Unabashed, unapologetic, flawed–how women are redefining roles in OTT

In Sweet Kaaram Coffee on Amazon Prime, 70-year-old Sundari (played by veteran actor, Lakshmi) casually asks her daughter-in-law, Kaveri (Madhoo) about her sex life.

The banter leaves them both chuckling–it may not be as over-the-top as Neena Gupta’s advice to her granddaughter in Lust Stories 2, but it sets the tone for a character who brooks no nonsense, for the most part, till the very end.

Sundari defies age with a progressive outlook. If she is unabashed, whimsical, and stubborn, quite unbecoming of a “traditional” grandmother, her granddaughter Nivi’s (Shanthy Balachandran) arc in Sweet Kaaram Coffee is an interesting rebellion. Kaveri, the daughter-in-law, is the pushover, unsure of herself with her own biases and insecurities. As three generations traverse the path of self-discovery on a runaway road trip, they are also making statements–that it’s okay to step out of the mould and listen to that inner voice that may not always be right.

Women in OTT are finally having a mind of their own. They are brash, unapologetic, and comfortable with their shades of grey. They are no longer reduced to playing second fiddle and their evolution has been extraordinary.

In the Prime Video series, Dahaad, Anjali (Sonakshi Sinha) is not a symbol of tokenism; it’s a story with a woman cop at its centre. While trying to catch a serial killer, Anjali also battles caste discrimination and patriarchy. She's also fighting off her mother who’s determined to get her married. She must rise above the conservatism and oppression but it’s not all ruthlessness. There’s a sensitivity to the character that is believable and makes you root for her till the very end.

At the other end of the spectrum, you have Made In Heaven (Amazon Prime Video), whose second season showed a more vulnerable Tara (Sobhita Dhulipala)–grappling with her husband’s infidelity, trying to keep her business afloat, and understanding a friend’s betrayal. But her shades of grey are what make her real–she does not want to go back to the life she came from.

In between the fairy-tale weddings and gorgeous outfits, there’s manipulation, deception, and insecurity. Tara will go to any length to protect herself, but will also show a loving and sensitive side with her niece.

In the same series, Mona Singh as Bulbul Jauhari starts off by being tough and unforgiving, but over time reveals her soft, vulnerable, and protective side. The series also has transwoman Trinetra Haldar in a major role, hopefully paving the way for more inclusion in OTT, portraying their challenges and their dreams.

In The Trial (Disney+Hotstar), an Indian adaptation of the American superhit, The Good Wife, Noyonika Sengupta (Kajol) must fight extraordinary circumstances after her husband, a judge, is involved in a sex tape and corruption scandal. Content until then to be a trophy wife and a doting mother, she must return to her legal career to keep the family afloat. While trying to do that, she must also ward off her persistent mother-in-law, face politics in the workplace, and protect her children from the ensuing melee.

Is she the good wife? She tries to be one, but realises that she’s not her husband’s keeper–she has an identity of her own beyond her husband and his position. But we must wait for the coming-into-her-own arc to develop–the journey is long and arduous, but her confidence and grit will shine through.

Another recent series, Scoop (Netflix) based on the real-life story of journalist Jigna Vora, who went to jail as a suspect in a murder case, showcases both ambition and hustle. The protagonist, Jagruti Pathak (Karishma Tanna) is always racing towards the next-biggest scoop, while trying to maintain a humane connection with her “sources”.

She’s also trying to make it a world where both crime and competition is rife. When the journalist becomes the story, she is also a single mother unexpectedly thrown into prison. Jagruti’s helplessness and despair do not downplay her aggressive journalist side and this makes her more real and acceptable.

In Saas, Bahu, aur Flamingo, Rani Ba (Dimple Kapadia) runs an illegal drug trade under the guise of a cooperative with her two daughters-in-law and daughter. She’s fierce and brutal, but is steadfast in her choices. There’s no vulnerability here, but an exhibition of raw power, of a woman wronged, and who justifies crude violence without batting an eyelid.

Whether it’s Sundari, Rani Ba, Tara, Noyonika, or Jagruti, the women characters on OTT’s latest series are all multi-dimensional. There’s nothing run-of-the-mill about them, even if the plots may sometimes veer in that direction. They are brave, feisty, and spirited. But they are also cunning, wily, and shrewd. In a world of diverse challenges, their “real” side is reassuring and relatable.

(The story has been updated to correct a factual error.)