It’s difficult to not think of Virginia Woolf and the feminist ideology she espoused while watching Bombay Begums, Netflix's latest offering. There is, of course, a whole episode titled 'A Room of One's Own'. But Alankrita Srivastava, who has created the show and even directed three of the six episodes (the rest have been helmed by Bornila Chatterjee), has always been inclined to reveal the raw, un-photoshopped realities of women’s lives. Here, the struggle is for space, both literally and metaphorically. To be able to own a room they can call their own, a safe space, the agency and voice that financial and social security ensure .
Like the name suggests, the show is set in Bombay and primarily focuses on five women. These women belong to different age groups, want varied things from life and yet the the truth of their shared experiences helps us relate to them.
A still from Bombay Begums.
Rani, the most regal of the lot, heading the Royal Bank of Bombay, seems to have a fulfilling career and happy marriage. Yet there is something missing. Her step-kids don’t like her and the sharks are out to get her professionally. Working under her is Fatima Warsi (Sahana Goswami). Young, smart and intelligent, Fatima seems to have everything that anyone would want, including Vivek Gomber as her on-screen husband. But jostling professional commitments as well as the personal life is an uphill task. One of the young recruits to the organisation is Ayesha, a wide-eyed, excited young girl from Indore, trying to get a leg in the door. Fate conspires and Lily, a feisty former bar dancer, comes in contact with them. And then there is the youngest of them all - 13-year-old Shai, Rani’s step-daughter, trying to battle all the anxiety and awkwardness that puberty brings in its wake.
The writing is what makes Bombay Begums the insightful show that it is, especially the maturity with which it fleshes out the characters. The themes of harassment at workplace and #MeToo are also woven in, but without dramatic highs or pitching it in an overwrought shrill territory.
The subtle, layered and profound portrayal makes it a more impactful and engrossing watch. It isn’t easy to fall in love with these characters - these are women who will constantly challenge our loyalty towards them. Sometimes one would agree with their actions and at other times one wouldn't. Yet, the empathetic portrayal brings in a deep sense of humanity and a telling portrait of the times we live it.
Pooja Bhatt has an arresting presence and some of the most moving scenes in the show are between her and her step-daughter Shai. Bhatt evokes an authentic sense of pain and helplessness while never once letting the innate strength of her character diminish. Sahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash and Plabita Borthakur beautifully bring out the complexities of their characters, thereby ensuring that the time and attention that we invest on the show is worth every effort.
The men, although, do not enjoy as much screen time as the women and even though their parts aren’t as chiseled - Danish Husain, Vivek Gomber, Imaan Shah, Rahul Bose and Prashant Singh are all welcome additions. Manish Chaudhry, in particular, manages to give his character a credible potency.
Pooja Bhatt in BombayBegums.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
Some things aren't as convincing, like the narrative tool of using Shai’s voiceover that accompanied many of the scenes and added precious little to our watching experience. Or the character of Devyani, played with aplomb by Ekavali Khanna, which sadly is never allowed to bloom. Despite the shortcomings, Bombay Begums gets a lot of things right. The restrained direction keeps the drama and excesses in check, giving us an evocative portrayal of women writing their own fairytales.
Our rating: 4 Quints out of 5
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