This Women’s Day, Bollywood hopes for better representation of women

“Thank You For Coming” may not have done well at the ticket window, but Chadha praised Kapoor for taking a chance on a bold narrative revolving around women’s sexuality.

She is also looking forward to the producer’s next film “Crew”, a heist comedy featuring Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon as air hostesses.

“I think representation shifts, but then there are people like Ekta Kapoor, making a film called ‘Crew’, then we have had films like ‘Thank You for Coming’ that were high on sexuality.

You are not able to discuss these things openly, it’s stifling certainly for both men and women. It is not about how the film did eventually,” Chadha added.

And 2024 has got a promising start with “Laapataa Ladies”, directed by Kiran Rao.

A story of two brides Phool (Nitanshi Goel) and Pushpa (Pratibha Ranta) who accidentally get swapped on a train, the film opened to glowing reviews upon its release on March 1.

It has raised around Rs 8 crore worldwide in gross box office collection, a decent figure for a low-budget film.

Writer Sneha Desai, who penned the screenplay and dialogues of “Laapataa Ladies”, said the makers wanted the audience to introspect about social conditioning through the characters of Phool and Pushpa.

“We wanted people to unlearn societal conditioning and learn that things always change for the better. If you have the gumption to take that first step, you are just one step away from the life that you want to live,” Desai said.

“Characters like Phool and Pushpa, who are victims of their situation of their upbringing, or the strata in which they live, if they can have the audacity to dream and aspire for a life, all of us are way too privileged to be complaining.

So, going for your dreams is what we wanted (to talk about)” the screenwriter added.

Coming up this year are ‘Crew’, ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ starring Sara Ali Khan, Kangana Ranaut’s “Emergency”, “Stree 2” with Shradha Kapoor, and “Jigra” featuring Alia Bhatt.

The hope is that they will forward the woman agenda.