Five films and series that put women at the centre of stories of justice, from Pooja Meri Jaan to Daayra

For many years, stories about crime, justice and accountability kept men at the centre. Investigating officers, lawyers, policemen or those who delivered justice in their own way were almost always shown as men. Hindi cinema and OTT storytelling have gradually changed that view and now give women a place in these conversations. From demanding accountability for themselves to refusing to let society define their truth, these stories value women's independence and their power to decide in matters of justice.

Alongside the talk around Pooja Meri Jaan, it is worth looking at other films and web series that place questions of justice, consent, accountability and how a situation is seen in the same way.

The first is Pooja Meri Jaan, streaming on Zee 5 (Hindi). The film carries forward the debate on complex issues such as consent, refusal, obsession and society's view. With Mrunal Thakur and Huma Qureshi in the lead roles, it builds on a woman's circumstances to raise important questions about accountability and how an incident is viewed. The film explores what happens when a woman says no, and how quickly her decision can be met with suspicion or criticism. It underlines that justice is not merely the final verdict of a legal process. Consent, personal boundaries and the pressure on women to justify their choices are equally important aspects.

The second is Daayra (JioHotstar). In this Meghna Gulzar film, Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, caught in a highly tangled investigation. As a woman police officer, Ajooni has to grapple with institutional rules and procedure, public pressure, and the larger question of what justice should look like in an emotionally charged atmosphere. By giving its woman protagonist the lead in the investigation, the film also questions the line between due legal process and the demand for instant justice. Ajooni's perspective proves important in the larger debate on accountability and the justice system.

The third is Pink (Amazon Prime Video). It is counted among the important mainstream films that raised the issue of consent plainly. Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang play three young women whose choices and conduct come under harsh scrutiny after an unwelcome incident. Amitabh Bachchan plays Deepak Sehgal, the lawyer who argues their case in court, yet the film's central issue is the right of women to set their own personal boundaries. The film firmly challenges the notion that the importance of a woman's consent can be judged by her clothes, lifestyle, relationships or past.

The fourth is Delhi Crime (Netflix). In this web series, Shefali Shah plays DCP Vartika Chaturvedi. Across seasons, Vartika appears as a seasoned police officer who, while investigating complex cases, faces institutional pressure, public anger and the expectations placed on the system that maintains law and order. The series brings an important change to the older mould of crime stories. The victim around whom an investigation revolves is not limited to being a woman. The series shows that a woman can herself be the investigating officer, a decision-maker and a professional working for justice.

The fifth is Thappad (MX Player). The film takes the idea of justice beyond ordinary crime stories and places it within marriage. Taapsee Pannu plays Amrita. At a party her husband slaps her, and Amrita is then forced to rethink her relationship afresh. She begins to take a firm stand on what we are willing to accept and what limits she must set for herself. Personal freedom is at the heart of the film's view of justice. For Amrita, the question is not how serious the incident looks in the eyes of others. The real question is whether she has the right to decide that her personal boundary has been crossed.

From Pooja Meri Jaan and Daayra to Pink, Delhi Crime and Thappad, these stories show how the portrayal of women in the realm of justice is changing. Women are no longer only characters waiting for protection, rescue or revenge. They are emerging as investigating officers, professionals, decision-makers and women claiming the right to define their own limits and their own story.

More important, these stories are broadening the idea of justice. Justice is not only about what happens in a court or at a police station. It also covers how women are heard, what conclusions are drawn about them, whether they are trusted, and whether they are given the freedom to tell the story of their own lives.

Pooja Meri Jaan is streaming on Zee 5 (Hindi).