Looking For Movies Led By Inspiring Woman Characters? Are These 5 Films by Rituparna Sengupta On Your List?

Rituparna Sengupta, a veteran Bengali actress, is well-known for portraying strong female characters on screen. Her debut movie was Prabhat Roy's Shwet Patharer Thala in 1992. She made her entry into Bollywood with Partho Ghosh's Teesra Kaun (1994) and was praised for her role in the film Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh. Some of her prominent works include Paromitar Ek Din, Rajkahini, Baranda, Drishtikone Anuranan and a lot more. She is a recipient of National Award for Dahan.

In an exclusive interview with Femina, actress Rituparna Sengupta said, "People still believe that heroines have a short career span. I always ask, why don’t we have a Meryl Streep, a Kate Winslet or a Nicole Kidman here? Of course, Hollywood actors get paid better, have more exposure and a different mindset. But we can perhaps take a bit from them; we women actors should prove that we are here perform and to be honoured. We need to push the boundaries".

Here are five feminist Rituparna Sengupta movies which you should watch.

1. Muktodhara

Muktodhara is a Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy directorial. Rituparna Sengupta plays the role Niharika,  a dancer trapped in an unhappy marriage. It is through her skills and talent that she is able to reform a bunch of criminals living in a correctional home. No amount of challenges or difficulties could deter her from her goal. Based on real-life characters and incidences, the film shows how love, affection and understanding can help bring out the humane side of brutal culprits.

2. Praktan

Sengupta brings to life the character of a conservation architect, Sudipa. She is more successful than her husband Ujaan (Prosenjit Chatterjee) who is a tour guide and earns more than him. This makes him insecure and becomes a cause of tension between them. Being an independent and opinionated woman, Sudipa finds it difficult to adjust in Ujaan's conservative middle-class family. Despite dealing with emotional abuse, sexual inequality and orthodox beliefs, she decides to give her relationship with Ujaan a second chance. However, nothing works and she finally decides to walk out of the marriage and start afresh. Though not an overtly feminist movie, Sudipa from Praktan gives voice to many women still living in unequal marriages.

Also Read: Bored of Bollywood? Five Bengali Feminist Films To Watch

3. Alo

The movie is based on Kinnordol by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. Sengupta as Alo portrays a woman coming from Kolkata. She visits her husband's ancestral village after marriage and starts living there. As an educated woman, she takes charge and enlightens the lives of the poverty-stricken villagers, both morally and culturally. They start adoring her and looking up to her as an idol. Throughout the movie, she proves to be true to the literal meaning of her name Alo, a ray of hope but ultimately loses her life while giving birth to her daughter.

4. Rajkahini

Based against the backdrop of partition, this movie revolves around the lives of a marginalised section of the society, the sex workers. Rituparna is seen in the role of 'Begum Jaan', the matriarch of a brothel. When the women are asked to evacuate the place so that it would become convenient to carry out the process of partition, they refuse to do so and stand by each other in solidarity. They are all victims of patriarchy but at the same time, they fight against the system with all their strength. Another important idea evident in the movie is that there is no discrimination based on caste, class, creed or religion in a brothel.

5. Dahan

Dahan tells us how victim-blaming and domestic violence are still prevalent issues in the society that we live in. When Romita (Rituparna Sengupta) is assaulted, Jhinuk (Indrani Halder) comes to her rescue. She makes efforts to get the abusers punished by law but the political background of one of the assailants spares them of any penalty. The movie ends with Romita decides to end her marriage and Jhinuk accepting to marry her fiancé though she firmly believes in the emotional and financial independence of women.

Which of the above feminist Rituparna Sengupta movies have you watched and which ones are you planning to watch now?

Also Read: How Women Have Been Given Way More Agency In Films By Aparna Sen

This list is indicative and not exhaustive. The views expressed are the author's own.