Naari Shakti: Redefining Womanhood in Contemporary Bollywood Films

Abstract

This research article analyzes the recent reflection of contemporary Bollywood movies on the portrayal of womanhood using the concept of Naari Shakti, which means women’s power and strength. In the past, Bollywood films usually offered women limited and stereotypical roles, viewing them as dependent and relegated to the household. In the post-2010 films, I noticed progressive change in the content of Bollywood films, where women are represented as powerful, liberated, and courageous, challenging the patriarchal ideology and attitude that controlled women. This study evaluates Bollywood films such as Kahani, Thappad, Mardaani 2, and Dangal to show how these movies reflect the socio-cultural changes. It promotes and inspires feminist discourse and women's empowerment not only at the national level but also at the international level. The study deals with topics such as self-identity, agency and empowerment, resistance, and intersectionality, illustrating how the women protagonists wish to reclaim their lives in the context of personal and social challenges. It describes the evolution of women’s cinematic voice and presence and analyzes the use of women’s narrative techniques and structure in storytelling. Despite Bollywood's present token feminism and objectification of women, the rise of powerful and strong narratives marks a positive turning point. From the analysis, the article concludes with the observation that there is an evolving space in Bollywood for womanhood to be redefined and articulated away from patriarchal frameworks