OTT's 10 Best Female Performances

Lady stars may still not get the variety of parts that men do in cinema but OTT shows and films make up for that lacuna to some extent.

It is a pleasure to watch talented actresses break out of their comfort zones.

Deepa Gahlot lists the 10 Best Female Performances on streaming platforms, in order of release.

 

Konkona Sen Sharma, Killer Soup

In this dark and grotesque comedy, directed by Abhishek Chaubey, an aspiring chef, who is a terrible cook, has the presence of mind to dodge the cops with a near perfect cover up for a murder.

She substitutes her dead husband with his lookalike, who's also her lover.

Konkona plays an evil character with remarkable insousiance.

Bhumi Pednekar, Bhakshak

In Pulkit's film based on a true story, Bhumi plays an untiring and fearless journalist who wants to expose the exploitation of girls in a shelter home, while her marriage starts to crumble.

It is a one note angry woman role to which Bhumi brings sincerity and energy.

 

Nimisha Sajayan, Lantrani

The actress who earned kudos in the acclaimed The Great Indian Kitchen and led the ensemble in Poacher, plays a small but powerful role in Darna Mana Hai, one of the stories in the anthology, Lantrani.

Nimisha's Gomti Devi has the leadership qualities required for a village Sarpanch though women are usually elected just to fill the reserved quota.

Fed-up of being patronised by male panchayat members, she sits in a silent dharnaoutside the district headquarters, with her supportive husband, because the others refuse to sign the bank documents that would allow her to claim benefits for the village.

Without speaking, she projects inner strength and a courage, that humbles the establishment.

 

Manisha Koirala, Heeramandi

As the world-weary but shrewd madam of a grand kotha set in pre-Independence Lahore, Manisha is resplendent in gorgeous costumes. She manipulates the men and women around her to retain her power.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's show gives the actress the kind of complex role she seldom got in her movie career.

 

Taapsee Pannu, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba

Taapsee's Rani is the unlikely femme fatale who can induce a man to upend his life for her, and chop off his hand to help her evade a murder charge.

In the sequel, directed by Jayprad Desai, without even looking like she were trying, she reels in an admirer to do her bidding.

The fact that she turns men's heads while appearing quite ordinary is Rani's superpower and Taapsee gets her perfectly, adding a sex appeal to the character's calculating mind.

 

Ananya Panday, Call Me Bae

It could be said that Ananya simply plays herself: A rich girl dressed in designer outfits. In this series directed by Collin D'Cunha, Bella embraces her cluelessness and wears it like an armour. She is sweet and sunshine-y and surprisingly resilient.

From mansion to a pull-out bed in a shared apartment, she takes it all in her stride, which makes her likeable and effortlessly funny.

 

Divya Dutta, Sharmajee Ke Beti

In the feminism-for-dummies kind of film, directed by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Divya Dutta makes her character of a lonely homemaker, who can't connect with her husband or teenage daughter, relatable and sympathetic.

So when Kiran Sharma finds her groove, it feels like a triumph for all women who find freedom and self respect after an emotional storm.

 

Samantha, Citadel: Honey Bunny

From princess to struggling actress to spy to protective mother, Honey had a lot of emotions to delve into. But it's the fighter who can take on an army of goons that is most admirable about this woman.

In Raj & DK's slick spy series, Samantha fits her part well, portraying mental and physical ability with confidence.

 

Kashvi Majmundar, Citadel Honey Bunny

She is cute like all kids her age but not irritatingly precocious.

Little Nadia is also tough and calm in situations that would have terrified any child.

She is her mother's shadow and but also smart enough to take grown up decisions.

Kashvi plays her with great charm without losing out on a child's innocence.

 

Anchal Singh, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhen 2

Purva, the entitled daughter of a gangster, starts out as insufferable.

Her father's clout gets her the husband she wants but when she is abducted and pushed into a difficult situation, she does not allow herself to become a victim.

In Siddharth Sengupta's twisty thriller, Anchal does not play a traditional vamp but a woman who can be destructive and vulnerable at the same time.