From Bollywood’s Pink to regional movie Minnaminungu, women protagonists dominate the list of winners this year.

It was all about the ‘power of pink’ at the 64th National Film Award announced on Friday. For the winners’ list for this year’s national award undoubtedly hinted at the onset of an era that celebrates women protagonists in Indian cinema.

From Pink to Neerja, films with women in lead roles dominated the National Film Awards this year. While Amitabh Bachchan and Tapasee Panu starrer, Pink—that had a strong message against gender crimes and objectification of the ‘fairer sex’—won the award for best film on social issues, the biopic of Neerja Bhanot, starring Sonam Kapoor, won laurels for best film (Hindi).

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Both these films indicate the changing portrayal of women on the Indian silver screen. Now, heroines are not just meant for glamorous prop roles or enticing item numbers, playing second fiddle to the male protagonists. Going with the changing social mindset, filmmakers are now depicting women as protagonists and strong characters that uphold the story on their own right.

Bollywood can now name actresses who have broken stereotypes to play leads and establish themselves as commendable actors alongside their male counterparts. In Neerja, Sonam Kapoor—recipient of special mention at 64th National Film Award—takes the lead to showcase the real life story of Neerja Bhanot—a Pan Am purser—who died while trying to save lives of passengers aboard the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986. Tapasee Panu and Amitabh Bhachchan also stood for a strong cause in Soojit Sircar’s Pink. A gritty film, the court-room drama of Pink had power-packed dialogues against rape culture and harassment of women.

However, the celebration of womanhood at the national awards didn’t just end with Pink and Neerja. Zaira Wasim, the girl who played a younger Geeta Phogat in Dangal, bagged the best supporting actress award for the cinematic juggernaut.

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But that’s not all. This year’s best female actor, Surabhi Lakshmi, received the award for her role in a Malyalam movie Minnaminungu when she impressed the critics with her stellar performance as a single mother.

The 64th National Film Awards has paved the way for women empowerment in the film industry across India. Be it for Bollywood or any other regional film industry, heroines are ruling the roost.