From 'Damini', 'Mom' to 'Delhi Crime', 11 times women on screen fought against violence, abuse

Stills from Damini, Mom, Bhakshak, Delhi Crime, Pic/Instagram

Cinema is often considered a medium that mirrors society, probably in an overtly dramatised manner. Everything in this world is hunky dory till it touches subjects like sexual assault and violence against women - probably not the best topics to be commercialised, but can work wonders to impart a message that can amplify progressive thinking.

Thousands of movies are churned out every year, but very few move you, sometimes to tears when the subjects of women's atrocities are documented in a sensitised manner. Amid the ongoing outrage of the horrific Kolkata rape and murder case, the Badlapur school case, and all those stories that were highlighted in the past couple of days, we look at how cinema reminded us of the cruelties endured by women take several forms.

Damini

Meenakshi Sheshadri's ‘Damini' is one of the best pieces of cinema that came out in the 90s when films were trying to abandon decades of glorification of violence against women. While the film ruined the festival of Holi for many, one can never forget the intense monologue that sheds light on how a victim is treated by the system. The constant grilling made our blood boil, but perhaps that's not even an ounce of what happens in reality.

Pink, 200 Halla Ho

Another courtroom drama that comes to mind is ‘Pink', where the importance of consent needed Amitabh Bachchan's baritone to be heard. However, the most gratifying of all was ‘200 Halla Ho' starring Rinku Rajguru which took one of the most spine-chilling narratives from real life where women lynched serial rapist Akku Yadav in an open court of Nagpur in 2004. While the film didn't create enough buzz, the plot itself gives you an adrenaline rush, because it encapsulates the mere imagination that a victim holds onto against the one who wronged them.

Matrubhoomi, Delhi Crime, Parched

And if you thought that was gruesome, films like 'Matrubhoomi', 'Parched', ‘Article 15' or the series ‘Delhi Crime' are tough on the gut. They twist your insides, making it difficult to digest just how unfair life has been to some. But Ayushmann Khurrana and Shefali Shah's projects served as a reminder that law will take its course and justice will be served if the system allows you to meet some brave souls along the way who are not tangled in the web of corruption.

Monsoon Wedding, Bhakshak

A parent's worst nightmare is to see their child endure such heinous acts. There have been countless shows in the West that bring this to the forefront to create awareness. To learn that the victim was a minor makes one's palms curl up with rage. Children are a synonym for innocence. To take that away is handing them the baggage of trauma. Some muster the courage to go on, others pull the plug on themselves. The stories of such minors were brought to Indian screens with projects like ‘Monsoon Wedding' and ‘Bhakshak'.

Mothers' rage in Maatr, Mom, Ajji

But what happens when a mother becomes the ultimate vigilante? Films like ‘Maatr' (Raveena Tandon), ‘Mom' (Sridevi), and ‘Ajji' (Sushama Deshpande) breathed life into these not-so-caped crusaders who sought justice the way any mother would imagine if her child was a victim. They all had one common goal and succeeded in achieving it without fearing consequences. Basically, if ‘Kanoon ko haath mein lena' had a face. These films don't propagate a righteous message. Still, they are the escape for every woman who has encountered abuse or assault, has imagined doing what these characters essayed.

The film industry has been making consistent efforts to shed the image created by those who glorified rape and abuse on the big screen. While justice continues to remain a fantasy (in most cases), it is up to filmmakers not to add fuel to narratives that promote misogyny and patriarchy, but rather choose a sensitive route that brings about a change in regressive minds. When you have the influence and the medium to call the shots, make it count.