There was a piece in the Economist a while back that argued for legal prostitution. It talked about how technology is transforming the world's oldest profession. For example: In Berlin, Germany where Prostitution is legal, there are apps that let you type in a location and you get a list of all sex workers around the place along with other particulars. There are sites where users can post in reviews that help other customers. The sex workers can background check the client. In short, it just works like any other professional service website.
In India, there are over 3 million sex workers and not all of them are forced. Some willingly enter to make a living. Whether legalization will stop trafficking and be beneficial is something to think about. On reading this, I started to think about all the bollywood films where actresses have played the role of a prostitute/tawayaf/hooker etc. Did a radio show on this theme and as always it was so much fun! Hear a glimpse of it here.
1.Meena Kumari gracefully performs the role of a tawayaf in Pakeezah.
2. Rekha in Umrao Jaan - She is unmatched till date. Her eyes spoke volumes of her agony. Rekha, Asha Bhonsle and Khayyam make Umrao Jaan immortal.
3. Rekha plays Zohra Bai in Muqaddar ka Sikander
4. The ever gentle Suchitra Sen in Mamta. Roshan's music is par excellence.
5. Priya Rajvansh in Hanste Zakhm. Betaab Dil Ki Tamanna is haunting. The song just freezes me. Madan Mohan and Lata Mangeshkar create this rare gem.
6. Rehana Sultan in Dastak. What a film! If you listen to Mai Re Main Kase Kahoon, you hear a lot of scary tunes making you wonder if Dastak is a horror film. But it is the genius of Madan Mohan who has used those tunes to depict confusing and terrorizing human emotions. A classic indeed!
7. Kiron Kher in Sardari Begum- Sardari Begum is a film directed by Shyam Benegal. The film received a lot of accolades and the music by Vanraj Bhatia was much appreciated.
8. Kareena Kapoor in Sudhir Mishra's Chameli. Awesome music by Sandesh Shandilya and wonderfully rendered by Sunidhi Chauhan. Kareena Kapoor also played the role of a hooker in Talaash.
9. Tabu in Madhur Bhandarkar's Chandni Bar
10. Kalki Koechlin in Dev -D :Anurag Kashyap's contemporary version of Devdas. Simply loved the film and Amit Trivedi's music. Check out this song by Shruti Pathak.
11. Shruti Hasan in Dev-D - Check out this gem by Shankar Ehsaan and Loy in the voice of Rekha Bharadwaj.
12. Rani Mukherjee in Laaga Chunri Mein Daag.
13. Rati Agnihotri in Tawayaf
14. Smita Patil/Supriya Pathak in Bazaar - Phir Chiddi Raat Baat Phoolon Ki - Lata and Talat Aziz create magic under the music composition of Khyyam.
15. And last but not the least, Madhuri Dixit in Devdas.
Feel to free to suggest the ones that I probably missed!
Sapna Iyer
I'm Sapna Iyer. I am a program host at EBC Radio, and enjoy connecting with my listening audience. I also work as a Digital Marketing consultant covering emerging digital solutions, especially using marketing technology to connect communities.
Website:
http://www.sapnaiyer.com/
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