diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/column.py b/python/pyspark/sql/column.py
index 81fd4e782628a..4639da690662a 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/column.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/column.py
@@ -183,13 +183,33 @@ def __init__(self, jc):
 
     # container operators
     __contains__ = _bin_op("contains")
-    __getitem__ = _bin_op("apply")
 
     # bitwise operators
     bitwiseOR = _bin_op("bitwiseOR")
     bitwiseAND = _bin_op("bitwiseAND")
     bitwiseXOR = _bin_op("bitwiseXOR")
 
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        if isinstance(key, slice):
+            if key.step is not None and key.step != 1:
+                raise ValueError("PySpark doesn't support slice with step")
+            if key.start is not None and key.stop is not None:
+                # str[i:j]
+                return self.substr(key.start, key.stop - key.start)
+            elif key.start is not None:
+                # str[i:]
+                return self.substr(key.start)
+            elif key.stop is not None:
+                # str[:j]
+                return self.substr(1, key.stop - 1)
+            else:
+                # str[:]
+                return self
+        else:
+            jc = key._jc if isinstance(key, Column) else key
+            njc = getattr(self._jc, "apply")(jc)
+            return Column(njc)
+
     @since(1.3)
     def getItem(self, key):
         """
@@ -250,7 +270,7 @@ def __iter__(self):
 
     @ignore_unicode_prefix
     @since(1.3)
-    def substr(self, startPos, length):
+    def substr(self, startPos, length=None):
         """
         Return a :class:`Column` which is a substring of the column.
 
@@ -259,10 +279,27 @@ def substr(self, startPos, length):
 
         >>> df.select(df.name.substr(1, 3).alias("col")).collect()
         [Row(col=u'Ali'), Row(col=u'Bob')]
+        >>> df.select(df.name[1:4].alias("col")).collect()
+        [Row(col=u'Ali'), Row(col=u'Bob')]
+        >>> df.select(df.name[2:].alias("col")).collect()
+        [Row(col=u'lice'), Row(col=u'ob')]
+        >>> df.select(df.name[:3].alias("col")).collect()
+        [Row(col=u'Al'), Row(col=u'Bo')]
+        >>> df.select(df.name[:].alias("col")).collect()
+        [Row(col=u'Alice'), Row(col=u'Bob')]
         """
-        if type(startPos) != type(length):
+        if length is not None and type(startPos) != type(length):
             raise TypeError("Can not mix the type")
         if isinstance(startPos, (int, long)):
+            javaMaxInt = SparkContext._active_spark_context._jvm.java.lang.Integer.MAX_VALUE
+            if startPos > javaMaxInt:
+                raise ValueError("startPos is larger than the java max int value "
+                                 "which is not supported by pyspark, startPos=" + str(startPos))
+            if length is None:
+                length = javaMaxInt
+            elif length > javaMaxInt:
+                raise ValueError("length is larger than the java max int value "
+                                 "which is not supported by pyspark, length=" + str(length))
             jc = self._jc.substr(startPos, length)
         elif isinstance(startPos, Column):
             jc = self._jc.substr(startPos._jc, length._jc)
@@ -270,8 +307,6 @@ def substr(self, startPos, length):
             raise TypeError("Unexpected type: %s" % type(startPos))
         return Column(jc)
 
-    __getslice__ = substr
-
     @ignore_unicode_prefix
     @since(1.3)
     def inSet(self, *cols):