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Men in <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> have always stood out as the most favoured species. From movie plots to pay cheques – everything shouts out their supremacy. But time and again, the female actors have proved their mettle and outshone their male counterparts. Bollywood can boast of some fine movies where <keyword id="624" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Women">women</keyword> have played the ‘hero’ and got all the fan adulation. No wonder so many writers are now penning stories with <keyword id="1296508" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="female-leads">female leads</keyword> on their mind and women are literally having a ball! O Womaniya! 
 This Women’s Day, let us take a look at some of the finest <keyword id="18300" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood-movies">Bollywood movies</keyword> that raise a toast to womanhood. 
 
1. <keyword id="102571" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="mother-india">Mother India</keyword> Think of <keyword id="2113386" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Woman-centric-movies">woman-centric movies</keyword> and Mother India will be the first in the list. Directed by <keyword id="227412" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mehboob-Khan">Mehboob Khan</keyword>, it has the <keyword id="7914" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Legendary-Actress">legendary actress</keyword> <keyword id="42508" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nargis">Nargis</keyword> in the lead role. This epic melodrama of 1957 brings forth a unique depiction of motherhood and is highly praised for its striking dramatic appeal. 
 
2. <keyword id="167989" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aandhi">Aandhi</keyword> Starring <keyword id="112471" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Suchitra-Sen">Suchitra Sen</keyword> and <keyword id="55364" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sanjeev-Kumar">Sanjeev Kumar</keyword>, Aandhi is considered one of the best Bollywood films dedicated to a woman and the choices she has to make in her life. The film is supposedly based on the life and times of the then <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword>, <keyword id="6354478" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indira-Gandhi">Indira Gandhi</keyword>. And it is intriguing to watch how the <keyword id="303" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Director">director</keyword> has captured the changes that circumstances bring about in a woman’s personality. Aandhi was banned during <keyword id="2113394" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="1975-Emergency">1975 Emergency</keyword> but was later aired on national television. 
 
3. <keyword id="302928" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arth">Arth</keyword> Starring the aces of <keyword id="389881" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Parallel-cinema">parallel cinema</keyword> including <keyword id="19" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shabana-Azmi">Shabana Azmi</keyword>, <keyword id="6486523" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Smita-Patil">Smita Patil</keyword>, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Raj Kiran, Arth is the story of a woman who bounces back to an independent life after being betrayed by her husband. While Shabana plays the loving wife, Smita is the other woman, who gets involved with hubby Kulbhushan Kharbanda. This gem of a movie about man-woman relationship has been directed by <keyword id="6370367" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mahesh-Bhatt">Mahesh Bhatt</keyword>. 
 
4. <keyword id="370667" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mirch-Masala">Mirch Masala</keyword> Yet another classic tribute to women’s courage. The film stars Smita Patil, <keyword id="6354338" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Naseeruddin-Shah">Naseeruddin Shah</keyword>, <keyword id="20398" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="deepti-naval">Deepti Naval</keyword> and <keyword id="6381489" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Om-puri">Om Puri</keyword>, but it was the character portrayed by Smita that grows on you. No one can forget the climax where the rebellious women throw red chilli powder on the subedar, played by Naseeruddin. 
 
5. <keyword id="305558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Khoon-Bhari-Maang">Khoon Bhari Maang</keyword> 
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And Khoon Bhari Maang starring <keyword id="182" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rekha">Rekha</keyword> has featured this quite effectively. An innocent woman is deceived and nearly killed by a man in the name of love. Following this, starts her <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> from a Plain Jane to a femme fatal, out to take revenge on the man who has torn her life apart. 
 
6. <keyword id="239593" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Damini">Damini</keyword> What happens when a demure daughter-in-law drags her wealthy family to court to get justice for her <keyword id="6425546" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="maid">maid</keyword>, who is raped by her brother-in-law? Chaos and mayhem, especially in a society where a bahu is always expected to obey her in-laws. While <keyword id="236235" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Meenakshi-Sheshadri">Meenakshi Sheshadri</keyword> gives a stellar performance as the female lead, the movie also stars <keyword id="6357910" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rishi-Kapoor">Rishi Kapoor</keyword> and <keyword id="9271" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sunny-Deol">Sunny Deol</keyword>. 
 
7. <keyword id="11116" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Page-3">Page 3</keyword> 
This film gives you a peek into the adventurous and challenging life of a Page 3 <keyword id="9059" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="journalist">journalist</keyword>. The film stars <keyword id="6413189" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Konkona-Sen-Sharma">Konkona Sen Sharma</keyword>, who has delved deep into the character and conveyed a realistic view of the hazards associated with the seemingly glam job. 
 
