Remember when our sanskaari culture censored kissing scenes from the James Bond movie Spectre when it was released in 2015?
Netizens could not get enough of the memes and hashtags of #SanskariJamesBond to jab back at Pahlaj Nihalani, who was the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification at that time.
Any movie that goes against the so-called norms and traditions of Indian culture has always been able to spark debate and opposition. Mainstream Bollywood has been a victim of the male gaze ever since its inception and has curbed liberal expression of gender and sexuality. Indian culture has had a very difficult relationship with the depiction of reality and progress.
However, it is important to realize that movies that have always sparked ‘controversy’ have mostly (if not always) been feminist in their orientation and message. They defy the narratorial structure of mainstream Bollywood and contest it in every way possible. They bring in the power of inclusivity and the agency of telling unheard stories!
Read More: Disney Princesses Ranked On A Feminist Scale
Here are some of the movies that have tried to talk about important issues in the society, but were labelled as controversial.
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and watch them now!
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Hindustan Times, India Today, Indian Express
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