Enough with bromance and bro-code because come July, Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania are coming with a film on female friendship and bonding. Yes, we are talking about Shashank Ghosh’s upcoming chick flick Veere Di Wedding. The movie revolves around four friends talking about love, life and more.
Recently, the cast of Veere Di Wedding went around claiming that theirs is not a chick-flick. What’s the harm in being chick-flick? It’s the fear of alienating the male viewers. Any women-driven narrative are quickly labelled as chick-lit, chick-flick, women-centric, while there is nothing as prick-flick (that’s a real term). While viewers have gushed about movies on male bonding, think Dil Chahta Hain, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and almost all Judd Apatow movies, there are quite a few films on female bonding and strong women protagonists that need to be celebrated.
Here’s our pick from the recent releases:
Queen
If you are going through a break up, then this is one film that is sure to pep you. Directed by Vikas Bahl, the movie fetched Kangana Ranaut a National Award. The film narrates the story of Rani, a young bride from Delhi, who feels devastated after her fiance walks out of the marriage. However, Rani decides to go on her already planned European honeymoon and that brings the twist in the tale. She battles heart-wrenching situations, an odd set of assorted expats as friends and much more through her journey only to gradually shed her fears and gain confidence.
The story beautifully portrays the independence, self-confidence and willpower of a woman who fights back after she gets dumped by her fiancé. Watch it for Kangana’s outstanding acting, the storyline that every Indian girl will relate to and the picturesque locations.
Magalir Mattum
Ask any woman and she is sure to connect with one of the characters in this film. Maybe with Komatha (Urvashi), who strives hard to strike a balance between home and her tuition classes, or with Rani (Bhanupriya), who has a messed-up family to take care of or with Subbulakshmi (Saranya Ponvannan), whose life revolves around her drunk husband and an ailing mother-in-law. Prabavathy (Jyotika) is a bold documentary filmmaker and Komatha’s to-be daughter-in-law. She decides to turn-up things for her prospective mother-in-law by re-uniting the three musketeers.
The film opens from the past when three young girls sneak out of their hostel to watch a film. The consequences they face after lead to them being separated. Prabavathy (Jyotika) is the mastermind behind how the three lost friends reunite. Watch it for the heartwarming friendship between Urvashi, Bhanupriya and Saranya Ponvannan!
Pink
This Amitabh Bachchan-Taapsee Pannu starrer highlights the message that when a woman says ‘no’, she means it with all her heart. The film stresses on a woman’s freedom to her own sexuality. Minal (Taapsee Pannu), Falak (Kirti Kulhari) and Andrea (Tariang) are three friends who share a posh apartment in Delhi.
The film starts off with them traveling in a cab late at night, after something terrible happened. What unfolds is a series of incidents, followed by a court drama with Amitabh Bachchan as the lawyer. Watch it for the hard-hitting message!
Piku
Who would have ever thought of constipation as a life-threatening problem? Well, at least not until you watch Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan’s Piku. The movie narrates the ‘shitty’ story of Piku (Deepika Padukone) and her father Bhaskor Banerji (Amitabh) who is obsessed about his health, especially his morning chores. The charming, bittersweet family drama is packed with humour and poignancy, ensuring the shit-talk does not lead to much stink. Mr. Banerji is a selfish man as he does not want his daughter to get married because he dreads the thought being left alone. From announcing to the world that his daughter is not a virgin to branding married women to have a low IQ, he does it all to keep his daughter from sealing the deal.
Deepika’s holds the script together, making the drama very believable all the way. Amitabh’s toilet travails is hilarious and irritating at some parts. However, this one does not deserved to be flushed away! Piku is a must watch for portraying a complex woman as it’s protagonists.
Sex and The City
The HBO TV series Sex and The City changed the way female sexuality and desires are perceived and portrayed. A sequel to the 1998-2004 comedy series by the same name, Sex and The City showed the lives of four Manhattan friends – Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis), and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and their single lives.
The plot revolves around Carrie Bradshaw, who finally gets the commitment she has dreamed of from Mr Big. They move into a palatial house in Manhattan and decide to get married. Having been married before, Mr Big prefers a simple, quite affair. However, fashionista Carrie is busy trying wedding gowns from top designers. Meanwhile Mr Big gets cold feet speaking to Miranda, whose marriage with Steve has hit the rock bottom and they separate as a result. What unfolds thereafter forms the crux. A sequel to the film was released in 2010.
Somewhere along the line, you start feeling that the movie is doing very little justice to the small screen version, with too much Botox injected into the script. However, this is one chick flick you will enjoy with your girl friends on a Saturday night and is only a reminder why the show was path-breaking in so many ways.
Bridesmaids
Witty, greedy and playful, Bridesmaids packs in a good punch of humour. Annie (Kristen Wiig) is a single woman whose own life is a mess. Her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged and Annie gets busy trying to organise the perfect wedding party. Although lovelorn and broke, Annie manages to bluff her way through expensive rituals, only to show others how far she can go for someone she loves. The heart of the film is the interaction between the women- Becca (Ellie Kemper), Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), Megan (Melissa McCarthy), Lillian (Maya Rudolph) and Annie (Kristen Wiig).
Like in any film, this one has it’s share of slacks too, but you definitely can’t not watch it! And who said women can’t make poop jokes?
