Women-centric films in 2010

Will the audience warm up to such themes? “We still have a male-dominated audience, and women don’t watch women-centric films. Women must change the way cinema portrays them by saying yes to strong portrayals of women and no to regressive films,” says film-maker Onir. The failure at the box office, says trade analyst Atul Mohan, can be attributed to a lack of powerhouse performances. “We’ve had actresses like Nargis, Rekha, Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi, who were performers. Actresses today don’t fit in that bracket. Some are exceptional, but their potential is yet to be tapped,” he says. Shah Rukh Khan, too, once voiced his concern about society’s limitations. “Even today, most heroes will tell you, ‘I want a homely wife, who will take care of my kids and look after the house.’ Only when women progress, will the scripts progress,” he said.Actress Sadaa, though, says, “Women-oriented films arenot wholesome entertainers, so it’s difficult for them to attract massaudiences. The films made today are more serious and attract a very nichecrowd,” says Sadaa. Women-centric movies are a sign of the times, addsOnir, “In the ’70s and ’80s, there were many mainstream films,in which female protagonists played important roles. That’s when theentire family went to watch a film together. With multiplexes and high ticketprices, family movie outings became a casualty. But now, with women earningindependently, the scenario has to change. This is why space is being created ina male-dominated industry.” But that doesn’t mean therewill be a revolution in Bollywood, adds Atul: “If these films click, moremay be made. But it will be some time before film-makers place a film entirelyon the tender shoulders of a glamorous damsel.”Follow us on Twitter for more stories