From Arth to Queen: How the Bollywood Heroine Owned Her Sexuality
From sexually titillating second leads to sexually conscious women, the Bollywood heroine has been on one bumpy ride
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A flurry of expensive fabric, heavy make up with perfect hairdos, the proverbial ‘dancing around the trees’ in exotic locations, the shedding of buckets of tears... and the final rescue by the macho hero. The Hindi film heroine had for years been caught between the commercial need for cinematic ‘oomph’ and the society’s need to convince itself of the man’s manliness.
Amidst this charade, stood out a few films where the woman was not simply (read: not always) a trope for high morals and half-baked ideals. Here, we pluck out 10 such films that showcase the sexual journey of the cinematic woman.
Mother India (1957)
Iron-willed Radha’s epic story begins with a radiant young bride at the start of her new life. Her exquisite looks add to her rustic sex appeal. But soon, tragedy strikes and Radha single-handedly picks up the shattered pieces. Six decades ago, a female character managed to ooze sensuality, yet appear compelling and intense.
Bandini (1963)
Kalyani in this Bimal Roy masterpiece appears to be the archetypal Indian woman – until she commits murder! She is the steel magnolia, willing to sacrifice in the name of love, but far from helpless. She is prim, but her character’s innate strength and will power (a quality not often associated with heroines at the time) render Kalyani serenely sensuous.
Pakeezah (1972)
At a time when fluttering butterflies and bobbing umbrellas were symptomatic of kissing, the leading lady could hardly NOT be a virgin! Kamal Amrohi’s magnum opus was grand to behold, and its heroine, the glorified Lucknow nautch girl with the golden heart, a gorgeous vision. The implied innocence of the virgin courtesan (oxymoron much?) is her licence to gaining love.
Arth (1982)
Two women: the suffering wife and the hysteric, insecure, guilt-ridden ‘other woman’ –and a realistic take on the heroine/vamp cliché.
Kavita is the dusky seductress, but her character runs deeper. In a giant leap from the coy Pakeezah, the woman becomes a person.
Astitva (2001)
Bollywood gets smarter yet! The woman is no longer asexual with no desire and little depth. Aditi symbolises every woman. Her character raises questions about society’s unequal state of mind regarding male and female sexual need. Aditi never justifies her momentary infidelity, but she reminds her husband of his own. The film respects, unflinchingly, the woman’s sexual identity.
Dev-D (2009)
The doll gives way to a whole being. Anurag Kashyap’s Paro is not afraid to express herself sexually to the man she loves – neither does his Chanda keep her virginity intact for that one special man. A college student by day and a call girl by night, she actively deals with life – not proud, but matter-of-fact.
Kahaani (2012)
Aided by a new generation of actresses, Bollywood experiments! (B)Vidya Bagchi is a pregnant woman in search of her lost husband. A cliché might have let her be simply that – with the male leads playing hero. But Sujoy Ghosh had something else up his sleeve.
Vidya’s grief is what makes her a formidable adversary. Earlier, vendetta movies with female leads have been layered with the trappings of commercialism. In Vidya, however, gender marries resolve – such that her sexuality is a ploy, no longer central to her story.
Margarita with a Straw (2014)
This is the self-discovery of a sassy young woman with cerebral palsy. In a rare stroke of genius, the film traces the heart-warming tale of Laila as she explores her sexuality, confronts her possible bisexuality, and finally seems to take control of her life as her quest for self continues.
Queen (2014)
“The ‘modern’ woman is defined by the length of her skirt” – Bollywood has liberally perpetuated this belief over the years. In Rani, however, we find a so-called ‘new woman’; her self-exploration gives her self-esteem.
Like every other girl she develops crushes and is aware of her sexuality. But Bollywood finally manages to look at her ‘modernity’ not through scanty clothing, but by her ability to think for herself.
Dear Zindagi (2016)
Finally, we have Kaira: a smart, self-made young woman, willing to try out her choices before she settles for one man. Here’s the girl-next-door who owns her sexuality, and is happy to express it.
From nearly sexless arm candies and sexually titillating second leads, to sexually conscious women making life choices, the Bollywood heroine has been on one bumpy ride. With cinema today embracing social realities, female sexuality is fast becoming naturalised – albeit still a populist tool.
(Surangama Guha Roy is a film enthusiast. She also writes on social trends, loves to read, and takes an interest in teaching as a profession.)
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