The
Feminist Characters in Dibakar Banerjee's Bollywood Films Are a Welcome
Diversion from the Typical Fare
Without
even providing us with a huge selection of projects to pick from, some
filmmakers have been able to leave an effect on us with their small body of
work. And when it comes to Bollywood, Dibakar Banerjee is one of those
underappreciated writers who has provided us with engaging stories—something
that is getting less and less common in Hindi cinema these days.
Banerjee
has only produced a small number of films, all of which are extremely
outstanding, thus we have just a small number of characters from his universe
that we have seen so far. Instead of merely examining the filmmaker's
interpretation of a story, the emphasis this time is on the female protagonists
we have come to know in his films.
The
women characters in the director's films so far seem to be pretty fascinating
and quite different from what we generally see, even though he hasn't totally
embraced a woman-centric plot.
First
off, despite having a cast that was primarily male and was led by Abhay Deol,
the National Award-winning movie Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! featured a female
heroine who wasn't just regarded as arm candy. The handling of Neetu Chandra's
character Sonal is actually extremely novel since the film's concept is a
social critique of Indian class consciousness disguised as a criminal comedy.
The
quiet but independent girl was always portrayed as existing independently of
the male protagonist despite frequently being by his side. It's been really
rare in our movies up to this point for a tale to focus solely on a male
protagonist while still giving the other characters, especially female
characters, room to develop.
The
movie makes the claim that a female character doesn't always have to exist in
the huge shadow cast by the male protagonist, even when she has a smaller role.
Through
his anthology story in the movie Lust Stories, which followed a few more
intriguing forays in almost a decade, the director provided a tale and a
character that was quite vital to bring to light. Three friends, Salman (Sanjay
Kapoor), Sudhir (Jaideep Ahlawat), and Reena (Manisha Koirala), are the focus
of Banerjee's episode, which delves into their love triangle.
The
primary character, Reena, is having an affair with Sudhir, Salman's best friend
because she is tired of being married to him. It is noteworthy that the subject
has been handled with such maturity and sensitivity, as well as the subtlety
with which the filmmaker has portrayed his clearly flawed protagonist.
Due
to the filmmakers' lack of awareness up to this point, women have long been
portrayed in Hindi cinema in a way that is either comfortable for the public to
watch or both. The characters are constructed in such a way that they frequently
have little control over their bodies and show no signs of sexual arousal.
Banerjee
eliminates the stigma associated with a woman's aspirations by giving his
heroine Reena, a wife and mother, the most power. At its foundation, the novel
tackles the protagonist's dissatisfaction that she has little control over her
life, even though the story's surface topics may include marriage, love,
family, and motherhood.
Sandeep
Aur Pinky Faraar, Dibakar Banerjee's final film, is a masterfully written and compelling
story that stands out from other motion pictures due to its unique perspective
on women's standing in the country. Even though this subject has received a lot
of attention, the author managed to subtly present the same story.
In
the Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra-starring movie, two peculiar people from
various socioeconomic backgrounds in Delhi-NCR are on the run. The
unconventional premise of the movie isn't the only thing that elevates it; it
also boasts of an overtly feminist theme that centres on a powerful yet frail
woman.
In
the director's distinctive storytelling style with dark undertones to reveal
society's intolerance, we watch Sandeep, a rather strong woman, submit to
patriarchal customs. His story is notable for the fact that the author never
allows a male to save a lady, even when he is present. Sandeep manages to save
herself in the end, despite the situation.
Bollywood
frequently creates situations that hardly ever allow the independent female
characters to be the "hero" of their own tale. Banerjee shattered the
mould by breaking expectations and demonstrating what it really means to give
female characters freedom to grow.