From Queen to Lajja: 10 Best Women-Centric Movies of 21st Century

While Bollywood is considered to be a male-dominated industry, it has given a good number of female oriented films, such as Mother India (1957), Bhumika (1977) and Astha (1997).

Here is a glance at top ten women-centric Hindi movies of the 21^st century:

1. Queen (7 March 2014)

In the movie "Queen", Kangna Ranaut portrayed the role of a small-town Indian girl Rani. She decides to go on her honeymoon alone as her fiancé breaks the marriage two days before the wedding day. The film revolves around her trip to Amsterdam and Paris.

2. English Vinglish (5 October 2012)

"English Vinglish", written and directed by Gauri Shinde, garnered much appreciation from audience for Sridevi's stunning performance as well as the story. Additionally, the movie marked the actress' comeback to the big screen after a hiatus of 15 years. The film focussed on the life of a normal middle-class Indian housewife, who is not very fluent in English. The cinema highlights her journey of self-realization as a housewife and her struggles to build an identity for herself in the society as well as in the family.

3. Kahaani (9 March 2012)

Box office hit "Kahaani" portrayed the strong will power of a woman and her determination to reach a goal. The lead character in the movie was played by Vidya Balan, who pretended to be pregnant throughout the story. The viewers were stunned to see the artificial baby bump shown at the end of the movie.

4. The Dirty Picture (2 December 2011)

"The Dirty Picture", based on the life of Silk Smitha, a South Indian actress who was famous for her erotic roles won postive response from critics as well as the audience. Vidya Balan's stunning performance in the movie got her many awards and the film also received awards in various categories. 

5. No One Killed Jessica (7 January 2011)

Bollywood film "No One Killed Jessica" was inspired by the Jessica Lal murder case. The movie, starring Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan in the lead role, showed the strength of Indian women and how her great fortitude can change the system. The cinema revolves around the fight for justice by Jessica's sister (Vidya Balan). Mukherjee played the role of a bold journalist whose voice against crime and encouragement to Jessica's sister gave justice to the victim.

6. Fashion (29 October 2008)

"Fashion", directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, aimed at portraying the life and struggles of Indian models. The movie, starring Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut and Mugdha Godse, showed how the glitz and glamour world had a darker side, which not many are aware of. 

7. Dor (22 September 2006)

Hindi film "Dor", starring Ayesha Takia and Gul Panag, focuses on the value of friendship. The story portrays two ladies from different background who become friends. Takia plays the role of a widow who is bound by tradition, whereas Panag plays the role of a young woman whose husband is sentenced to death. The story revolves around these two ladies and how their companionship helps them to overcome their problems.

8. Page 3 (21 January 2005)

Madhur Bhandarkar's blockbuster movie "Page 3" revolves around the life of a female journalist. The film, starring Konkona Sen Sharma in the lead role, takes viewers to the world of Page 3 journalism. The cinema highlighted the life of a naïve journalist, who reports about celebrity lifestyle, but in the process becomes aware of its flipside.  

9. Chandini Bar (28 September 2001)

The storyline of "Chandni Bar" captivated the attention of viewers attention till the end and Tabu's performance was heaped with praises. The story showed the journey of a poor girl who is forced to dance in a bar for living, which destroys her dreams including her children's future.

10. Lajja (19 September 2001)

Rajkumar Santoshi's film "Lajja" was not very successful in India but it was a commercial success outside the cuntry. It was a women oriented movie starring Manisha Koirala in the lead role and Madhuri Dixit, Rekha as well as Mahima Chaudhry as supporting actresses. The movie revolves around the malpractices and humiliation a woman has to face in the society. In the film, Koirala, who is the protagonist, meets other females who are being tortured and killed by the male dominant society.