Check Out These Bollywood Films On Social Issues

Bollywood Films On Social Issues: Bollywood is known for its cliche romantics where the protagonist of the story is often a virtuous man who helps the woman and is the sole problem solver in the entire movie. Though this trend of a 'man' being at the centre of the movie is gradually changing in Bollywood.

Movies that are based on the taboo subjects of domestic violence, transgender rights, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community etc are being discussed. It is indeed the need of the hour to spread literacy about these subjects and hence such movies are widely appreciated by the audience.

Films on social issues

Here are some Bollywood movies that have left the cliche rich guy-poor girl love storyline behind and decided to address the difficult topics of the debate present in the society.

1. Thappad

We know often hear this from our mothers, 'ek do thappad is normal in a marriage, if you'll make a mistake then your husband will hit you naa'. But the truth is it is okay. And no kind of mistake can justify violence. Thappad is a movie wherein a man slaps his wife over a heated argument with someone else.

The wife played by Taapsee Pannu then realises all the selfless things she has been devoting towards a man who so ungrateful to her. She realises that even though it's just a slap, he cannot hit her. D0mestic violence is a crime and it has to be reported not tolerated.

2. Shubh Mangal Jyada Saavdhan

The recent movie Shubh Mangal Jyada Saavdhan is about two men who love each other and struggle to get acceptance in the society and their families. The LGBTQ+ community is said to be unnatural by the homophobic people in the society. But in reality, even shoes are unnatural, clothes are unnatural. So why do consider unnatural as bad? The movie brings about an awareness that 'love is love'.

3. Chhapaak

Chhapaak recognises a very critical issue in society, crimes against women. Chhapaak is the story of an acid-attack survivor who bears the consequences of the gruesome crime done to her. Further, the movie shows the aftereffects of the acid attack on a woman's life as the case, the media, and how society judges her appearance. Chhapaak is a must-watch movie.

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4. Panga

Panga is a movie that revolves around the life of a working mother who wants to pursue her passion in Kabaddi. A mother is supposed to leave all her own passions and desires and be selfless for her husband and child. This is another social issue where mothers are expected to work endlessly and overall women are deprived of their rights to grow and succeed in their careers while being good mothers too.

In the movie Panga, it is depicted how the support and acceptance of the children and spouse is essential in a woman's career and eventually maintaining equality in the society.

5. Gul Makai

Gul Makai is based on the life of a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai. Malala spoke out for the rights of girls, especially the right to receive a complete education. Women's rights have been a very serious social issue for a very long time and in countries, women are still widely suppressed by society and government.

6. Gunjan Saxena : The Kargil Girl

'Women can't handle the jobs in the defence service', 'women are born to get married', and more of such prejudices surround women from a very early age. Gunjan Saxena : The Kargil Girl is a biographic film based on the IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena. Saxena has a feminist dad but patriarchally dominated brother. Saxena's father encourages her constantly to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot while the other members of the family continue to dismay her.

The social issue of controlling a woman's life has been there for a long time and still is there. And it can only be conquered through conscious and honest efforts towards equality.

7. Bulbul

Bulbul addresses the crimes against women in the society like rape, child marriage, domestic violence and more. It talks about how an enigmatic woman hides her painful past and becomes the reason behind supernatural murders of men plague her village.

8. Shikara

Shikara depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley. The events of 19 January 1990 were particularly vicious. On that day, mosques issued declarations that the Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs and that the males had to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or be killed.

Treated this way on the basis of culture, caste and religion is a huge social issue and it is depicted in the movie through the plot based on a Kashmiri Pandit couple forced to leave their house and the pain they face through their journey. Many parts of the movie are based on the book Our Moon Has Blood Clots.

 9. Pagglait

Widows are supposed to be women at the mercy of others. They are portrayed to be eternally sad creatures. Though a widower is a person who is seen as a man with life still left in him and hence often widowers are portrayed to fall in love again and remarry.

In Pagglait, Sanya Malhotra plays the role of a newly widowed woman who isn't in the mood to cry. Even though crying is a natural thing, Sanya's character is expected to cry even though she doesn't feel so. Her family concludes that she has gone crazy as she doesn't feel like crying at her husband's funeral. The movie takes interesting turns and is a must-watch.

10. Badhaai Ho

Badhaai Ho is a movie that openly talks about the fact that our parents have sex. Sex is considered to be a taboo subject for the society today absolutely ignoring the fact that India is the land of Kamasutra. Ancient Indians were never conscious about sexual desires or activities, nor did they hide their skin calling it a part of decency.

Badhaai Ho is the story of a young man in his 20s dealing with the fact that his parents have sex as they get pregnant. Even though society shames the family over the fact at an elderly couple has sex, their son takes a stand for them in the end and evolves as a person.