As a teenager on the brink of adulthood, I was obsessed with the song ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ by American singer-songwriter Fergie from her debut album, The Dutchess. The song described the internal conflict that the singer faces after a breakup. However, she had to put on a strong face and move ahead with her life!
Almost two decades later, an upcoming Amazon Original series Big Girls Don’t Cry takes on a similar theme, albeit with a nuanced approach. Created by Nitya Mehra of Made in Heaven fame, the show with a primarily women-led ensemble cast of Pooja Bhatt, Avantika Vandanapu, Aneet Padda, Dalai, Vidushi, Lhakyila, Afrah Sayed, Akshita Sood, Raima Sen, Zoya Hussain, and Mukul Chadda, is all set to take viewers on a journey of highs and lows experienced by a group of young girls in a prestigious boarding school, Vandana Valley.
A Mangata Films Production, co-directed by Mehra, Sudhanshu Saria, Karan Kapadia and Kopal Naithani, the 7-part series that will stream on Prime Video in India and across 240 countries and territories worldwide on March 14, is set in the prestigious Vandana Valley, a fictional all-girls boarding school.
The young-adult Original Series that will be released in Hindi, with dubs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada, was recently announced through a quirky video, in collaboration with Bollywood star and youth icon, Ananya Panday and the lead cast. While Panday isn’t a part of the show, she admitted to being nostalgic with fond memories of her time through school and college.
Coming of age
The plot of Big Girls Don’t Cry shines the spotlight on “a group of young girls navigating life’s myriad exhilarating adventures of independence, rebellion, friendship, love, heartbreaks, and dreams, as they challenge not only the norms of the school but society at large. Along the journey each of them battles with an internal struggle to remain true to their own unique identities.”
The strong theme reflects in its trailer that offers a sneak peek into life at the fictional all-girls boarding school, where seven young, rebellious characters tread through tricky terrain. Gaining newfound freedom—away from parental supervision—offers them the opportunity to deal independently with myriad challenges, in turn, helping them discover themselves a little better.
Essentially, Big Girls Don’t Cry follows the character arc of these girls who come from diverse backgrounds and are gearing up for their final year, with a different set of goals to achieve. It also focuses on female friendships that are forged amid heartbreaks, first loves, infatuations and more.
In the trailer, Kavya Yadav, played by Vidushi, walks onto the campus harbouring dreams of making friends and enjoying her life here. However, it seems like it won’t be as easy to ace this journey. The video also introduces us to other characters who are trying to carve their own paths. There’s Noor (Sayed) who can’t see anything beyond the school captaincy, while Ludo (Vandanapu) is fixated on becoming the sports captain of the school. Roohi (Padda) and JC (Lhakyila) are focused on the success of their beauty business, while Pluggy (Dalai) has other plans. There’s also rebel-poet Dia(Sood) who is ready to jump the school boundary wall right before the class bell rings.
For Mehra, the idea to create the show stems from the underrepresentation of school life in India, especially of girls. Thus, Big Girls Don’t Cry was born. “Coming-of-age told through the eyes of an all-girls boarding school in its most authentic avatar is what I was going for. It isn’t just another girls boarding school drama. It is an insight into the lives, ideas and feelings of young girls that are carving a path for themselves, finding their way into this world, and doing so on their terms.”
“This series is a little homage from me to all the girls out there jostling to figure their identities,” continues Mehra.Saria, who dons the role of executive producer, writer and co-director agrees. While he was in Kolkata, he observed his niece navigate the ‘unique and bipolar insanity’ of being a teenager. Big Girls Don’t Cry, thus, became very personal to him.
“Working on this series, writing these stories became my way of telling my niece that she isn’t alone on this journey. Growing up is a messy business indeed, and I hope the show becomes the tightest hug from us to every teenager out there who is figuring themselves out,” he tells ELLE India.
Actor speak
For Vidushi, who makes her debut with Big Girls Don’t Cry, stepping into Kavya’s shoes was a rewarding and fulfilling experience. She’s confident that viewers will connect with her story—of an ordinary girl on a journey who’s trying to juggle everything from her dreams to her family expectations, while trying to fit in and prove herself.
Padda who plays Roohi in the show admits to being drawn to coming-of-age stories. Being a part of the show that authentically portrays the complexities of growing up—including its highs and lows—was a winner for the actor.
“I hope Roohi takes the viewers through all the messy feelings that come along with being a teenager, with her wit and sass; her aggressive and sometimes territorial love for her friends, and her cathartic change that happens only when she hits rock bottom. Life imitates art, and I now have a girl gang that says, ‘big girls don’t cry’ while wiping away each other’s tears,” says Padda.
There’s also Bhatt in a pivotal role, essaying the character of the principal in the show. As someone who was a ‘rebellious teenager’ who never shied away from speaking her mind and going against the grain, it was a kick for her to play Anita Verma.
“What I loved was that within the series, the characters develop a healthy sense of self and strive to overcome gender bias and stereotypes. For me, this was key, as that ensures they become healthy role models for others out there. It is much needed in the times we live in, where focus is more on materialistic and frivolous virtues,” she concludes.
Big Girls Don’t Cry is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on March 14. The series is the latest addition to the Prime membership.
Stills Credit: Prime Video
