Some films connect with you in more ways than one, in ways that few others can. Cinema that empowers any section of society is essential and will always be relevant. A handful of films in this empowering genre also manage to teach valuable lessons without feeling overly weighed down by their concepts. For example, the recent Laapataa Ladies delivered a message of coexistence while offering a heartfelt, on-screen translation of an equally interesting story. One film that comes to mind, even before the Netflix film made its way into the mainstream, is English Vinglish. Empowering someone through the means of language, and with the legendary superstar Sridevi leading the cast, this is a film none of us will ever forget. It turns out the movie turns 12 today.

English Vinglish Turns 12

In English Vinglish, Sridevi plays Shashi Godbole, a housewife who makes and sells laddoos as a home-run business. Her husband, Satish (Adil Hussain), and her daughter, Sapna (Navika Kotia), take her for granted, mock her poor English skills, and generally treat her with disrespect, making Shashi feel insecure and unappreciated. The movie, which was released on October 5, 2012, celebrates its 12th anniversary this year. Let’s find out where you can stream it today.

While English Vinglish impressed a wide audience in cinema halls, it gained an even larger fanbase through satellite television. However, its streaming presence is where the movie garnered an entirely new following, with fans holding the film close to their hearts. In India, you can watch English Vinglish on JioCinema and Zee5. If you have an OTTplay Premium subscription, you can also stream it on Zee5.

Gauri Shinde on the Struggles of Making English Vinglish

Making English Vinglish was not an easy task for writer-director Gauri Shinde, who revealed the challenges she faced—not just convincing producers of the story but also dealing with their demands. “My decision to make my film with a female lead was met with a lot of resistance, no doubt. It was the toughest thing to get this film made. It was about a middle-aged woman wearing a saree. These were odds nobody wanted to dive into. There was no violence, no sex, nothing that would set the ball rolling easily for someone. We went through hell,” the filmmaker shared.

“They wanted a superstar as her husband, then said we shouldn’t shoot in New York. They wanted me to compromise, and then they wanted Sridevi to dance because she is Sridevi. They thought she should do an item song. I said I would rather put the film aside and not make it. Then Balki (R Balki, filmmaker-husband) decided to produce it ourselves, and that’s how our production house was formed,” she added.

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