From Kavya in Little Things to Tara Khanna in Made in Heaven, female characters in web shows that continue to inspire us

With the boom of OTT, it can be safely said that the women characters in stories have also evolved. Women are no longer seen as just love interests of male characters or damsels in distress. They now play strong characters of doctors, police officers and even a terrorist. The way women are represented on screens is changing, thanks to OTT and web series. The female characters, many times, play role models for many and continue to inspire many young minds to be better and do better for themselves. Many teach to be unapologetically themselves while also offering ideas to tackle some real-life situations.

Here are some unforgettable women characters from the web series era:

Anita in What The Folks

What The Folks is a popular series among the Indian audience, launched by Dice Media on its YouTube channel. The modern-family drama had three seasons and will now return for its final and season 4 with actress Eisha Chopra reprising the role of Anita. Anita is an independent and practical woman who manages her career and personal life with her in-laws and family. She is a brave and highly-educated daughter of the Sharma family. The show revolves around the lives of the married couple Nikhil and Anita who navigate their lives, trying to get closer and build stronger relationships with their family. Anita thinks of having a child and building her own family, but on her terms. She gives us some major goals on how to deal with real-life situations in a quirky manner while staying true to ourselves.

Tanya in Permanent Roommates

TVF's Permanent Roommates is one of the most-watched and enjoyed web shows that tells the story of a young couple, Mukesh and Tanya and how they tackle the twists and turns in their lives as they embark on a journey of togetherness. The story builds from their decision to move in together to their plan to get married, settle down and also deal with all the unforeseen situations that fall in between. Actor Nidhi Singh plays the role of Tanya who decides to turn down her longtime boyfriend’s surprise proposal to get married and explore a live-in relationship instead. Tanya is a daring and ambitious woman. She refuses to compromise on what is best for her. She is fiercely independent and intelligent, which helps her gain major success in her life. Her role gives much-needed encouragement to young women to stand up for their dreams. The show is available on TVF Play.

Tara Khanna in Made In Heaven

The Amazon Prime Video show, Made In Heaven revolves around two wedding planners, Tara and Karan who run an agency called ‘Made in Heaven’. Actress Sobhita Dhulipala plays the role of Tara Khanna in the series. While Tara is married to a rich wealthy businessman Karan, she is ambitious about taking charge of her wedding planning business, despite all the wealth they have. Tara’s character truly makes every woman want to be 'unapologetically me'.

DCP Vartika Chaturvedi in Delhi Crime

The Indian crime drama on Netflix is based on the Nirbhaya rape case that took place in Delhi. The series narrates the atrocious gang rape that took the nation by storm. National award-winning actress Shefali Shah has given an exceptional performance as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi who is hell-bent on catching the criminal of such a heinous crime as quickly as possible. Vartika, as a cop, is ready to even risk her own life to solve this case. Daring to take up such a responsibility to fight for all women in the country, the series reminds us of all underappreciated women officers in the law and judiciary that help get victims justice.

Aarya Sareen in Aarya

Sushmita Sen makes her OTT debut with Aarya, an Indian crime thriller drama. She delivers a powerful performance as a brave mother protecting her family from the dangers that they face. Due to some unsettled disputes and mafia matters that her deceased husband was involved in, Aarya is seen fighting through all the mess to safeguard her family at all costs. She beautifully portrays the unconditional love of a mother and the extent she can go to, when it comes to her children's safety. The show is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.

Kavya in Little Things

An Indian rom-com on Netflix, Little Things is created by Dhruv Sehgal, who also plays the lead role in the series, opposite Mithila Palkar. The story revolves around a live-in couple, Kavya Kulkarni (Mithila Palkar) and Dhruv Vats (Dhruv Sehgal). They portray very relatable aspects of one’s daily life while also dealing with the complexities that come with a relationship. In the series, Kavya plays a role of a determined woman taking charge of her life and decisions completely, be it her relationship or her career. She is an independent and strong woman who is passionate about whatever she chooses to do in life. She truly inspires everyone to be themselves, no matter what and not to lose on their individuality.

Kasturi Dogra in Aranyak

The Netflix series marks Raveena Tandon’s debut in the OTT space. She plays the role of a cop who is also a mother, trying to balance both her career and family life. The story revolves around a local police officer, Kasturi Dogra (Raveena Tandon) who is committed to solve a high-profile case of rape and murder. She is a fierce, tough and talented police officer and also a trusting and loving mother. Her character strikes a chord with the audience and inspires them to be better.

Raji in The Family Man 2

The role of Raji, a terrorist is played by Samantha Ruth Prabhu in Season 2 of the Amazon Prime Video show, Family Man. This series was her debut in the OTT space and in Bollywood too. Raji is a daring and determined woman who wants to take revenge for all the unfortunate events that took place with her and her loved ones in Sri Lanka. The character in the show is a tribute to Eelam women and showcases the struggles that women faced during the civil war and continue to face even today. The actress also won an award for being the best actor in a web series at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.