5 Films: Where Women Protagonists Are Embodiments of Durga

Kill Bill (2003) 

 

This Quentin Tarantino classic is a quintessential film based on the theme of revenge. Beginning with the famous Klingon proverb from Star Trek - Revenge is a dish best served cold; the film is a detailed account of Beatrix’s revenge written exclusively in blood. Beatrix seeks revenge from all the members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and their leader Bill. Her main motive is the apparent death of her child for which she holds them responsible. Tarantino, in his uninhibited portrayal of violence and bloodshed makes one thing very clear – when it comes to her children, a mother can muster up enough strength to overpower whatever it is that she faces.

Mother India (1957)

 

Mehboob Khan’s interpretation of a mother in post-independence India strongly derives from socialist and communist ideologies. Nargis plays Radha, a poverty ridden woman who bears with natural calamities and social discomforts alike to raise her two sons – Ramu (Rajendra Kumar) and Birju (Sunil Dutt). Birju grows up with a violent streak but Ramu is composed. Birju becomes a bandit after being outcast by the villagers and plots revenge. He kills the evil money lender Sukhilala and takes his daughter, when finally; Radha decides to stop him by killing him herself. Perhaps one of the greatest Indian films, Mother India shows a struggle and a story of a mother who always does the right thing.

Juno (2007)

 

 A critically acclaimed independent film, nominated for the academy award, Juno is a simple story of a teenager, Juno McGuff, who finds herself at a crossroad in life, a little pre-maturely. This Ellen Page starrer Jason Reitman film is a comedy drama about how a teenager confronts predicaments of life that she is too young to face. The way she decides to deal with her unplanned pregnancy and the changes that consequently happen in her life make it a brilliant coming-of-age film. Juno is essentially a story of a mother who is still a child at heart and the film depicts the characters journey from innocence lost to innocence restored.

Postmaster (1961) 

 Made as a part of the Teen Kanya trilogy along with Monihara and Samapti, Postmaster is one of Satyajit Ray’s most influential works. Based on Rabindranath Tagore’s short story, the film tells the story of a postmaster Nandalal, who has been placed in the village for a brief time dreams of returning to Calcutta, but while he is here, he decides to teach his caretaker, Ratan, how to read and write. Ratan, on the other hand, tends to him when he falls sick and serves him well. However, when Nandalal leaves, he leaves Ratan heartbroken and doesn’t realise how attached she had gotten to him. He offers her money for her service but she feels offended. Postmaster, therefore, is a simple story of a complex relation between Nandalal and Ratan who is his mother, sister, friend and sole companion.

Kahaani (2012)

 

Using Durga as a primary metaphor for the protagonist, Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani is a twisted thriller about a woman who seeks justice. Vidya Balan plays Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant software engineer from London, who comes to Calcutta in search of her missing husband. In the middle of convoluted stories, suspicious people and the crowd due to the festival, Vidya has a task ahead of her. Being chased by an assassin, being used by cops as a decoy and all other odds stacked against her, Vidya’s focus is clear and she will have her justice. Kahaani is a suspense film, no doubt, but at its heart, it is a tale of a woman’s love for her husband and her will power to do justice to those who did him wrong.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 18, 2012