Watch Bachelor Girls

Bachelor Girls is a documentary directed by Shikha Makan that focuses on the lives of single, independent women living in Mumbai. The film explores how these women navigate the social and cultural expectations placed upon them in a society that values marriage and children above all else. The movie begins with a simple premise: there are over 50,000 single women in Mumbai, each with their own unique story to tell. Through interviews with a wide range of women, from artists to lawyers to hotel managers, the film paints a complex picture of what it means to be a single woman in India's largest city.

One of the main themes of Bachelor Girls is the pressure that these women face to conform to traditional gender roles. Many of the women interviewed in the film describe feeling ostracized by their families and communities for not being married or having children. One woman, who works as a dancer in a nightclub, describes how she is often seen as a "bad influence" on younger women who are expected to be more modest and demure.

Another important theme explored in Bachelor Girls is the housing crisis facing single women in Mumbai. Many landlords refuse to rent to single women, citing concerns about their safety or morals. This has led to a situation where many women are forced to rely on friends, family, or expensive shared housing arrangements just to find a place to live.

Despite these challenges, the women in Bachelor Girls are anything but victims. Throughout the film, we see them fighting back against the social and cultural norms that keep them from living their lives on their own terms. We see them organizing protests, speaking out in the media, and forging new paths in their careers and personal lives.

At its core, Bachelor Girls is a deeply human film that sheds light on the struggles and triumphs of a marginalized group of people. It is a tribute to the resilience and strength of these women, who refuse to be defined by their marital status or their gender. Through their stories, we see the power of community and the importance of standing up for what you believe in, no matter the cost.

Throughout the film, Makan employs a variety of visual and narrative techniques to bring the stories of these women to life. Close-up interviews are interspersed with sweeping shots of Mumbai's crowded streets and bustling neighborhoods. The city itself becomes a character in the film, with its towering skyscrapers and teeming slums providing a vivid backdrop for the struggles and triumphs of its inhabitants.

Overall, Bachelor Girls is a powerful and important film that deserves to be seen by anyone interested in the complexities of modern-day India. It is a testament to the power of individual stories to illuminate broader social issues, and a reminder that there is no one "right" way to live a fulfilling life. By shining a light on the challenges facing single women in Mumbai, the film challenges us to reconsider our own assumptions about gender, marriage, and family in the 21st century.

Bachelor Girls is a 2016 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3.