CE Year in Review 2024: Indian cinema's female-led triumphs of the year

Here is a listicle featuring some of the year’s best films with strong female protagonists
CE Year in Review 2024: Indian cinema's female-led triumphs of the year
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Indian films with female-centric narratives are a rarity, and 2024 is no exception. While some films, such as Amaran and Raayan, have reasonably strong female characters and performances, it is the men who have the meatier roles in them. And even when women dominate the screenplay, such as with Jigra, Raghu Thatha, and Crew, the films do not work at a profound level to be part of our collective discourse. Even in an exhilarating film with the title Stree 2, it is ironic that the male characters steal the show. However, some of the year’s best films have strong female protagonists and themes relevant to free and/or forward-thinking women.

Laapataa Ladies

In this marriage satire, a bride alights from a train with the wrong groom, as her wedding veil partly obscures her vision (and his). The veil is a metaphor for the societal constraints that many women face in India. Laapata Ladies makes big, bold points about women's consent and independence without letting its social commentary get in the way of entertainment. Few films take us to the vibrant heartlands of India quite as triumphantly as the Kiran Rao directorial does. Oscar or no Oscar, Laapataa Ladies is a winner all the way!

Laapataa Ladies

All We Imagine As Light

Payal Kapadia's complex and nuanced portrayal of female agency and independence has earned many accolades, including the prestigious Cannes Grand Prix, as well as Best Film and Best Director nominations at the Golden Globes. With strong performances from its leads, Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam, the film portrays women's challenges in a patriarchal society while celebrating their fortitude and togetherness. It also explores women's isolation in a big metropolis such as Mumbai, as well as their desire and resilience. All We Imagine As Light is Payal’s love letter to her hometown Mumbai, exploring its multifacetedness as well as relentless pulse that shape the dreams of those who call it their home.

All We Imagine As Light

Ullozhukku

Like Laapataa Ladies, this Malayalam drama also makes sterling social commentary about women's freedom of choice and the institutionalisation of marriage. Presenting a nuanced view of each character, it forces you to empathise with their perspectives. Writer-director Christo Tomy shows the complexities of their relationships while masterfully avoiding easy judgments. The film finds you shifting your alliances between the two central characters with one revelation after another, keeping the narrative dynamic and preventing a clear-cut resolution. Rain serves as a potent motif, symbolising repressed emotions, grief, and loss. Its cessation in the film signifies catharsis and the start of healing and reconciliation.

Ullozhukku

Kottukkaali

An intriguing tale of female oppression and defiance, the PS Vinothraj directorial is a masterstroke in minimalistic storytelling. It has a performance from Anna Ben that takes us into the inner turmoil of her character, as well as from Soori that explores toxic masculinity in all its hard-hitting spades. Besides the emphasis on silence and internalised performances, B Sakthivel’s cinematography conveys the subtext and emotions without the need for dialogue. The abrupt climax may polarise opinion, but it makes you think about the fates of the protagonists while hinting at the lingering scars from their experiences.

Kottukkaali

Girls Will Be Girls

In writer-director Shuchi Talati's film, a teenager (Preeti Panigrahi) wants to break out of the cocoon of her controlling mother (Kani Kusruti), herself a victim of patriarchal parenthood. The film follows her first tryst with romance and sex with a boy in college (Kesav Binoy Kiron). As they draw closer, he realises that the only way for him to constantly be around her is to appease her attention-seeking mother (the film is also about how boys will always be boys). He is a boy with an absent father and mother, and she perhaps is a mother who realises that. However, Shuchi presents the relationship between them tantalisingly, with Oedipal undercurrents. Made with admirable restraint, Girls Will Be Girls eloquently captures the poignant coming-of-age journey of a young woman seeking independence.

Girls Will Be Girls

35-Chinna Katha Kaadu

Nanda Kishore Emani's 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu is a heartwarming ode to childhood inquisitiveness and the power of maternal guidance. The film centres around Saraswati (A magnificent Nivetha Thomas), a mother who, despite dropping out of school, takes it upon herself to help her son (Arundev Pothula) mitigate the mystery of mathematics. Saraswati exemplifies female agency by actively engaging in her son's education and challenging societal norms. She defies traditional expectations from women, showcasing the strength and unyielding spirit of mothers in shaping their children's futures. Featuring stirring music and stunning close-ups of Nivetha, the film beautifully portrays the profound impact of a mother's love and unwavering support on a child's intellectual and emotional growth, highlighting the importance of female empowerment within the family unit.

35-Chinna Katha Kaadu

Sookshmadarshini

In his murder-mystery, director MC Jithin tells the story of a microbiology graduate (Nazriya Nazim) with a great sense of inquisitiveness. Her curious nature leads her to uncover a chilling mystery next door. With a nigh Hitchcockian approach to storytelling and featuring some oddball characters, Sookshmadarshini serves as a reminder that a detective story can work regardless of who unravels its mysterious threads. It also epitomises the enduring power of narrative to transcend gender expectations.

Sookshmadarshini

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