It’s great to see that modern cinema has given birth to some wonderful female lead characters. From Sridevi in English Vinglish to Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Bechkham, the roles of women in films, be it Hollywood or Bollywood, have taken a paradigm shift.

Here we take a look at eight films that show not only strong women characters but also how they broke the stereotypical notion of feminism.

 Angry India Goddesses

Which girl hasn’t dreamt of having a crazy bachelorette with her girlfriends in Goa? This is exactly what happens in the movie too. It’s a bunch of young girls who meet in Goa for one of their friends’ bachelorette and what happens next is worth a watch. So, go ahead, liberate already!

Pink

Pink is the story of three girls, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu. The film serves a strong message that when a woman says ‘No’, she means ‘No’. It’s been much-admired as the first Bollywood movie that stresses the importance of a woman’s consent even if she is your wife.

Chak De India!

This was one of the first prominent Bollywood movies based on a sport, which was not cricket. It was also one of the first to be based on a team of players who were not men. This movie had a bunch of unstoppable girls chasing their dreams. If there was one scene which broke gender stereotypes it was when the women’s team played against the men’s team and gave them a run for their money.

English Vinglish

The story of a middle-aged woman living in the shadows of her family who gets a chance to step out and do something for herself. This is when she learns English and shuts up everyone who had ever doubted her confidence in life. Not to forget, Sridevi is a delight to watch as always.

Pretty Woman

A classic watch of the 90s, ‘Pretty Woman’, starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, was a romantic comedy with a large budget. Those who have seen the film can relate with the powerful portrayal of Vivian (Julia Roberts), who lives her life on her own rules. ‘Pretty Woman’ was widely successful at the box-office then and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1990.

Begin Again

Gretta gets cruelly dumped by her long-time boyfriend after he finds fame and fortune in the music industry. As she has always been his biggest inspiration and songwriting partner, she finds herself alone and heartbroken in the big city. Things change for the better when she meets an ex-record label executive who is taken with Gretta’s musical talent. What they begin is a musical journey that rewards wonderfully.

In a world

A struggling vocal coach finally starts making her mark in the movie trailer voice-over industry, only to realise that the biggest competition she faces is her own arrogant, famous father who happens to be eyeing the same big project she hopes to win.

Bend It Like Beckham

A girl bends the rules to reach her goal in professional soccer. But her traditional parents refuse to even consider it and want her to hang up her football boots and find a nice boy and learn to cook.