The data frame is a Python dict and I consider that a feature so that users know how to e.g. loop through columns with .items() etc. That then means that bracket notation is reserved for column names only (i.e. dict keys). So, that's why a separate function is needed.
https://github.com/otsaloma/dataiter
Comparison against dplyr and Pandas for a quick overview:
https://dataiter.readthedocs.io/en/latest/_static/comparison...