Every year on 8th March, we celebrate International Women’s Day. I did a little digging to understand why, and it turns out that this day has its origins in Europe, Russia and America. The date and its significance developed over a period of time, inspired by the universal female suffrage movement, the role women played in the Russian Revolution, and an increasing number of women demanding attention on issues like equal pay, the right to vote and the right to dignity and safety. Even in India, on this day, we see a lot of content online and in publications celebrating women, referring to them as Durga, Lakshmi, and superheroes who don’t wear capes. Interestingly, in less than a fortnight after we celebrate Women’s Day this year, comes a big-budget film that celebrates masculinity in its most aggressive form. Dhurandhar Part 2, which releases on March 19, promises to tell a violent, blood-soaked tale where hirsute, muscular men use brute force to meet their goals, while the women remain firmly in the background.In Dhurandhar Part 1, which was Hindi cinema’s most successful film last year and perhaps in all time, there was not a single female character of significance. Not one. Ranveer Singh romanced Sara Arjun, an actor twenty years younger than him, who had precious little to do apart from looking pretty and becoming a pawn in his larger game. One can argue that the film’s genre and storyline were such that having women in the forefront would be unrealistic. But another way of looking at it is, films with virtually no female presence are being greenlit and mounted on a massive scale, while movies featuring female leads or strong female characters like Mrs., Assi, Saali Mohabbat, Phule, Haq, Vadh 2, Humans in the Loop, or The Great Shamsuddin Family either release directly on OTT platforms, don’t get enough screens in theatres or are not considered worthy of a theatrical experience by audiences. Yami Gautam in Haq.This got me thinking about all the films that were released in 2025 and the first couple of months this year, to understand whether female characters in Bollywood films are still catalysts in the hero’s story, or protagonists in the true sense of the word? Is a female character’s significance to the film derived from her goals and emotional journey, or how she helps the hero achieve his goals, come of age or become a better person? As one looks closer, there are patterns that emerge amongst the films that have released over the past 15 months.There were multiple films where female characters operate like satellites that revolve around a large planet – their husband, son, father, or brothers. Though they may not be presented in a lewd manner, their characters are seldom well fleshed out or given an arc of their own. Whether it’s Rashmika Mandanna in Chhaava and Sikandar, Kiara Advani in War 2, Manushi Chillar in Maalik, Sara Ali Khan in Sky Force, Pooja Hegde in Deva, Genelia Deshmukh in Sitaare Zameen Par, or the ladies in war films like Border 2, Ikkis, or 120 Bahadur; these are characters who are the ‘strength’, ‘inspiration’ or ‘emotional soul’ behind the leading men who support or facilitate their success.Also Read – Dhurandhar The Revenge trailer decoded: From Jaskirat Singh Rangi’s introduction to Yalina picking up a gun; Aditya Dhar’s ‘peak detailing’ impresses fansThen there are the downright problematic films like Mastiii 4, Housefull 5, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, or Tere Ishk Mein. These movies either indulge in blatant objectification of women, pass off adultery and harassment as humour or glorify a man becoming a threat to himself and society because a woman does not reciprocate his feelings. These tropes are as regressive as regressive can be, and contrary to what their makers may believe, cannot be passed off as light-hearted storytelling or deep passion.We have seen a resurgence of love stories in in 2025 and early 2026 that come as a breath of fresh air after years of purely machismo-driven narratives. From the hugely successful Gen Z romance Saiyaara, soft and old school love in Aap Jaisa Koi and Gustaakh Ishq, love complicated by discrimination in Dhadak 2, some forgettable rom-com films like Dhoom Dham, Naadaniyan, Loveyapa, Bhool Chuk Maaf, love laced with vengeance in O Romeo; to love between human and supernatural beings in Thamma. Love stories often allow women to have equal screen time or importance in the narrative, because, let’s face it, it takes two people for a romance to blossom. But what needs to be examined is whether the female character is on a path of her own when she meets the hero, or is she the inciting incident in a man’s story? Do they support each other equally, or does she provide him with the impetus to change, introspect, soften, aspire, or pursue his dreams?Story continues below this adWhether it’s Saiyaara, where Vaani’s love and lyrics help Krish achieve success and transform as a person, Aap Jaisa Koi, where R Madhavan falls in love but has to overcome his orthodox thought process to find his happily ever after, Dhadak 2, where a lower caste man rebels against oppression to be with the woman he loves, or Thamma, where Ayushmann Khurrana’s character is a clueless loser till he encounters Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna) and goes from being a newbie vampire to leader of the pack. Love is inspiring and life changing, but in Hindi films love often becomes a woman’s desire or responsibility to help a man do better. Rani Mukerji in Mardaani 3.This is not to say it’s all gloom and doom. For decades, women in Hindi cinema were stuck in the trinity of victim, vixen or virtuous characters. OTT content, indie filmmakers, and some mainstream filmmakers have made an effort to create better-written female characters who are real, flawed and not singularly concerned about love and marriage. We have had recent theatrical releases like Mardaani 3 and Assi, which had female actors playing lead roles. Regional cinema continues to be a ray of hope with films like Lokah and The Girlfriend, that gave us layered, well-written female characters. Mrs. which was released directly on Zee5, received a lot of praise and critical acclaim for its powerful storytelling and Sanya Malhotra’s performance. OTT series like Delhi Crime, Paatal Lok, Khauf, Mandala Murders, and more recently Kohrra 2 have allowed talented female actors to play characters that were diverse, powerful and vulnerable.Also Read – Vijay breaks silence amid divorce and adultery allegations: ‘I know many of you are hurt, I will take care of that’It is unrealistic to expect that all films that are released will have powerful female characters and vice versa. But as we celebrate Women’s Day and recognise the contributions and achievements of women, let our cinema also reflect the equality and opportunity we demand off-screen. Let us allow women to be fully realised people in the stories we tell because the way we present women in our cinema is a reflection of how we perceive their importance in the society we live in.