Women with strong characters are not always liked and welcomed by others, regardless of their personalities attracting you like a magnet. More often than not, life’s circumstances push them to make decisions that ultimately make them the strong women we all admire.
We all have women in our lives who, in one way or another either inspire us, motivate us or help us become better people. Be it a mother, sister, wife, friend, best friend, girlfriend or grandma, we just can’t imagine our lives without them.
Films that put a spotlight on the women in our lives, and which enlighten the cause of women empowerment, not only need to be watched, but also should be celebrated.
The following movies includes the stories of some of the strongest and most inspiring women ever to feature on the silver screen:
QUEEN (2014)
If there is any film in that is best showcased what ‘coming of age’ truly means, it’s this one.
The story is about a girl named ‘Rani’, who gets ditched by her fiance just days before their wedding, Queen empowers women in possibly the best way one can. Whether it’s Rani (Kangana Ranaut) or Vijay Laxmi (Lisa Haydon), women in this film lives by their own rules.
PINK (2016)
Who would have thought a sentence as simple as it would require an entire movie for people to actually understand its meaning? Thanks to Shoojit Sircar, Amitabh Bachchan and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury,
Pink has become the modern anthem for feminism that we all needed to see.
KAHAANI (2012)
Long before Kahaani made its way to the big screen, only a handful of them were able to make as much money as Kahaani did and absolutely none of them were as unapologetic and assertive in their storytelling as Kahaani was.
This film is a story of a heavily pregnant women looking for her missing husband in the bustling streets of Kolkata was both refreshing, as well as triumphant. Packed with a tour de force performance by Vidya Balan, Kahaani is a shining example of film-making done right.
Mother India (1957)
It is a film that every feminist should watch. Audiences around the world were in awe of Mehboob Khan’s magnum-opus, be it Russia, Japan, The United Kingdom, or The United States.
The story of this film depicts, regardless the difficulty of the circumstances, a mother will never give up.
Mother India went on to become the first Indian film to get nominated for an Academy Award.
Gravity (2013)
This movie depicts loneliness and emptiness. How does one avoid going crazy up there, especially if you’re stranded outside of any spaceship, beyond safety, with nothing but the vast, utterly empty universe around you? This is an incredible story of the willpower, stamina, and courage of one woman who ended up in an incredibly dangerous situation.
Brilliant performance from Sandra Bullock keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the whole film. As viewers we cannot help but empathise and imagine ourselves in her shoes. Not every man would be able to overcome every obstacle this heroine faced.
Gone girl (2015)
She’s crazy, but at the same time she’s very loving. Where is the border between passion and madness? Right before her fifth wedding anniversary, she disappears leaving a number of clues and riddles to her husband. This smart and creative woman often organised surprises like this for her husband. Don’t be surprised, but you might need to watch it twice to understand it.
Woman in Gold (2015)
The main character of this movie, played by Helen Mirren, has been through a lot of pain. Now she is trying to fight for justice by bringing back her family’s treasure, a painting by Gustav Klimt. This is a story of one woman’s struggle with an entire state. This films tells us about values, and the past that should be remembered and respected.
Sicario (2015)
A female police officer, without any concern for herself, accompanies two rangers in their hunt for drug dealers. She has no inkling of the danger she’s getting herself in to, but that wouldn’t stop her even if she knew — for she is unbending in her desire to aid the struggle for justice. Soon, a choice stands before her: reveal the dark secrets she has uncovered and risk being killed, or live with the terrible situation she finds herself in.
The Age of Adaline (2015)
How does it feel to live longer than your loved ones? How does it feel to never get old, to have to constantly keep your distance from people and always move from place to place, so nobody ever learns your secret? How does it feel to see your only daughter grow old and know that she will leave this world before you? The Age of Adeline is a beautiful, fiercely honest, and genuinely romantic film.
Arth (1982)
This movie is considered to be one of the most empowering films ever made, Arth traces the journey of Pooja Malhotra (Shabana Azmi) as she goes from being a loving wife to a women scorned.
Devastated by her husband’s unfaithfulness, Pooja initially goes into a deep depression, but as the story continues, we see her rise above from the ashes, just like a phoenix, to become an independent woman who decides to live life on her own damn terms.
