Mar 04, 2026 6:07pm IST
Sooraj Barjatya’s Take On Homemakers In Cinema Goes Viral; ‘Haq’ director Suparn Verma Believes, ‘Homemakers Can Be Hitmakers Too’
Sooraj Barjatya, the maker of blockbuster Bollywood films like "Hum Aapke Hain Koun....!" and "Hum Saath Saath Hain" is known for his wholesome family entertainers. In an interview to Hindustan Times, he said those stories would not work now as the role of women in society have changed. He said women today pursue careers and face same pressures as men. Barjatya said present story-telling needs to reflect the times we are in. Variety India spoke to a few directors to know if the homemaker had indeed become redundant in modern cinema.
“Where stories are concerned, if I think today that women will sit at home (*agar main aaj bhi sochoon ki ghar pe baithengi ladies*), that is over,” Barjatya said, making one wonder if he is aware of millions of women the world over who choose to stay home to look after their families. In "Haq," both the female protagonists (played by Yami Gautam and Vartika Singh) are shown to be homemakers. And the film was a hit.
"Haq" director Suparn Varma opines, “How is a homemaker not a working woman? She works 365 days a year with no days off, no sick leave, no bonuses, no payment structure and she works constantly for everyone her whole life. It is the hardest job for any human being. To say a homemaker is a non-working person—I cannot compute it, it doesn't make any sense to me. And I’m sure Sooraj ji is aware that women with 9-to-5 jobs and those who stay at home are both working women.”
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Vartika Singh, who played Emraan Hashmi’s second wife in "Haq," says, “I understand what Sooraj Barjatya sir means when he says women should not be shown as non-working. But I think the word 'non-working' itself is misleading when we talk about homemakers. Running a home is a full-time responsibility, emotionally, mentally and physically. It may not always be recognized as a profession, but it is certainly work. In films like 'Haq' and 'Border 2,' the women may be homemakers, but that doesn’t make them passive or insignificant. Their strength lies in the way they hold families together, influence decisions, and carry emotional weight. I think it’s important that cinema respects that role rather than reducing it to being non-working. In fact, in 'Haq,' Bano’s character is a good example of this. While she runs the household and takes care of her family, she also stitches to contribute financially when the situation demands it. I think that beautifully reflects reality, that a woman’s role isn’t limited to one definition. She can nurture a home and also step out to support it when needed. It really depends on the circumstances she finds herself in at that moment.”
In "Border 2," every female character (played by Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha Rana) is a strong, assertive homemaker. However, producer Nidhi Singh says the homemaker heroine is a thing of the past. “I would agree with him. "Border 2" features strong women shown in 1971, an era and time when women weren’t as ambitious as today. But today, there is no stopping the women world over. I think that is what Sooraj ji is trying to say.”
Actress Raveena Tandon feels the homemaker is an underrated creature. “Whether you show a woman as working or non working, a woman’s work never ends. Being a homemaker is one of the toughest, most thankless jobs on this planet. The Indian woman is the true form of the multi-handed portrayal of the Goddess Durga who multi-tasks her home her family, her job, and her career. Whether at home, sports, office, or labors even at construction sites or farmlands.”
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