Minor Spoilers Alert,
I’ve grown up in a family who’s been very close to music, films and sports, like most Indian families. My parents, especially my dad’s idea of unwinding after work, was to watch a Bollywood film while having dinner, and I would accompany him as a kid. He would feed me, and we would watch films like Dhoom together, and oh god, that would be the highlight of my day.
As much as I cherish those days, what I also remember is that as a kid, I used to think that “female-centric” is a term used to define a flop film. I remember my dad saying that if there’s no hero in the film, it isn’t worth watching, and I grew up with that exact same mindset.
The first “female-centric” film I went to watch on my own was Alankrita Srivastava’s Lipstick under my Burkha. Me and my best friend bunked school and went to watch it because we had read about it online and were intrigued. Sitting in the theatre, we kept thinking how this is not like the films we’re used to watching and found it “odd”. There was no heroic entry, no prominent Bollywood actor trying to save the damsels in distress, no Bollywood songs blatantly objectifying a woman. None. All we saw was the stories of REAL WOMEN and their lives. Damn, what an odd film it was to us.
That’s how alien we were to the concept of female-centric films in India. They wouldn’t do well because people wouldn’t go to the theatres to watch it and were never made to.
I’ve always been a cinema lover, but only post-2017 was when I actually started watching films without ‘male actors’ or big Bollywood stars, and that’s when women took the lead in Bollywood, too.
My journey of watching powerful women-led films has been amazing, to say the least, very life-altering. I’m a huge fan of “women telling women stories”. Be it Vidya Balan in ‘The Dirty Picture’, ‘Sherni’ or Tapsee Pannu in ‘Thappad’ or Alia Bhatt in ‘Dear Zindagi’, ‘Gangubai’ and ‘Darlings’. Films with female leads are all heart for me. There’s something so empowering to watch these powerful women take the lead and tell their own stories in an industry known for its male dominance.
So, With a lot of research and all my love, I’ve curated this list of the best, most impactful women-lead films of the decade (2013-2023) that you must watch, in case you haven’t. These films have told powerful stories and shattered norms in multiple ways.
The Top 10 Women-Centric Films From (2013-2023) are:
Queen (2013)
Kangana Ranaut’s Queen in 2013 took the nation by storm; it was a revolution in every sense of the word. Queen was about Rani, who gets dumped right before her marriage and, in a turn of events, decides to go on her ‘honeymoon’ alone while grieving her relationship. The hilarity and relatability of ‘queen’ was something we had never seen in the early 2010s. Queen was successful in leaving a mark on us and securing its place in pop culture classics because when Rani said, “Meri life to itni kharab ho gayi hai“, we somewhere felt it.
If you’ve missed this film gem, you can watch Queen on Netflix.
Mary Kom (2014)
A film on the life of India’s legendary boxer Mary Kom was made in 2014 starring Priyanka Chopra, and it also won a national award in 2014. Mary Kom touched a cord, and is a film that you must watch. The super inspiring track ‘Ziddi Hai’ to Mary Kom’s struggles as a northeastern female boxer in India. The film will leave you with goosebumps.
You can watch Mary Kom on Netflix.
Margarita, With A Straw (2015)
Margarita with a Straw is one of my favourite films; it’s Shonali Bose’s masterpiece. The film is about a young woman named Laila, played by Kalki Kochlein, who has cerebral palsy and leaves India to study in New York. Margarita with a Straw is about a girl finding herself transcending her disability. The film deeply moved me as it gave me a different perspective towards the life of a differently abled person. Sonali Bose’s Laila is a woman whose story deserves to be told.
You can watch Margarita In A Straw on Netflix.
Pink (2016)
Pink is one of the first Bollywood movies about ‘consent’. It’s a film about three working women who go to a concert and their lives are changed forever. The film has a compelling dialogue by Amitabh Bachchan, who says, “When a woman says no, it means no, be it your friend, girlfriend, sex worker or even your wife. “Pink also showcases the horrors that women have to go through brilliantly.
You can watch Pink on Disney+ Hotstar.
Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017)
Lipstick Under My Burkha By Alankrita Sharma is a masterpiece and a classic example of women telling women stories. It takes about four women from different age groups living in our “society”. Four women, Four stories, and all of them are linked by desires, craving for affection, breaking free from social norms, and the battle within to achieve bliss.
Watch this beautiful film on Amazon Prime Video.
Raazi (2018)
Raazi is an intense spy thriller with Alia Bhatt as Sehmat Khan, an undercover RAW agent who marries the enemy’s family to gather information. Alia Bhatt starrer Raazi is a brilliant film and has even won the film of the year award. As a fan of spy thrillers, watching an Indian spy thriller with a female lead was an experience in its true sense for me.
You can watch Raazi on Amazon Prime Video.
The Sky Is Pink (2019)
The Sky Is Pink is the story of Aisha, a larger-than-life teenager who was also a motivational speaker at just 18. You can check out her views on YouTube. In the film, the late Aisha narrates her parents’ love story over 25 years until she passes. The film will break you into a million pieces yet heal parts of you. It’s heartfelt and gut-wrenching at the same time. The film’s real hero is Aisha and her mother, played by Priyanka Chopra, who’s just amazing. You must watch this film and celebrate Aisha’s life.
You can watch The sky is pink on Netflix.
Thappad (2020)
Thappad is a very hard-hitting film that centres around domestic violence. Amrita, played by Tapsee Pannu, lives with her husband and is quite happy with her life until her husband slaps her at a party, making her rethink her entire life. I remember watching Thappad and being very moved by it. In India, domestic violence is a huge concern, and there should be more films saying how it’s NOT OKAY to hit your partner, NO MATTER WHAT.
You can watch this important film on Amazon Prime Video.
Tribhanga (2021)
Tribhanga is one of the greatest OTT releases we’ve had recently and a film that hit really close to home. Renuka Shahane’s Tribhanga is the story of a single mother, played by Kajol, who grapples with regret and resentment while reflecting on her strained relationship with her estranged mother, who’s fallen into a coma. This film is a testament to how great of an actress Kajol is. The storytelling is fantastic, and you’ll be in awe of the film when it ends.
You can watch Tribhanga on Netflix.
Darlings (2022)
Darlings, a dark comedy and Alia Bhatt’s first production is an absolute masterpiece on its own. Darlings centres around an abusive relationship where Badru, played by Alia Bhatt, is abused by her alcoholic and narcissistic partner, Hamza. When Hamza’s behaviour leads to a tragedy, Badru plans revenge. The film is a dark comedy that stars Shefali Shah as Badru’s mother. If you’re into dark comedies, you must watch Darlings for its gripping storyline and stunning performances.
You can watch Darlings on Netflix.
Unwoman (2023)
One of the most recent releases is Unwoman, directed by Pallavi Roy. This film also won the best foreign film award in the Merced Queer Film Festival. Unwoman centres around queer love and a brilliant take on patriarchy as well. Unwoman is the story of a transgender person who’s sold off to her uncle. This movie is a perfect balance between addressing a social issue and portraying a sensitive story as well. Unwoman is a beautiful film that you must watch.
Unwoman is currently unavailable on streaming apps, but you must watch it as soon as it is.
Special Mentions:
Some notable mentions that you must also check out are The Dirty Picture and Sherni for Vidya Balan’s stunning performance, Bulbul and Qala for Tripti Dimri as she’s terrific in both the films and Gangubai Kathiawad starring Alia Bhatt for being the best film and an SLB production too. You can watch all these films on Netflix.
These are my favourite female-centric films; what are yours? Do tell me in the comments below.