Hindi Films On Widows : Characters That Didn't Need A Partner To Be Strong

The few number of Hindi films on widows shows how the cinema still fears to talk about the role of women after and beyond their husbands. However, not everyone fears the disapproval of the society like these film makers who boldly kept widows in the lead in their films.

The patriarchal society condemns the thought of a happily ever after of a widow. From pale colours, restrictions on participation in events and limitations on their code of conduct, widows are shown as helpless and worthless without their husbands. Even though not many Bollywood films touched this sensitive topic, the ones that did have done it really well adding them into your must watch list. Introducing 10 Hindi films on widows that have portrayed the face of widows in India, from helpless expectations and stereotypes to ambitious dreams and desires.

10 Hindi Films On Widows

The Last Color

This 2019 movie is a great depiction of the societal prejudices that people face and of friendships that know no limits. The movie shows the life of a widow whose life is colourless and does not have any amusement as society prohibits widows to enjoy her life, a nine year old flower seller who is ambitious, bright and friendly and a trans woman who is wronged every time but she bears it all to protect the nine year old from dangers.

Pagglait

This 2021 films is a progressive and practical one among the Hindi films on widows. Sanya Malhotra plays the role of Sandhya, a widow who lost her husband five months after marriage but is not mourning it as the society expects her to. Her carefree behaviour and ambitions after her husband's death irk those around her but she still heads on to do what she wants.

Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi

This 2019 film was highly acclaimed for its screenplay, story and acting of the actors. The movie features the drama that happens in the family after the death of the head, Bauji. There are questions and dilemmas about property and possession along with the who will take the responsibility of Bauji's widow and mother of the children, Amma.

Is Love Enough? Sir

This 2018 film depicts the forbidden love story of a maid and her employer. Ratna, a widow who is independent and is trying hard to support her family, works in Mumbai as a maid at the house of Ashwin, a New York return. But after he breaks his marriage at the altar when his to-be wife cheats him, Ashwin is consoled by Ratna and they fall in love.

Qarib Qarib Singlle

This 2017 romantic comedy is one of the few light hearted Hindi films on widows that features actors Irrfan Khan and Parvathy Thiruvothu. The story is about how a widow insurance policy manager meets a guy on a dating app and then embark on a world tour to meet his ex-girlfriends and fall in love during their journey.

Nathicharami

This highly acclaimed Kannada film from 2018 starring Sruthi Hariharan as the protagonist who loses her husband and is trying to get over the grief and recollect her life. She soon realises that her physical desires are not being taken care of in the absence of her husband. While she deals with her inner desires and societal expectations, she meets an engineer who is facing marital issues too and befriends him.

Ishqiya

The very famous trio of Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi in this 2010 film was loved by everyone. The love triangle of Khalujan, Babban and Krishna where the two guys fall in love with the widow of their friend who tricks them into love for the fulfillment of her personal motives.

Water

This movie depicts the life of widows and how they were treated in 20th century India and talks about child widows, misogyny, societal stereotypes regarding widows, restrictions and prohibitions on their way of living and the society's expectations for widow to act dead and aimless after the death of their husbands. The movie shows the true face of the injustice that happens to widows in the name of traditions and scriptures.

The Japanese Wife

One of a really well written and portrayed Hindi films on widows, The Japanese Wife released in 2010 and stars Raima Sen, Rahul Bose and Japanese actor Chigusa Takaku in an emotional love triangle. Rahul and Chigusa's characters are pen pals and got married by exchanging vows through letters but never seen each other in 17 years. However, their love story takes a twist when a widow, played by Raima, enters Rahul's life.

Rajneeti

Manoj Bajpayee, Ajay Devgn, Arjun Rampal, Naseeruddin Shah, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif starrer political drama is about the facades, planning and plotting that goes inside political parties. From murders to conspiracy, the movie sees it all including the rise of a widow from a one-sided lover to the party head and eventually the Chief Minister of a state.

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