Bombay Begums

Plot

Set in contemporary urban India, five women across generations confront desire, ethics, personal crises, and vulnerabilities to pursue their ambitions. Rani, a bank CEO, conceals the bank's troubles. Fatima, her subordinate, strives to please her husband.

Lily, a former bar dancer living in a chawl, scams her way to a better life for herself and her son. Ayesha, bisexual and from Indore, is new to Mumbai. The series explores drug abuse, blackmail, broken dreams, and aspirations.

Production

Alankrita Shrivastava recalled watching the 1991 film Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin at least 21 times and insisted on making a new project with Pooja Bhatt in the lead. Bhatt initially declined the script but later agreed, marking her acting comeback after a cameo in Sadak 2. The inspiration for Bombay Begums originated in 2012, when Shrivastava wondered about the double lives of urban Indian women who excel at work yet face gendered expectations at home. She initially conceived it as a television show but could not find producers.

Shrivastava began creating the series while working on Made in Heaven. She co-wrote the script with Iti Agarwal and Bornila Chatterjee, who also co-directed. Principal shooting took place from late 2019 to March 2020, weeks before India's COVID-19 lockdown. Post-production began in July 2020 and was completed within two months.

Reception

The series received mixed to positive reviews. Sayan Ghosh of The Hindu praised Shrivastava's ability to navigate suppressed anger and emotional volatility. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express noted the recognition of women's desire as a powerful element. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave three-and-a-half out of five, stating the series strikes a chord with relatable stories.

Saraswati Datar of The News Minute called it entertaining but not moving or empowering. Rohan Naahar of Hindustan Times highlighted terrific performances by the cast. Swetha Ramakrishnan of Firstpost gave three-and-a-half out of five, calling the series easy to sit through despite imperfections. In March 2021, India's National Commission for Protection of Child Rights sent a notice to Netflix to stop streaming the series, citing complaints about content portraying drug use by minors and themes of sexuality, warning it could pollute young minds and lead to child abuse.

Did You Know?

• Pooja Bhatt initially disagreed to accept the script for Bombay Begums, but later changed her decision and gave her nod.
• The soundtrack album featured seven songs composed by Tarana Marwah, one song by Chetan Dominic Awasthi, and four songs by Anand Bhaskar.