Setting up a foot in a male dominated industry like Bollywood is for sure not a cake walk. But filmmakers like Guneet Monga, Mira Nair, Prerna Arora, Ashwini Iyer Tiwary and Zoya Akhtar have proved that there is space for everyone to exist. As we celebrate the International Women’s Day today, here is a list of five powerful women filmmakers in Bollywood who have made their mark by redefining the narrative of Indian cinema with their impactful films.

Mira Nair

A pioneer in her own way, Mira Nair needs no introduction. The filmmaker was one of the first few female filmmakers who put India on the global map. Her filmography boasts epics such as Salaam Bombay!, Golden Globe winner Hysterical Blindness, Vanity Fair, The Namesake, The Reluctant Fundamentalist and the series ‘The Suitable Boy’. This powerhouse of talent also has numerous documentaries under her belt and loves to showcase her Indian roots and heritage on the global platform through her work.

Guneet Monga

This woman of substance and grit has often backed unconventional films and new talent in her journey as a filmmaker. She’s taken risks, which has helped her sustain and shine in the industry. Last year, she made India proud by grabbing an Academy Award for the documentary ‘The Elephant Whisperers’. Over the years, Guneet has flag-shipped films like ‘Peddlers’ (2012), ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ franchise, ‘Kathal’ and more.

Prerna Arora

When people were chasing box office numbers and falling in the trap of boredom with the same old stories, Prerna Arora chose to back films with social issues. She has films like ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ (2017), ‘Rustom’ (2016), Padman (2018) and ‘Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran (2018) to her credit. Now this dynamic filmmaker is gearing up for two upcoming projects: ‘Hero Heeroine’ starring Divyah Khosla Kumar and ‘Dunk’ starring Nidhhi Agerwal which highlights the issue of the land mafia.

Ashwini Iyer Tiwary

A look at Ashwini’s filmography and you’d see how her films are from a women’s point of view, which is such a rarity in the business of filmmaking. She became the much sought after director after her directorial debut, comedy-drama Nil Battey Sannata (2016). She won her first Filmfare Award for Best Director for the romantic comedy-drama Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017).

Zoya Akhtar

When Zoya debuted with ‘Luck By Chance’ in 2009, she became a filmmaker to look up to. With her second film ‘Zindagi Na Milengi Dobara’, she tasted commercial success, post which there was no looking back for her. From projects like ‘Dil Dhakane Do’, ‘Gully Boy’, ‘Lust Stories’, ‘Ghost Stories’ to her latest with young debutantes in ‘The Archies’, Zoya blended the best of both worlds – commercial and dreamy but also real, making her one of the leading lady filmmakers of B-town.