International Women's Day 2020: Five filmmakers who represent unique new age voices in cinema

In the last episode of the hit show on Amazon Prime - Made in Heaven, the filmmaker changed forever how gay love stories were depicted on screen. The film's lead played by Arjun Mathur and his lover played by Vikrant Massey, Alankrita brought into the bold storytelling that was missing. With her bombastic debut movie - lipstick under my Burkha, she dealt with issues about female sexuality and existence that's rarely discussed.

Credited to have created the inventive and whimsical sci-fi Cargo, starring Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi, the filmmaker is India's only sci-fi director currently. Endeavoring to re-contextualize the same problems of our society but from a completely fresh perspective, her films are rooted in folklore and mythology and have the technicality of Hollywood films made on a slim budget, she is a true believer in stories and how by localizing sci-fi movies, the market and consumer base for it will expand.

Actor-director Geetu known for helming the critically acclaimed Liar’s Dice, which was India’s official entry for the Oscars in 2015, returned with the vividly wild Moothon this year. Refusing to create an issue of the nativity, the actor held her guns in making movies in the language she envisions them in so not much is lost in translation.

After her astute rendition of Sadat Hasan Manto's life, her off-screen activism made its way into her narratives as well as the social consciousness of her viewers. She has directed and acted in over 40 films in 10 languages, many of which dealt with inter-communal political tensions in India including Firaaq based on the communal riots of 2002. Calling for a greater space for the female gaze, her stories are considered fresh and infused with energy that triggers the change.

After her, much-acclaimed Village Rockstars has declared India’s official entry to the Academy Awards in 2019, and the festival audience wouldn't stop raving about Bulbul Can Sing, National award-winning filmmaker Rima Das who a self-taught director hailing from a small town in Assam is proved the value of cinematic mettle. She single-handedly directed, shot, edited, produced and did the production design of her voices, giving voice to dreams of common people.