8. <keyword id="17579" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="dor">Dor</keyword> This is an entirely different take on the relationship between two women – one who has lost her husband while the other’s spouse is in jail for murdering the first one’s hubby. The film stars <keyword id="16352" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ayesha-Takia">Ayesha Takia</keyword> &amp; <keyword id="8864" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gul-Panag">Gul Panag</keyword>, and both act remarkably well. 
 
9. <keyword id="512405" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="the-dirty-picture">The Dirty Picture</keyword> Being unashamed about your sexuality takes guts and at times, it borders on arrogance. <keyword id="3844" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vidya-Balan">Vidya Balan</keyword>, who has played South’s sexy siren <keyword id="31591" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Silk-Smitha">Silk Smitha</keyword> in this flick, is a revelation as she portrays the character of an over-the-top seductress with élan. It’s all the more commendable in a country where being open about your sexual urges is still considered a taboo. The film delivers ‘<keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="entertainment">entertainment</keyword>, entertainment, entertainment’ and reveals a different face of a woman. 
 
10. <keyword id="6358300" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kahaani">Kahaani</keyword> 
With her stellar performance in Kahaani, Vidya proves that you don’t need a hero to deliver a hit! In the film, she has played a seven-month pregnant woman who is in search of her husband, and a breath-taking thriller unfolds. Kudos to Vidya, who ironically displays more ‘male ornaments’ than most heroes. 
 
Image credit: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Women’s Day Special: 10
Bollywood Movies That Celebrate Womanhood

People who know what acting is know that it is not only a profession that brings with it money and fame. In fact, those are mere perks for a person who gives his heart and soul to performing arts. Though it is true that acting can not be taught as this is skill that comes from within, there are many courses available in a number of acting institutes in India that help you polish this skill and learn the intricacies involved. 
 
Following is a list of acting schools from where you can enrol in acting courses and get a degree or diploma in performing arts. 
 
National School of Drama, New Delhi 
 
National School of Drama, or NSD as it is fondly called, is the Mecca of acting in India. An autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, this school has produced some of the best acting talents of the country including Pankaj Kapoor, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Irrfan. It provides a three-year full-time diploma course in dramatic arts, following which you can pursue your career in theatre or films. The requirement for admission in this course is a graduation degree in any subject and participation in at least 6 theatre productions. A preliminary test/audition is conducted at five centres, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Guwahati. 
 
Film And Television Institute of India, Pune 
 
If NSD is the Mecca of actors, FTII is no less. Known to be the origin place of some of the best talents of industry, this autonomous organization under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting offers a two-year post graduate diploma in acting, and has produced actors like Jaya Bachchan, John Abraham, Rajkumar Rao, Shabana Azmi and the late Smita Patil. The prerequisite for joining this prestigious course is a Bachelors Degree in any discipline from a recognised university, followed by a screening by a team of selectors. 
 
Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida 
 
AAFT is another institute that provides graduate, post graduate and diploma courses in acting. Alma mater of Arjun Kapoor, this upcoming acting school has seen some of the best minds in the industry paying a celebrity visit and guest lectures. Founded by Sandeep Marwah who is closely related to the family of Anil Kapoor, this media school has seen some established film and TV actors as its alumni. 
 
The <keyword id="22547" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Barry-John">Barry John</keyword> Acting Studio 
 
Known for training Shah Rukh Khan in acting, Barry John is accredited for training many young talents in his acting studio. Varun Dhawan, Sushant Singh Rajpoot, Dia Mirza, Freida Pinto, Lillete Dubey, Manoj Bajpai and Richa Chadda are some other prominent names to have featured in the alumni list of this studio. Having branches in Delhi and Mumbai, it offers part time and full time courses in acting for anyone above 18 years of age. 
 
<keyword id="6534" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Actor-Prepares">Actor Prepares</keyword> 
 
Who better than a national award-winning actor to teach you the minutiae of acting? Padma Shri Anupam Kher runs this one-of-a-kind acting school in Mumbai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and London. Ali Zafar, Preity Zinta, Manish Paul, Ruslan Mumtaz and Kunal Kapoor are some of his alumni to have made it big in the show biz. Offering part-time courses and diploma courses as well as customised workshops and children workshops, Actor Prepares is the only acting school to be founded by an actor who is professionally active in acting and theatre. 
 
Image courtesy: Thinkstock

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