Gandhari’s Impact Leaves Toxic in Trouble?

The trailer of Taapsee Pannu’s ‘Gandhari’ has sparked a wider discussion about the portrayal of women in films. Directed by Kanika Kapoor, the film presents Taapsee in a role that is different from conventional glamorous characters. She plays a mother who fights for her daughter and takes on a child-trafficking network despite being visually impaired. The portrayal has led some viewers to compare the film with Yash-starrer ‘Toxic’.

The comparison comes amid criticism that the female characters in ‘Toxic’ do not receive enough narrative importance and are largely placed around the male protagonist. ‘Gandhari’, meanwhile, is being discussed for reportedly giving its women characters stronger motivations, decisions and emotional depth. Directed by Devashish Makhija and written by Kanika Dhillon, ‘Gandhari’ is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on September 3 in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.