Well, our all-time favorite film starring Anushka Sharma is Band Baaja Baaraat. The movie that sort of propelled her career forward as an actress of substance. Instead of being just a fresh face struggling to be seen as an approved member of the fraternity of Bollywood. Besides Ranveer Singh’s significant and literal monkeying around in the movie, Anushka’s real, raw, strong, and bold character of Shruti Kakkar got us hook, line, and sinker from the get-go.
After all, how many Hindi actresses who were convincingly modern and seemed to lead with their minds rather than from some strange ‘damsel in distress’ instruction manual that every Bollywood movie seems to refer to, have we been used to?
Oh no, Anushka was a personality unto herself in this one. She was veracious with her priorities which were a little too straightened out, right from college. Much to the chagrin of ‘Bittoo Sharma’, who found her meticulous plans for her career disturbingly perfect. And who made a pretty good job of convincing us of the same. You can watch band baaja baaraat full movie online on Prime Video.
A very believable career woman in a mainstream Hindi movie!
Anushka is not your regular desi girl in BBB. She’s a career woman and a top-grade one at that. But surprisingly, she’s also grudgingly aware of the fact that ‘Shaadi’ is something that’s futile to escape from. Given that the menace of familial pressure coming from determined ‘aunties and uncles’ is something even her own steely resolve may not be able to withstand for too long.
Interestingly, the premise of her own ingenious ‘business plan’ revolves around ‘solving’ this problem in a way.
Anushka Sharma was almost annoyingly strong-headed throughout the movie. The way that women with a purpose are, something that so repulses men sometimes. But her resolute expressions, straightforward character, and the strength of her personality were a true refresher. This was at a time when the audience was surprised to discover a female lead who had serious life goals. And we mean, ENTREPRENEURIAL serious.
It was cute to witness her little handmade ‘business plan’ book. Here she stores her creative little ideas with teenage-like innocence.
The movie progresses as a sort of coming-of-age opportunity for the character of Ranveer. He goes from being a lost soul, almost inducted into a life of farming and lifelong servitude to his father, to maturing into a man. Anushka’s energy strengthens him into stepping up and literally ‘rising to the occasion’. Well, in this case, several to be honest. They pair up to actually ‘create’ a viable business.
Trouble in paradise is a given
That is until their fallout. Honestly, it felt like Ranveer was babysat entirely by Anushka. Her profound realization of her own great womanly love towards him was sadly met by intense commitment issues. Not to mention the classic absence of emotional self-awareness men are so notoriously known for.
But as with every love trope in this part of the world, her shattered heart and defeated a** are forced to spoon-feed and handhold his confused soul into FIN-f***ing-ally coming to terms with the fact that he loves her and wants her. After being treated like sh*t and having her feelings trampled on multiple times, of course.
All in all, we loved this movie for Anushka’s towering self-confidence, her beauty, and self-assertion, and applause-worthy teaming up with the character of Ranveer Singh as a strong pillar of support to the female lead’s ambitious life goals. That’s something movies consistently need in order to break the eons-long reinforcement of the belief that an average Indian girl only ever harbored dreams of marrying a prince charming.