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One of the best things to have happened to Indian cinema in the last decade is the outpouring of women-oriented stories. More and more scripts are being written with female characters in the lead. That said, our audiences are yet to be familiarized with the lives of some of the most prominent women of our country. These real-life stories are inspiring, to say the least, and must to be showcased to the new generations as a testament to the power and potential of our women.
Amrita Pritam
One of the most notable writers of the 20th century, Amrita Pritam wrote over 100 poetry books in her lifespan. She was a published author at the age of 17, and penned down hard-hitting notes for the Progressive Writers’ Movement during India’s freedom struggle. Her literary contributions won her the Sahitya Akademi award, the Padmavibhushan, the Padma Shri and the Bharatiya Jnanpith. But these highs were counteracted by some serious lows: She fled from Pakistan during the partition, broke off an unhappy marriage and had a tragic one-sided love story with poet Sahir Ludhianvi. A life as incredible as hers needs to be shown on screen!
Indira Gandhi
Remembered as the Iron Lady of India, Indira Gandhi was a force to reckon with. She is India’s first and only female Prime Minister till date, and known for taking some bold decisions during her tenure - like declaring Emergency in 1975 and launching Operation Blue Star in 1984. Although people were divided over her politics, she made her presence felt in every room she walked into. It will be quite something watching her story play out on screen.
Savitribai Phule
Savitribai Phule was the pioneering force behind India’s feminist movement. Hailing from a small community in Maharashtra, she was married off at the mere age of 10. But with the support of her husband, she set up India’s first all-girls school in Pune in 1848, where she herself taught the students. Eventually, she went on to start 18 schools across the country. She also discouraged unfair gender and caste discrimination in society, and her teachings reflected in her work as a Marathi writer.
Meena Kumari
A legendary actor and poetess in the 1950s, Meena Kumari gave Indian cinema some masterful performances. Critics thought her acting chops to be ‘historically incomparable’. She was referred to as the Tragedy Queen, not only because her characters were often stuck in sorrowful situations on screen, but also because life threw many curveballs her way. She found solace in alcohol when her marriage fell apart due to an alleged abortion, which deteriorated her health and led to an early death.
Sudha Murthy
The chairperson of Infosys Foundation, Sudha Murthy is a powerful name in the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem. She gave her husband the money needed to start Infosys - money she earned from being the first female engineer hired by TATA Engineering And Locomotive Company (TELCO). She’s also helming a lot of philanthropic initiatives in the fields of healthcare, education, arts and culture and cleanliness, and has written best-selling novels like Dollar Bahu, Wise and Otherwise and Three Thousand Stitches.
These women and their inspiring stories deserve to be shared with the world!
Also read: 5 Films Every Writer Will Love
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