Radha (Mother India, 1957)
From a newlywed carefree bride to that of a mother who places justice before her own son, Radha did manage to touch all the right chords and that too with utmost grace. Mother India is always the first name that comes to mind when we talk of such roles and it remains in the list of must-watch Indian movies.
Pooja and Kavita (Arth, 1982)
One is the quintessential middle-class housewife, whose life starts and ends with her husband, and the other is a super successful elite-class actress, who is glamorous, rich and still yearns for love. Directed by the ace filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt as a tribute to the ladies in his own love life, Pooja (Shabana Azmi) and Kavita (Smita Patil) both grab your attention and pity, despite being on the opposite ends of the story.
Rukmini and Zeenat (Mandi, 1983)
They are not your regular idol ladies, being in the taboo trade of flesh but still, Rukmini and Zeenat manage to show you the plight of prostitutes and Kothewalis, their daily tribulations and the desire to be accepted as a part of the society. Carried out by two of the best actresses of Indian Cinema, Shabana Azmi and the late Smita Patil, these roles offer you a lot to think over.
Damini (Damini-Lightening, 1993)
Standing at a two-way road, one leading to the honour of her family and other to the justice for a young girl, Damini holds your hand through her journey of social change. Helmed perfectly by Meenakshi Sheshadri, Damini is not someone you would meet easily and still, there is a Damini in each one of us. This clearly is the message of this movie that nearly brought a social change in India.
Naina (Dushman, 1998)
A girl fighting for justice for her dead twin, Naina Sehgal is not a role that one can easily forget. Her emotional scenes after the death of her sister and her courageous self-defence in the climax leave you perplexed. The brown-eyed beauty of Bollywood, Kajol played the double role of Naina and Sonia so well that it transformed her from the girl next door to a promising star with sheer acting mettle.
Aditi (Astitva, 2000)
Trapped between a hidden truth and her almost perfect family life, Aditi is the idol woman you admire, when it comes to finding your own identity in life. Despite being a character much ahead of her times, she still outshines the typical Indian female characters that leave you guessing of their ever-so-good nature. Tabu plays the role in an unbelievably graceful manner, something that earned her a Filmfare Best Actress (Critics) award.
Meera and Zeenat (Dor, 2006)
A childlike innocence and a tough, long life to live, Meera is the one you instantly pity, because of the rituals she has to reluctantly follow as a young Rajasthani widow. On the other hand, gripped with the fear of losing her love, Zeenat is the headstrong girl from Himachal Pradesh one has to admire in times of challenges thrown by life. Two completely different characters and the story of their friendship not only leave you spellbound but also give you food for thought, tracing the age-old social customs still prevalent in rural India.
