Queen's Way or Highway

Queen and Highway, two new Bollywood releases are not only different from the usual no-brainers that the industry produces but also share an interesting common link.

In both these movies the protagonist -  Rani in 'Queen' and Veera in 'Highway' played by Kangana Ranaut and Alia Bhat respectively become accidental heroes in their own respect. 

In 'Queen' Rani is dumped by her fiancee a day before their marriage. The boy buoyed by his recent success does not consider her of his stature any more. Queen as she is fondly called decides to proceed alone for her honeymoon. She takes off for Paris...and then starts her journey that proves to be a liberating experience for her. She overcomes her fears, insecurities and her handicaps and discovers her true self - a girl who is confident, self-assuring, and assertive. Seeing her new avtar, her ex-fiancee comes back to seek her. But Rani has transformed from a coy girl to the real Queen and she can no more be shackled. Queen has liberated herself from an orthodox society where a girl is considered no better than a cattle who is tied from one stump to another, while no one to care for her wishes, her desires and her feelings. She find freedom and life!

In 'Highway' Veera daughter of an influential and rich Delhi family is kidnapped by a Gujjar to avenge the wrong done to his mother. Veera's ordeal turns out to be her liberation too. She for the first time feels free and happy. A unique bond develops between Veera and her kidnapper and both find comfort and courage to share and shed ghosts of their past. The kidnapper recounts how her mother was subjected to sexual abuse by rich and powerful and how he as a child helplessly watched his mother literally die every day while his father forced her in such a life and then tortured her for the same. Veera finally breaks her silence and shares her sexual abuse as a child by her own uncle in her own house. She also recounts how her mother silenced her for the sake of family honour. When she is finally rescued she no longer wants to be with her family. She find her love in the kidnapper who is finally shot down by the police. She however returns to her family only to break her silence and bring out the skeletons of the past in front of everyone. She rejects a family of hypocrites and finds courage to revolt against abuse.

Both the characters Queen and Veera stand for today's women who are ready to be themselves, who are courageous enough to fight the MCPs (a man whose behavior and attitude toward women indicate a belief that they are innately inferior to men) and the orthodox hypocritical society and liberate their lives. 

So when regressive politicos make regressive comments on women, they may  just be cautioned that a Queen or a Veera may be awaiting to take them to cleaners. 

Remember from now on - Its either Queen's Way or Highway!!!