Her Story, Her Lens: 10 Bollywood Films Where Women Call The Shots

For decades, the typical Bollywood film revolved around the male hero — his ambition, his revenge, his love story. Women were often muses, moral anchors, or plot devices. But the last three decades have witnessed a powerful shift. A growing number of women centric movies are rewriting the rules, placing women at the emotional and narrative core.

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These are not stories where women simply appear strong. They are layered, flawed, desiring, grieving, ambitious individuals navigating complex worlds. From quiet domestic revolutions to political espionage, today’s women oriented movies reflect evolving ideas of women empowerment and autonomy.

Here are ten defining women centric movies Bollywood has produced — films that prove feminist storytelling is not a trend but a necessary evolution.

Bollywood Films That Put Strong Female Characters First

The rise of women centric movies signals a deeper cultural shift. These films centre the lived experiences of women and explore identity beyond romance or sacrifice. They allow strong female characters in movies to exist without apology, often through the lens of visionary filmmakers such as Kiran Rao, Meghna Gulzar, Alankrita Shrivastava, and Gauri Shinde.

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What distinguishes these feminist movies Bollywood has embraced is their refusal to reduce women to archetypes. Instead, they foreground agency — whether through rebellion, vulnerability, desire, or self-discovery.

1. Laapataa Ladies (2024) – Director: Kiran Rao

Directed by Kiran Rao, Laapataa Ladies is a sharp satire set in rural India where two brides are accidentally swapped during a train journey. What unfolds is not just a comedic case of mistaken identity, but a quietly radical examination of marriage, identity, and the invisibility imposed upon women within patriarchal structures. Rao uses humour and warmth to question societal norms, making it one of the most refreshing recent women centric movies Bollywood has offered.

2. Raazi (2018) – Director: Meghna Gulzar

In Raazi, Meghna Gulzar crafts a tense espionage thriller centred on Sehmat, a young Indian woman trained to spy on Pakistan during the 1971 war. Rather than glorifying heroism in conventional terms, the film explores moral conflict, emotional isolation, and sacrifice through a deeply personal lens. Sehmat’s strength lies not in spectacle, but in resilience, making this Bollywood film a powerful example of strong female characters redefining patriotism.

3. Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016) – Director: Alankrita Shrivastava

One of the boldest feminist movies in contemporary Indian cinema, Lipstick Under My Burkha follows four women from different generations who grapple with desire, repression, and societal expectations. Alankrita Shrivastava constructs an intimate portrait of female longing and autonomy, challenging moral policing and cultural hypocrisy. Among modern women oriented movies, this remains a landmark exploration of sexuality and freedom.

4. English Vinglish (2012) – Director: Gauri Shinde

Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish tells the story of Shashi, a homemaker who feels diminished by her inability to speak English. When she travels to New York and secretly enrols in language classes, the film becomes a tender exploration of self-worth and dignity. Unlike loud declarations of empowerment, this is a quiet revolution — one that cemented its place among beloved women centric movies that celebrate personal growth.

5. Parched (2016) – Director: Leena Yadav

Set in a drought-stricken Rajasthani village, Parched examines the lives of four women trapped in cycles of abuse and restriction. Director Leena Yadav presents a raw, unfiltered portrayal of patriarchy, while also highlighting female solidarity and resistance. The film’s emotional intensity and unapologetic stance position it firmly among impactful women centric movies that foreground rural narratives often ignored in mainstream Bollywood film storytelling.

6. Margarita with a Straw (2015) – Director: Shonali Bose

Margarita with a Straw follows Laila, a young woman with cerebral palsy navigating love, sexuality, and independence. Director Shonali Bose crafts an intersectional narrative that explores disability and queerness with sensitivity and honesty. Few women centric movies have addressed identity with such nuance, making it one of the most progressive feminist movies Bollywood has produced.

7. Fire (1996) – Director: Deepa Mehta

Deepa Mehta’s Fire was groundbreaking upon release, telling the story of two neglected wives who find emotional and romantic connection with each other. Set against rigid traditional structures, the film challenged societal taboos and sparked national debate. Decades later, it remains one of the earliest women centric movies to confront patriarchy and heteronormativity so directly.

8. Girls Will Be Girls (2024) – Director: Shuchi Talati

Set in a Himalayan boarding school, Girls Will Be Girls explores a teenage girl’s sexual awakening and the complex bond she shares with her mother. Director Shuchi Talati approaches adolescence with honesty rather than judgement. The film stands as a contemporary example of women centric movies that explore generational tensions and emotional inheritance with remarkable subtlety.

9. The Sky Is Pink (2019) – Director: Shonali Bose

Narrated by a young girl living with a terminal illness, The Sky Is Pink unfolds through her perspective, centring maternal strength and familial resilience. The film explores grief, love, and endurance without reducing its female characters to symbols. It remains a poignant Bollywood film that foregrounds emotional agency and women empowerment.

10. Dear Zindagi (2016) – Director: Gauri Shinde

Another defining entry from Gauri Shinde movies, Dear Zindagi follows a young cinematographer navigating heartbreak, career anxiety, and therapy. By normalising mental health conversations for urban women, the film broadened the scope of what women centric movies could address. It portrays vulnerability not as weakness, but as growth.

Cinema That Sees Women as Whole

The evolution of women centric movies Bollywood reflects a larger transformation within Indian storytelling. Filmmakers such as Kiran Rao, Meghna Gulzar, Alankrita Shrivastava, and Gauri Shinde have demonstrated that women empowerment does not need to be loud to be radical.

These feminist movies are commercially viable, critically celebrated, and culturally influential. More importantly, they allow strong female characters to exist as complete individuals — ambitious, flawed, sexual, uncertain, brave.

As audiences increasingly seek layered narratives, women oriented movies are no longer exceptions in a male-dominated industry. They are central to its future.

FAQs

What are women centric movies?

Women centric movies are films where the story primarily revolves around a female protagonist. The narrative focuses on her experiences, challenges, ambitions, and growth rather than positioning her as a supporting character in a male-led storyline.

How do feminist movies Bollywood differ from mainstream films?

Feminist movies Bollywood produces often challenge patriarchal norms and explore themes such as autonomy, sexuality, identity, and social inequality. Unlike conventional Bollywood film narratives, they prioritise women’s perspectives and interiority.

Which directors are known for women oriented movies?

Directors like Kiran Rao, Meghna Gulzar, Alankrita Shrivastava, and Gauri Shinde are widely recognised for creating impactful women centric movies that foreground strong female characters in movies.

Are women centric movies commercially successful?

Yes, several women centric movies such as Raazi and English Vinglish achieved both box office success and critical acclaim, proving that women-led narratives resonate strongly with audiences.

Why are strong female characters important in cinema?

Strong female characters broaden representation and challenge outdated stereotypes. In women centric movies, they drive the narrative, offering more inclusive and realistic portrayals of women’s lives.