10 Bengali Films That Gave Woman Empowerment A Solid Boost

10 Bengali Films That Gave Woman Empowerment A Solid Boost

24 Jan 19 @ 12:30 PM | By Sayanee Gupta

Cinema is a platform that has immense power to represent the truth, make an impact, start an uprising, and bring the changes. This is why, throughout the ages the legendary filmmakers have utilized the art of filmmaking as their weapon to fight injustice and start a revolution. We have seen films to showcase several issues of the society. Woman empowerment is one such topic which has motivated directors to work upon the same.

From Hollywood, to Bollywood, to Tollywood, the movies are made to establish, reinforce, and better woman's situation on this planet. There are some wonderful films in the bucket of Bengali movies that are made on this much pertinent subject. Here we enlisted ten such movies that talked about women's worth, ability, struggle, and achievements.

  • Crisscross (2018)

    Birsa Dasgupta's Crisscross based on Smaranjit Chakraborty's novel by the same name is a story of five women struggling with the crisis of their lives and coming out as a winner at the end. With feel-good end, this movie proves women can achieve any feat if they are determined to achieve it.

  • Uronchondi (2018)

    Uronchondi, the debut movie of Abhishek Saha revolves around three women from rural Bengal running away from the shackles. It is a story of three women from the ignored part of the society daring to break the norms and taboos and breaking free. This is the kind of story we need more to empower women from every part of our country.

  • Durga Sohay (2017)

    Director Arindam Sil's family drama, stating the story of five days of Durga Puja has its heart and soul in a vital message to deliver. The film tries to establish a long forgotten belief that says, the goddess lives inside every woman. It's the strength and courage of 'Dugga,' an ordinary woman from the village of Sundarban that prevents the robbery in the Basak family on the night of Dasami. Defeating the social limitations, stigmas, and prejudices, at that moment Dugga becomes the reflection of the Goddess Durga, who protects and secures everything that is good in this world.

    Durga Sohay
    Durga Sohay Pycker
    Anirban Bhattacharya Indrashish Roy Kaushik Sen Tonushree Sohini Sarkar
  • Take One (2014)

    'Take One' by Mainak Bhowmik looked into the eternal struggle of women from a different angle. Indian actress Doel Sen suddenly found herself as the target of the enraging conservative society when a sex scene from her foreign film gets leaked on the internet. Ironically, while the public was shaming her for her action, Doel was playing Sita from Ramayana, the Hindu epitome of chastity, who wasn't spared from the grilling of society. The hypocrisy of Indian audience became evident at the end when the same people went all praise for her as she won an international award for the same film.

    Take One Poster
    Take One Poster IMDB
  • Goynar Baksho (2013)

    'Goynar Baksho' depicts women's changing status in the society throughout three generations. The story amalgamates three women from different eras in a simple yet poignant story where a ghost of a widow by child marriage helps her niece-in-law, an ordinary housewife who eventually established a successful business. When her daughter grew up, the young lady studying at a college turned out to be an independent woman. It was a pleasant journey from the time when a box of jewel secured a woman's place in her household to a woman with guts to have her voice and views of the outer world.

    Goynar Baksho
    Goynar Baksho Wikipedia
    Srabanti Chatterjee Konkona Sen Sharma Aparna Sen
  • Tin Ekke Tin (2004)

    It was a simple story of three friends and their struggle to establish a start-up. The trio seeks for a loan to start their business, but the bank refused to help them saying women are not fit for it. Disappointed and enraged, they plan to rob a bank but end up saving the same institution and its customers from a terrorist attack. The government rewards them with a huge sum which they refuse. Instead, they share their story with the public and set up their business with their help. It was a light-hearted film, which serves a strong message through a simple and fun-filled story.

    Teen Ekke Teen
    Teen Ekke Teen Induna.com
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  • Paromitar Ekdin (2000)

    'Paromitar Ekdin' had an unusual friendship at the crux of its story. Paromita (Rituparna), a woman of the modern era and her mother-in-law Sanaka (Aparna Sen) found a friend in each other. Despite the differences in age and thoughts, they manage to be each other's, confidant. But, when Paromita's marriage with Sanaka's son ends the stringent social structure forbade the duo to remain close anymore. The film, directed by Aparna Sen nurtures and explores women from different generations and we see a striking difference and similarity between the two in the light of a wider perspective.

    Paromitar Ekdin
    Paromitar Ekdin IMDB
  • Dahan (1997)

    Rituparno Ghosh's film may not end on a positive note, but sometimes, depicting the blunt truth becomes more important than giving a shallow ray of hope. When the goons molest a newly married Romita (Rituparna Sengupta), nobody bats an eye except a school teacher named Jhinuk (Indrani Haldar) whom the media turned into a hero overnight. But, the determined Jhinuk ends up being a victim of obscene questions in the courtroom as Romita's family denies accepting the truth fearing social stigma. 'Dahan' brought a classic case of victim-shamming and left us with a question and some revelations.

    Dahan madaboutmoviez.com
  • Parama (1984)

    Directed by Aparna Sen, 'Parama' starring Rakhi is a story of a woman trying to find her own identity and worth. A 40-years-old housewife, who has lived by the name of those relationships which gave her names like 'Bahu' (daughter-in-law), 'Kakima' (aunty), 'Boudi' (sister-in-law) erasing her own existence, one fine morning get  the key of a new universe when a photographer friend selects her to pose for his project named 'An Indian Housewife'. While this gives a new meaning to her life, it leads her to some unexpected consequences, but at the end, Parama's self-discovery serves the message.

    Parama poster
    Parama poster http://www.hotel-r.net
  • Uttar Fanguli (1963)

    Years ago when 'Uttar Falguni' was made, the concept of 'woman empowerment' was almost alien to the world of entertainment. It was when India started taking baby steps towards the new ideas and cinema being the reflection of the society, brought a story that made an impact. 'Uttar Falguni' which was later made in Hindi as 'Mamta' revolves around a courtesan (Suchitra Sen) getting blackmailed by her estranged, alcoholic husband and ending up killing him to save her daughter from social embarrassment. The powerful characters were no less than a revolution then.

    Uttar Falguni poster
    Uttar Falguni poster Saavn
  • Mahanagar (1963)

    'Mahanagar' portrays the story of a woman belonging from a middle-class background breaking the traditionalist norm to join a job of a salesgirl. Why 'Mahanagar' is one of the most important films of all time and in this list as well, is because instead of showing her work as something revolutionary, maestro Satyajit Ray portrayed it as an act driven by the economic need of the time. This actually explains how the freedom of the dominated sex can bring economical upliftment for the family as well as the country in the broader aspect. An idea much relevant in today's time as well.

    Mahanagar - The Big City
    Mahanagar - The Big City http://www.exoticindiaart.com
  • Saheb Bibi Golam (1956)

    Based on Bimal Mitra's novel, the film with the same name narrates the story of Pateswari, the beautiful wife of a disinterested, alcoholic landlord of an aristocrat family in colonial Bengal from the eyes of Bhutnath, her only confidante. She, instead of submitting everything to her destiny, tries to fight it back. She ends up as a depressed alcoholic but no doubt, she, the 'choto bou' of a zamindar family stood out in the crowd of Bengal's fictional characters and set an example for numerous women merely surviving in life.

    Saheb Bibi Golam (1965)
    Saheb Bibi Golam (1965) Wikipedia