8 years of Lipstick Under My Burkha: 6 films that follow its trailblazing path

These bold Indian films picked up where Lipstick Under My Burkha left off—amplifying voices on gender, sexuality, consent, and class with unflinching honesty.

A silent uprising unfolded in Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017), a film by Alankrita Shrivastava. Depicting four women in small-town India against patriarchy, censorship, and suppressed urges, it sparked discussions about womanhood, autonomy, and agency. Its 2017 debut sparked a movement among Indian filmmakers who have since avoided traditional storytelling in favour of shedding light on taboo topics, including gender, class, sexuality, and power. Rather than being amusing, these films prompted spectators to reflect on societal mores and face unspoken truths. We highlight six of these works here for their fearless, unfiltered, and invigoratingly honest depictions of women and disadvantaged voices.

Lipstick Under My Burkha

6 unflinching films on women and resistance

Nude (2018) - ZEE5 via OTTplay Premium

Nude is an inspiring tale of a Mumbai single mother named Yamuna who, to pay for her son's art school, takes a job as a nude model. The story is a moving portrayal of resilience and self-respect. The film takes a stand against the shame that is put on women by tradition and gaze, and it exposes the societal hypocrisy around the female body. In Ravi Jadhav's universe, being vulnerable is a source of strength, and peaceful resistance is the key to breaking silence.

Juice (2017) - Lionsgate Play via OTTplay Premium

Juice scathingly condemns patriarchy in the home in its brief 14 minutes. The tension develops into an unsaid protest as Shefali Shah's character works out in the kitchen while the men are in the living room. Without using overtly aggressive language, the film reveals pervasive gender inequity in public places. It's a striking image of defiance encased in everyday domesticity.

Haraamkhor (2017) - JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium

Haraamkhor explores the complex dynamics between a teenage girl and her teacher within the setting of a dusty rural classroom. There is an obvious power disparity, and the scene seems unsettlingly genuine. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shweta Tripathi provide unnerving performances that make the audience uncomfortable, not because the plot is inflated but because it's horrifyingly realistic. Confrontation, not solace, is what the film offers.

Margarita with a Straw (2014) - JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium

The deeply personal film by Shonali Bose follows Laila, a young woman living with cerebral palsy, as she learns about herself via exploring her sexuality, her identity, and her growing sense of autonomy. Kalki Koechlin's multi-layered performance subtly strengthens an under-represented narrative in Indian cinema. The film gently breaks prejudices and reminds viewers that everyone has the right to desire, love, and autonomy.

Anaarkali of Aarah (2017) - JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium

Living in the rural Bihar region, Anaarkali makes a living singing songs with double meanings, but she has firm beliefs about consent. When a powerful man crosses her boundaries, she doesn't back down; instead, she fights back. Swara Bhasker's ferocity anchors a drama that reclaims control for women in the often overlooked realm of performance spaces. The feminist and unapologetic Anaarkali of Aarah is harsh and real.

Love Sonia (2018) - JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium

Love Sonia is based on a true story and tells the tale of a girl's ordeal in attempting to save her sister from the clutches of human trafficking. A persistent portrayal of systemic exploitation—along with resistance and the human spirit—erupts as events develop. Disturbing, dramatic, and essential, the film compels audiences to look beyond the superficial discussions surrounding human trafficking around the world.

These are not easy films—but they are necessary ones. These stories all do something new and give a platform to people whose voices aren't always heard. In their struggles against institutional abuse or against intimate domestic resistance, these films are powerful reminders of the ability of cinema to question, agitate, and change.