It’s undoubtedly difficult to break into a male-dominated sector like Bollywood. However, as demonstrated by filmmakers like Zoya Akhtar, Ashwini Iyer Tiwary, Mira Nair, Prerna Arora, and Guneet Monga, there is room for everyone to exist. In honor of International Women’s Day, here is a list of five influential Bollywood female directors who have left their imprint by reshaping Indian cinema history through their significant works.

Mira Nair

Mira Nair, a trailblazer in her own right, requires no introduction. One of the first female directors to place India on the international film scene was this one. Her resume includes epics like Salaam Bombay!, Vanity Fair, The Namesake, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Golden Globe winner Hysterical Blindness, and the television series The Suitable Boy. With multiple films under her credit, this supertalented woman enjoys using her art to highlight her Indian background and roots on a global scale.

Guneet Monga

In her career as a director, this strong and resilient woman has frequently supported indie films and up-and-coming filmmakers. She has persevered and excelled in the industry because she has taken chances. She won an Academy Award for the documentary The Elephant Whisperers last year, which made India proud. Guneet has spearheaded films over the years, including Peddlers (2012), the Gangs of Wasseypur series, Kathal, and others.

Prerna Arora

Prerna Arora decided to support films with social themes at a time when many were chasing box office statistics and giving in to weariness with the same old narrative. She has been in films including Rustom (2016), Padman (2018), Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017), and Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran (2018). This talented director is currently preparing for two new projects: Dunk, starring Nidhhi Agerwal and highlighting the problem of the land mafia, and Hero Heeroine starring Divyah Khosla Kumar.

Ashwini Iyer Tiwari

If you were to look at Ashwini’s filmography, you would notice that a notable anomaly in the film industry is the representation of women in her works. With the comedy-drama Nil Battey Sannata (2016), she made her directorial debut and quickly rose to prominence. Bareilly Ki Barfi, a romantic comedy-drama, awarded her her first Filmfare Award for Best Director.

Zoya Akhtar

After making her feature film debut in 2009 with Luck By Chance, Zoya gained notoriety as a rising star. She experienced economic success with Zindagi Na Milengi Dobara, her second film, and she never looked back. From films like Dil Dhakane Do, Gully Boy, Lust Stories, and Ghost Stories to her most recent, The Archies, starring youthful debutantes, Zoya combined the greatest elements of commercial and dreamy with a realistic touch, solidifying her position as one of B-town’s top female directors.

Priyanka Dutta