March like a girl: 10 Amazon Prime Video sheroes we love

Who runs the world? Girls. And of course these very powerful women characters from our beloved streaming platform Prime Video. This International Women’s Day let’s give out a rallying cry as we celebrate the power of Being Woman.

Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, this American period comic-drama is all about a homemaker who discovers her knack for stand-up comedy when her husband suddenly decides to leave her. Watch how our leading lady discovers herself and her identity, one laugh at a time in The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel. Need we mention that this Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series is an amazing example of how women’s empowerment shows do not always have to be intense or grave to watch.

The path to self-discovery is rather uncertain and long, but in this case, it’s as long as a marathon! As Brittany (Jillian Bell), a 28-year-old living in New York struggles to find any inspiration to get her life back on track, a wake-up call from her doctor pushes her to lose a few pounds. What starts is a journey, a race that takes her from a state of self-doubt to complete self-confidence. Want to know how? Then you got to run the marathon with Brittany.

Dr. Shreya is your typical, middle-class Indian girl who dreams of moving to the USA for a better life but finds herself stuck in a healthcare camp in a village in rural Maharashtra instead. Navigating her way through the rural bureaucracy, local elections, and political pressure among other things, Shreya decides not to be a mere victim of the system. Watch how she fights the system and blazes her way to emerge victorious, both as a doctor and as a woman.

Celebrating women with flaws, this show is a revelation in more ways than one, addressing complex relationships and life problems with a dose of humor. Starring Anna Faris as a recovering alcoholic mother of two, and Alison Janey, a recovering addict herself as her mom. As her mother comes back to live with her, this show depicts the various challenges of living alone as a woman, nurturing female relationships, and forgiving past mistakes to move on and live life.

This was one of the first Indian streaming shows to have not one or two but four very strong female characters and actors leading the cast. Anjana, Damini, Umang, and Siddhi are four unique women living in the big, bad city of Mumbai. Discovering themselves, fighting limitations and stereotypes, these women challenge every taboo that Indian women face even today. Some call it the desi version of Sex and the City, but we think it is so much more than that. Watch it yourself to find out.

Mardaani now a memorable franchise proved to be a breakthrough role for Rani Mukherjee and succeeded in breaking stereotypes with an angry young woman as its protagonist - Shivani Shivaji Roy. The movie navigates Shivani’s journey as a woman police officer as she fights a human trafficking cartel with determination, intelligence, and grit. Mukherjee’s character received plenty of accolades and garnered more than a few whistles with her powerful punches and punchlines.

When the man of the house is up to no good, all responsibilities fall on the shoulders of a woman and she has no choice but to find her way in the world. Such is the story of Jean, who is made to flee her house after her husband Eddie betrays his business partners and disappears. With a newborn child in her hand, Jean fights for survival in this exciting neo-noir crime thriller that is fast-paced and showcases a powerful performance by its leading lady Rachel Brosnahan.

A period drama that showcases occupied France during the Second World War, this movie with strong female leads brings to the forefront the contribution of real-life women heroes in a time of conflict. Vera Atkins, Virginia Hall, and Noor Inayat Khan were British spies who risked their lives under Nazi domination to serve their nation and its people. Watch their tale of courage and laud the spirit of these women who became a stirring example for generations of women that followed them.

Lipstick Under My Burkha is the ideal movie with female leads that talks about the yearning for freedom that women in contemporary India feel even today. Through 4 distinct women characters across different age brackets, this movie captures the essence of being a woman in a country that has them boxed and slotted in categories and roles decided by society. The movie beautifully showcases their attempts to break out of this box and take charge of their own lives. Strong characters, great writing, acting, and direction make this one a winner.

If you believe one woman could inspire millions of people, think about what two women could do together! The show takes us along the lives of Max and Caroline, two waitresses who are down on their luck in life. As they set up their own cupcake franchise, they realize that there’s more to life than having just a dream. Throughout six seasons, the girls utilize wit and humor to tackle everyday challenges, shatter stereotypes and achieve their dreams.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t forget to pop the popcorn, get your can of soda and binge-watch your way through these inspirational series and movies with female leads, all this month only on Amazon Prime Video.