, to dusre kya samajhte hai, it doesn’t matter. Not at all!”
In Dear Zindagi, Shah Rukh Khan was a psychologist who played the role of Dr. Jehangir Khan. He had an exceptional ability to listen. Dr. Jug was like a warm ray of sun in the winter morning, and his calmness and sheer elegance had no match in Dear Zindagi.
Kartik Singh
Movie: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan
Played by: Ayushmann Khurrana
Famous Dialogue: “Shaadiyan mahurat se hoti hai… par pyar ka koi mahurat nahi hota hai… na rang hota hai…
In Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Kartik Singh is a character who is a breath of fresh air when it comes to portraying gay men in the film industry. Kartik shows that gay couples want just what other couples want: acceptance and acknowledgment.