12 women behind the lens who are redefining Bollywood

It's a man's world or so as they say. Such has been the case in Bollywood for decades too, be it actors, screenplay writers or directors. The cinematic landscape has evolved in many ways in recent years. A new wave of women are rewriting the script of a new India with their skillful writing and direction. With new imagination, an outside-the-box narrative, and a keen sense of worthwhile real-life narratives, these female directors prove that good cinema is genderless. 

WOMEN CHANGING BOLLYWOOD'S NARRATIVE

1. Zoya Akhtar

Zoya Akhtar has made her mark in the industry with films like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Gully Boy for highlighting real stories in the urban setup. She gave birth to brand new, real-life superheroes - the ordinary people navigating life. To go against the grain and stay relevant at the same time is a skill this director has aced over the years. 

2. Meghna Gulzar

Meghna Gulzar's films, be it the tear-inducing Raazi or the cerebral Sam Bahadur, her films employ the art of storytelling with emotion. Her sharp eye for observation and selection of women protagonist characters has accorded her with the cinematic treatment in Bollywood in the biopic genre in a way that nobody else has dared to do justice to. 

3. Konkona Sen Sharma

From actress to director, Konkona Sen Sharma surprised her viewers with A Death in the Gunj, a delicate yet disturbing exploration of repression and masculinity. Her movie is layered, and she does not eschew addressing issues that mass-market Bollywood usually avoids.

4. Reema Kagti

Reema Kagti’s versatility shines through films like Talaash, Gold, and the web series Dahaad. She blends mystery, sports, and thriller genres while keeping her narratives layered and socially relevant. Her work reflects a deep understanding of human psychology and the complexities of Indian society, the way it is. 

5. Alankrita Shrivastava

Rare are the directors who dare to subvert society's norms. Alankrita Shrivastava did it with Lipstick Under My Burkha, in a way it was never done before. The movie is a rebellious commentary on women's agency. She continued to make waves with films like Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare and Bombay Begums.

6. Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

With Panga and Bareilly Ki Barfi, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari found her ground and anchored it in Bollywood. She speaks the words of small-town India in its truest form, rooted in life, and inspiring their tales.

7. Gauri Shinde

From English Vinglish to Dear Zindagi, Gauri Shinde is the master of extracting human emotion with sensitivity and depth. Her films also go beyond the subject of self-discovery and self-growth that hits home for many in the audience. 

8. Mira Nair

Mira Nair's movies are an intricate blend of culture and identity, making her a pioneer of world cinema. With movies like Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, she presented a gritty perspective of India's harsh realities like the Indian emigration phenomenon in the latter.

9. Deepa Mehta

Deepa Mehta is a provocative film director, best known for her Elements Trilogy—Fire, Earth, and Water—that dared to defy cultural taboos and kindle fierce controversies. Her films are about gender, religion, and politics, often pushing beyond what few dare to try to remain unapologetic and forthright.

10. Kiran Rao

Kiran Rao possesses a unique voice in films that combines artistic storytelling with realism. Her debut film, Dhobi Ghat, was a quirky exploration of the multi-faceted life of Mumbai, and its untold stories. Laapataa Ladies (2024) is an interesting and introspective story of rural women and identity, and she proves once again that she has an ear for fresh, meaningful stories.

11. Payal Kapadia

Payal Kapadia is among India's brightest new-age filmmakers, intermixing fiction and documentary effortlessly. Her Palme d'Or contender  'All We Imagine As Light (2024)', is the first Indian film in 30 years to do so. Previously, her documentary, A Night of Knowing Nothing (2021), was awarded the Golden Eye at Cannes, which attested that she is rewriting the rules of Indian cinema with her innovative and socially relevant stories. 

12. Farah Khan 

Farah Khan broke Bollywood's male-dominated action-entertainment arena with her high-budget commercial franchises. Main Hoon Na to Om Shanti Om, she perfected the genre of masala cinema, showcasing that women, too, can successfully carry high-energy, star-studded extravaganzas. Being a choreographer-turned-director, she added a unique touch to Bollywood, making entertainment and narrative go side by side.

THE FUTURE OF FEMALE FILMMAKERS IN BOLLYWOOD

With streaming giants leading the pack in alternative narratives, more and more women are sitting in the director's chair. Already at the helm are new-generation filmmakers Shonali Bose (The Sky Is Pink) and Aarti Kadav (Cargo). With growing eyeballs for alternative narratives and risk-taking female-centric tales, times can only look up for women in the director's chair.

The arrival of female directors in Bollywood is not a flash in the pan, it's a revolution. They are rewriting the scripts, bringing new voices to Indian cinema, and making doors open for the next few generations. While the industry goes through a change of faces, one thing is certain, the greatest stories of Bollywood are still waiting to be told, and some of them will be told by women.
 

Text by Riya Jha

Edited by Sabrina Mathews