Bollywood is largely known for its flashy movies with colourful, synchronized dance sequences and ultra-emotional scenes between the leads. But every once in a while, there comes a movie centered on some socially taboo topic that starts an awkward, uncomfortable, yet important conversation. Here’s a list of 6 such films that shed light on topics that are considered taboo by our society.
- Kya Kehna (2000) – This Priety Zinta and Saif Ali Khan starrer is well-remembered by those 90s kids who spent an extremely uncomfortable 3 hours watching it with their parents in the theatre. Centering on pre-marital sex and teenage pregnancy, ‘Kya Kehna’ was way ahead of its time and aimed to start a parent-guided conversation with budding young adults. But maybe it did not have the effect the makers wanted to have, since most families found it tough to sit through the complete movie. Full points for trying, though.
- The Great Gambler (1979) – This classic Amitabh Bachchan movie portrays him in double roles and is not one to miss. Made in a time when gambling was super-taboo, ‘The Great Gambler’ was a mega-budget production shot extensively across Europe. The topic of gambling and casinos was a risky one, but Bachchan (at his peak) made it work. Though some may argue that this film is not taboo anymore, what with the increasing interest in sports betting and online casino gaming in recent years.
- Pad Man (2018) – Starring Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor, ‘Pad Man’ is a film based on the incredible true story of Muruganantham Arunachalam, who set out to create a low-cost sanitary pad and succeeded. In a country such as ours where talking about women’s menstrual cycles is extremely taboo, this remains a courageous movie that deserves way more credit than it has gotten so far.
- Dear Zindagi (2016) – In India, there’s a lot of stigma attached to mental health issues. Alia Bhatt’s ‘Dear Zindagi’ tries to bring to light the effects of depression, anxiety, and self-hatred. The movie very nicely drives home the message that there is nothing to be ashamed of if you’re battling mental health issues and depicts how important the support of family and friends is. Despite a couple of really uncomfortable scenes, ‘Dear Zindagi’ is a must-watch on our list.
- Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) – ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ stars Sonam Kapoor and Anil Kapoor together for the first time playing an onscreen father-daughter pair. The story of a shy, quiet girl who is trying to come out from deep inside the closet after she falls in love but finds her family’s support lacking is an extremely moving one. The father’s character battles deep-rooted homophobia in order to support his child in her happiness. The movie forces its audience to face their homophobia too, but it may not have been all that effective.
- Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017) – This movie is a fun Ayushman Khurrana starrer that hinges on another taboo topic that’s quite a common issue but our society refuses to talk about it openly and attaches a ton of stigma to it, erectile dysfunction. This film pushes the message that the lead character’s ability (or inability) to perform in the bedroom doesn’t make him any less of a man and also doesn’t affect his spouse’s feelings towards him in any way. Full marks for creativity.
