Woman – who is she? Is she the gentle nurturer of the human race? Is she a seething cauldron of simmering emotions, ready to overflow? Or is she an indecipherable labyrinth of undiscovered feelings? Well, she’s all this and more.
The media portrayal of women has always been problematic and stereotypical until the advent of web series which acknowledge the existence of Indian women in the real world and celebrates womanhood. This has led to the creation of many women-oriented shows narrating their stories with refreshing honesty and also proving to the world that they are capable of having a life without insubordination of men. Some of the content today on digital platform portray the modern women, empowered while still stifling with the problems of inequality. This ‘Women’s Day’ week, we bring you some women-centric shows on a digital platform that are worth a watch.
1. Ladies Room
This show revolves around two best friends who are the reflection of an Indian woman in their true selves, ending up in trouble while trying to unfold an adventure each time they visit the ladies’ washroom. The series showcases many serious issues such as pre-marital pregnancy, abortion, adultery, gender discrimination at the workplace and more with very candid and quirky comedy.
2. Girl in the City
It revolves around the life of a small town yet ambitious girl, Meera who has moved to the big city as a fashion design intern and is extremely determined to succeed in her work and create a life for herself despite facing troubles at work and objection from her father.
3. It’s not that Simple
It is a woman-centric show, focusing on the travails of women in a misogynist, patriarchal society. It is the story of Mira (Swara Bhaskar, one of the strongest female protagonists ever to grace an Indian show), as she learns to take charge of her life without the pseudo-crutch of a man in the background.
4. The Trip
The web series ‘The Trip’ starring some of the famous faces of Bollywood focuses on the lives of four lady friends who set on a road trip to Thailand as a part of their bachelorette celebrations. This platform which was meant for pure fun and good time turns out to be an epiphany of life for the characters. Besides showing how women could have an amazing time without a male partner, other facets of human relationships such as friendship, trust, betrayal and many more are beautifully portrayed.
5. Four more shots please!
It introduces a world where women are badass, between the sheets and on the streets, and possess an enviable appetite for endless rounds of shots to toast their wins and drown their woes. It touches upon a list of issues like workplace politics, mother’s guilt, insecurity, homosexuality, body positivity, trolling, media ethics, step-parenting and more where the 4 main Protagonists stand out as inspiration.
6. The Test case
The Test Case tells the story of Captain Shikha Sharma (Nimrat), the first woman to get enrolled in Indian Army’s Special Forces unit, and her struggle to make her presence felt in an all-male group of soldiers. Captain Shikha Sharma’s journey not only traces most aspects of the life of a working woman but also how she deals with it all.
These are few of the women-centric web series which have brought forward empowered characters who challenge the society and its norms. They provoke us to look at women not only as a pillar of support for a man, rather see WOMAN as the reason behind the functioning of the whole world. Looking at such refreshing content, it is indeed true that gone are the days when the women in showbiz and media were only ‘candy-floss’. While the change is slow and still required, shows like these are a beacon of changing times ahead.