Some characters stay with us long after the credits roll. They aren’t just names on a script — they’re layered, flawed, and deeply human. Interestingly, many such unforgettable characters have been penned by male writers, who dared to step into shoes different from their own and bring alive people we could root for, cry with, or even become. Here are a few of those characters — and why they worked so beautifully.
Shiv Mehta – The Mehta Boys (Written by Boman Irani)
Boman Irani’s The Mehta Boys is already being celebrated for its emotional depth, and Shiv Mehta stands at the heart of it. Crafted with nuance by Boman himself, Shiv is not a one-note protagonist but a man caught between duty, family, and his own vulnerabilities. There’s warmth in his flaws, a relatability in his hesitations, and an honesty in his decisions. Boman, with his sharp understanding of human behaviour, writes Shiv as someone you don’t just watch — you feel.
Richa – Mrs (Written by Harman Baweja)
Harman Baweja’s Mrs gave us Richa, a character that quietly but firmly challenged societal expectations. She isn’t designed to be heroic in the conventional sense; instead, she is deeply real. Richa’s strength lies in her everyday courage, her ability to question without shouting, and her refusal to be boxed in. She is a reminder that even the most intimate, personal battles can have the loudest echoes.
Kashibai – Bajirao Mastani (Written by Sanjay Leela Bhansali)
Priyanka Chopra’s Kashibai remains one of the most heart-wrenching portrayals in Indian cinema. Written by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kashibai is not just the dutiful wife left in the shadows of her husband’s epic love story — she is a woman of immense grace, dignity, and strength. Kashibai shows us how a character written with empathy, even in the backdrop of grandeur, can remain timeless.
Veera – Highway (Written by Imtiaz Ali)
Alia Bhatt as Veera in Imtiaz Ali’s Highway is unforgettable. The role was written with immense sensitivity — a young woman who finds liberation in captivity, freedom in a journey that was never hers to choose. Veera is both fragile and fierce, a contradiction that feels achingly human. Imtiaz penned her not as a victim of circumstance but as someone who discovers her truest self against all odds, making Veera a character that speaks to anyone who’s ever longed to break free.
Sid – Wake Up Sid (Written by Ayan Mukerji)
Ayan Mukerji’s Sid is perhaps one of the most beloved modern coming-of-age characters. Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal brought him to life, but it was Ayan’s pen that gave Sid his boyish charm and raw immaturity, and then gently steered him toward self-discovery. Sid wasn’t perfect — he was lazy, clueless, and somewhat entitled — but in his growth, we saw ourselves. His journey from aimlessness to accountability continues to resonate with a generation figuring out adulthood at its own pace.