Overview
- Rima Das’s Not a Hero received a Crystal Bear Special Mention at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival.
- Lakshmipriya Devi’s Manipuri film Boong, the first Indian BAFTA winner in the Children’s & Family category, rolled out across India this week.
- Actresses including Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut, Rani Mukerji, Sridevi and Taapsee Pannu helped normalise women-led narratives for mainstream audiences.
- Directors such as Zoya Akhtar, Meghna Gulzar, Gauri Shinde, Kiran Rao, Alankrita Shrivastava and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari are redefining Bollywood storytelling with socially conscious, women-centred films.
- Progress continues alongside entrenched dynamics, with violent male-driven blockbusters commanding attention and women filmmakers citing budget and entitlement disparities.