March 8 every year is celebrated as Women's Day to mark a celebration of the strength, resilience, and empowerment embodied by women across the globe. In Bollywood, the silver screen has been graced by many iconic female characters who have broken stereotypes, challenged norms, and inspired generations. From brave fighters to strong leaders, these women characters have made a big impact on screen, showing us what empowerment looks like.  

Let's celebrate Women's Day by remembering some of Bollywood's most unforgettable female characters, who prove that women can surpass any situation in life.

Bulbbul

As we celebrate and honour strong and inspiring female characters in movies, one standout character is Bulbbul, played by the talented Triptii Dimri. Set in the 1880s Bengal presidency, the story follows a child bride and Triptii brings the titular character to life with her mix of grace, fierceness, and determination. Bulbbul's journey from innocence to strength is truly inspiring. She's graceful yet fierce, facing challenges and standing up against unfairness with determination. Through Triptii's performance, Bulbbul becomes a symbol of women's strength.

Pink

If a woman says no it means 'No' and this is very effortlessly explained in the film Pink.  Released in 2016 the film starred Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, and Andrea Tariang in the lead. Taapsee's character Minal was molested in this film. Unlike most girls, she decided to file an FIR against a powerful person. While her character did receive help from an acclaimed lawyer, we saw Minal showing immense strength and power throughout her journey to get justice. We learned that it's okay to break down sometimes, but it is not okay to stop fighting against all the odds.

Queen

The story of a mild-mannered woman, dumped days before her wedding and going on a pre-booked European honeymoon, was ultimately about an empowering journey. Kangana Ranaut portrayed the woman, who, during the solo trip, realizes she is a lot stronger than everyone, including her, thinks. By finding inner strength, Rani shows that she is indeed a queen and inspires female audiences of all ages.

Raazi

The spy thriller set before the India-Pakistan war of 1971 centres on a secret agent, played by Alia Bhatt. The undercover operative marries a family of military officers in Pakistan and secretly relays information back to India ahead of the war. The brave young woman in deadly surroundings helps her country during an important moment in history in the espionage drama.

Thappad

In this film, the actress plays Amrita, a wife who doesn’t tolerate a slap from her husband at a party. While the incident left Amrita in shock, she stood tall for her self-respect. Besides everyone telling her that it was just one slap and she should move on, she filed for divorce and decided to live a dignified life. Currently, there are many cases of domestic violence being reported in the country. Yes, real life is much more complicated than the reel life, but the important thing here to learn is, that you must fight for what is right and should not support wrong or violent gestures of husbands or anyone for that matter.