Bollywood loves to glorify toxic masculinity as true love, but it also doesn’t hesitate to villainize female characters for all the wrong reasons. Here’s a list of some awesome female characters who got the short end of the stick. Check it out:
1. Natasha, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Natasha was unfairly shown as a jealous, insecure, and obsessive girlfriend. But hold up—Kabir was the one not ready for commitment! Instead of highlighting his issues, the filmmakers found it easier to make Natasha the villain. So not cool!
2. Priya, Dil Chahta Hai
The movie celebrates man-child Sameer while totally villainizing his ex-girlfriend Priya for wanting him to grow up. Seriously? Instead of calling out Sameer’s immaturity, they branded Priya as the ‘controlling girlfriend.’ Major eye-roll.
3. Rupali, Biwi No 1
Prem cheats on his wife, and guess who gets blamed? Rupali! Just because she’s an “independent modern woman,” she’s labeled as not being traditional enough. To make Pooja look like the perfect wife, they shamed Rupali and called her a ‘home-wrecker.’ Talk about unfair!
4. Isha, Heyy Babyy
This movie is problematic on so many levels, and Isha’s character is one of the biggest issues. She’s constantly blamed for protecting her daughter from a toxic sperm donor and is magically expected to forgive him. Yeah, right.
5. Jazz, Namastey London
Throughout the movie, Jazz is villainized for not being “Indian enough.” She’s portrayed as a spoiled brat just because she stands up for herself and refuses to marry the guy her parents chose. Meanwhile, no one calls out her manipulative father. Jazz deserved so much better!
6. Tina, Mujhse Dosti Karoge!
Poor Tina is another character who gets a raw deal. She’s actually a victim of two people caught up in their own drama, yet she’s painted as the villain. One of the worst-written characters ever!
7. Veronica, Cocktail
Veronica is made to look like the bad guy because her awful boyfriend Gautam can’t handle a strong, independent woman. He manipulates and cheats on her, pitching her against her best friend. Let’s be real—Gautam was the real villain here.
Do let us know female characters, whom you feel were villainized by Bollywood for wrong reasons. Share in the comments below.