bollywood babes

Bollywood girls uninterrupted

New Delhi, Oct 5: Bollywood's summer of skin fest is giving way to women-driven films with the industry's pretty maidens striking back with author-backed performances this October.

After a series of bawdy acts put up by Bipasha Basu in "Jism", Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra in "Andaaz", Mallika Sherawat in "Khwahish", Neha Dhupia in "Qayamat" and Madhu Sapre and Katrina Kaif in "Boom", Bollywood divas will now be seen in roles of strength and sensitivity.

While women take the centre stage in the soon-to-be-released "Pinjar", "Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon" and "Samay", strong female characters in "Baghban", "Kagaar" and "Maqbool" will further stretch the canvas of a woman's onscreen persona in the watertight Hindi film industry.

Women of substance from Indian literature and folklore have already created a stir on the international circuits.

Rituparno Ghosh's "Chokher Bali", Vishal Bharadwaj's "Maqbool" and Manish Jha's "Matrubhoomi-A Nation Without Women" that revolve around women's issues and characters are representing Indian cinema at every worthy international festival. Joining them soon will be the recently unveiled Amol Palekhar's "Anahat", which focuses on a woman's right to sexual freedom.

"Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon" a co-production by Entertainment One and Varma Corporation marks the directorial debut of film editor Chandan Arora. The film that is creating a buzz for its emotional and mass audience-appeal stars Antara Mali and character-actor Rajpal Yadav.

Besides emphasising the brand equity that a female star like Madhuri Dixit carries in an otherwise patriarchal society, the film boosts of a heart-warming performance by the emerging actress.

Urmila Matondkar will return to the silver screen in the month ahead with another author-backed role in Chandraprakash Dwivedi's "Pinjar". The film is an adaptation of an Amrita Pritam novel and is about how partition changed the lives of people, especially women.

Urmila plays the central role of Puro, whose determination to survive all odds forms the main story. The film also stars Priyanshu, Manoj Bajpai, Sanjay Suri and Sandali Sinha.

Perhaps, the one film that attempts to take on the men on their own turf is Sushmita Sen's "Samay", wherein she essays a role initially conceived for a man. The movie is being directed by debutant director Robby Garewal and also stars Sushant Singh, Rajesh Khera, Dinesh Lamba and others. The music is by Sandeep Chowta.

While the crime thriller is void of romance and songs, what really worries the former Miss Universe is "whether the audience will accept such a strong female lead."

Sushmita will follow up her challenging act with "Paisa Vasool", in which she will be seen puffing at a cigarette with elan.

Women in Bollywood are seen as going out of their way to grab the best roles.

After Aishwarya Rai snatched Rituparno Ghosh's "Chokher Bali" from Nandita Das and Kareena Kapoor beat Antara Mali to bag "Chameli", beauty queen Neha Dhupia did the same for Deepak Shivdasani's "Julie". Some like Raveena Tandon and Manisha Koirala are bankrolling socially conscious films starring themselves.

After securing a sizable fan following by doing the raunchy act, sex symbols like Bipasha and Mallika Sherawat of "Khwahish" fame are also game for roles with substance.

Mallika, who is working on three projects that defy all laws of Bollywood's male dominance, even went to the extent of refusing Rahul Rawail's "Jo Bole So Nihal" starring Sunny Deol.

"I would rather do roles that promote women," says Mallika, much to surprise of those who feel that the skin show objectifies women.

Even newcomers like Celina Jaitley, who debuted this week with "Khel", will be seen as a visually impaired girl in Feroz Khan's ambitious "Janasheen".

Thus, in the months ahead, audiences will get to see glamorous heroines play a variety of roles even as the leading men are stuck with playing cops with just a change of hairstyle.