MUMBAI: India is and had always been a hot favourite destination for trade and business. With favourable climate, affordable amenities, and a huge amount of manpower, India has become a hub for growing commerce day by day. In the country like India, where most women are neglected, there are some who have soared higher. 

Gone are the days when women were considered no match for the ‘all powerful’ men in this world. With minimum to no support, women in business have proved that leading a company all by themselves is not beyond their ken.

Women have come a long way from being only homemakers. They have excelled in various fields including entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a herculean task enveloped with risks and struggles. And in our largely patriarchal society, the identity of a woman is based on her relationships and the way she nurtures her family. These social norms come at a heavy cost: a woman’s dreams, ambitions, and desires.

Even in today’s world, there are many women whose parents would love to keep them at home and teach them to cook. They are constantly questioned and not allowed to work despite being educated. Fortunately, many more women are working today than ever before, but when it comes to entrepreneurship, there are only some we can talk about. 

Whether it is e-commerce, investment, travel, education, fashion, fitness, or retail, there are women excelling in every small or big field. However, some professions that are respected globally are looked down upon in our society, for example, married women working in call centres at nights, single mothers who are into the acting industry, surrogacy opted for by women. These career choices receive a lot of flak from society. 

Let’s take a minute to talk about Sunny Leone. After facing brickbats over her former career in the adult entertainment industry and weathering a storm of controversy, she has now won a million hearts in the world of television and Bollywood. 

In a bold step towards creating an equal and non-judgemental society, ZEE5 has launched a show titled Badnaam Gali, which revolves around the story of a locality that is looked down upon because of a surrogate mother living in it. People judge her as she is single, pretty, does not care about what people think, and has a tummy to go with. A young Punjabi boy, equally judgemental and naive, crosses paths with her. He soon realizes that she is not the girl people define her to be. And then begins a story of friendship, camaraderie and support.

The twist in the tale comes when both are faced with a choice they had never anticipated and how standing up to that choice makes them a family. 

The show has a strong message to give out to our patriarchal society. What is your viewpoint on women opting for professions that challenge societal norms? 

Tune into ZEE5 now to watch Badnaam Gali and more exciting content. Subscribe now!