9 Cool Female Characters Who Broke The Mold And Proved They Were Queens In Their Own Right
niharika nayakBA (Media & Communication) Experience: 4 yearsNiharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... more
While relatable and bold female characters aren’t just limited to OTT platforms, we have to admit that having access to OTT platforms has let us explore a whole new world. Many of the female characters that are featured in this series and films have been written extremely well, and we get to see them as proper fleshed-out characters rather than as eye or arm-candy for the male characters. We see female lead shows like Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare and Bombay Begums racking up attention online for their deeply flawed yet extremely compelling female characters. We see them tackle stories and topics that are often considered too controversial to be showcased on regular television. So here is a list of nine female characters who truly stole the limelight with their incredible stories:
1. Aarya: Aarya
It is extremely rare to get to see female characters that have driven and villainous personalities. In the world of Aarya, we finally get to see a strong, brave, and fierce character. Aarya is more than just a grieving widow or overprotective mother. She is a woman who is ready to lay her life on the line and fight the fiercest of battles to prove herself. And it is for this very reason that we learn to appreciate her for who she is.
2. Bulbbul: Bulbbul
Sure, using a woman’s trauma to change the whole course of her life is a pretty outdated trope, but it is, unfortunately, a true reflection of our society. Bulbbul is the perfect representation of the frustration that women have to put up with as the less privileged gender. In Bulbbul, we see a rage that exists in every lady who has had to endure toxic masculinity and stand her ground in a highly patriarchal society.
3. Fatima: Bombay Begums
Fatima is definitely one of the more complicated characters on the show. She is a perfectionist but, at the same time, heavily flawed, and we see her get crushed by the weight of society’s expectations. At times she plays an unwitting supporter of misogyny with her dim view towards other women and wanting to be a part of the “boys club”. Other times we see her as a victim of the toxic patriarchy of the work culture around her. However, we appreciate that she starts acknowledging her own mistakes and starts taking steps to right them. We see her character progress from being one of the members of the “boys club” to acknowledging all that is wrong with it.
4. Beena Tripathi: Mirzapur
Beena Tripathi isn’t just your regular woman who sits behind the shadows. We see her hold her own in a world that is dominated by men and their fragile egos, and we see how she uses it to her advantage and furthers her own motives. Regardless of whom you support on the show, you can’t help but admire the brand of cunning slyness that Beena Tripathi displays.
5. Anuradha Kishore: Tandav
Anuradha Kishore is another character who uses her cunning and ambitious nature to further herself in a world that is set against her. She plays a seasoned politician who does not let her age distract her from her true vision, and although many might doubt her abilities, she proves herself to be a person worthy of everyone’s attention. We’re left gripping the edge of our seats in anticipation for her next move.
6. Dolly: Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare
Konkona Sen Sharma has been on the acting scene for a while now. She has played her roles with versatility and a level of finesse that is not commonly seen among her contemporaries. Her role as Dolly in Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare will definitely go down as one of her finest performances yet, and we see her play a frustrated Indian woman stuck in a loveless marriage. The fact that she steals and cheats is just a distraction from her life that seems more caged than freeing. What makes this extra sad is that it is an unfortunate truth for most women.
7. Pushpavalli: Pushpavalli
It’s no lie that Indian cinema often glorifies obsessive stalking when the person being stalked is a woman. Pushpavalli flips the script by featuring a plus-sized protagonist who plays the role of the stalker. She is an inherently flawed human being, and we see how she uses her cunning ability to lie and manipulate those around her to her advantage. We see her deal with jealousy and almost ruin the lives of those around her with her ridiculous antics. Sumukhi Suresh plays the role incredibly well, and we love how devious and scheming her character is. As they say, “Why should boys have all the fun?”.
8. Tara Khanna: Made in Heaven
Tara Khanna is a woman who has managed to climb her way to the top of the world. However, she is not one to shy away from using often shady means to get there. Of course, this doesn’t mean that she isn’t willing to help out her friends and step in when she believes something is not right. While she may not always walk along the righteous path, she is far from being evil, and we see her fall apart multiple times on the show. Sobhita Dhulipala plays her role with great attention to detail, and we admire and appreciate her tenacity.
9. Amrita Sabharwal: Thappad
Source: The Lucknow Tribune
Although the character of Amrita is fictional, she embodies everything that there is about the modern, young, privileged Indian woman in a tough and patriarchal world. She is unaware of the major flaws that are present in our society until she becomes a victim of injustice herself. When she takes the decision to stand up for herself and face society, although she is met by a lot of resentment from her in-laws, she finds herself facing love and support from her own parents and a few close friends. Thappad proves to us that sometimes, enough is enough, and it can take just one moment of rage to destroy an entire relationship. But in the end, we’re left thinking, “Was it really a relationship that was worth fighting for?”.
All of these strong and powerful female characters are truly remarkable, and we love how bold and courageous they prove to be throughout the course of their shows/films. Are there any female characters that you think belong on this list? Tell us in the comment section down below!
