Hollywood superhero franchise ‘Iron Man’ is all set to return to screens this summer, with a new superhero: Pepper Potts, played by none other than Gwyneth Paltrow, replete with a superhero suit! Which led us to wonder when and if we’ll ever get to see a desi superwoman in our films, a la Ms Paltrow and so many others like Catwoman, Bat Woman, Poison Ivy.
Since time immemorial, action has always seemed to be a forte for the men, especially in Bollywood. While there have been examples of women attempting action in Hindi cinema, these have been few and far between. Superheroes like Krrish (Hrithik Roshan), G.One (Shah Rukh Khan) and Ra.One (Arjun Rampal) are by now super loved too, but what we well and truly need is a desi Lara Croft or Catwoman: someone who can fight the baddies, and look uber sexy and stylish while doing it.
To be fair, Priyanka Chopra did manage to attempt this genre, with her role as sidekick to Abhishek Bachchan Drona, in the 2008 film of the same name, but that was quite a disaster! Since then, we haven’t seen a single desi supergirl on our screens.
With outdated, obsolete stereotypes dogging women’s every move, the more important question is: will Indian audiences accept a female superhero? Maybe it’s time they did. And to whichever producer/ director wishes to make a superwoman film, here’s our list of potential actresses who would fit the bill for their tough, rock-like physicality and no-nonsense attitude:
Priyanka Chopra seems an obvious choice, as she’s been there done that already. Playing tough, copgirl roles in both ‘Don’ and ‘Don 2’, this Punjabi kudi can certainly kick butt, and do so with elan.
Next on our wishlist would be Anushka Sharma: this rail-thin actress is quite feisty and has proven time and again she can deliver, with her roles as loud, raucous and exuberant girl-next-door.
Kareena Kapoor Khan too would make a good choice, and might do full justice to a ‘superheroine’ role, since she’s already proved her mettle as a ‘Heroine’.
Vidya Balan can do anything: she made us believe she was a pregnant, helpless housewife in ‘Kahaani’, who was looking for her missing husband, all the while hiding a more sinister motive; so she seems like an apt choice too.
Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif too could be two contenders, with their long, long legs and fantastic physiques. Deepika has proved she could take down a villain or two, with the martial arts she displayed in ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, while Katrina is reportedly busy beefing up for ‘Dhoom 3’.
With so many potential candidates, it’s high time filmmakers explored the idea of a superwoman film, casting a home-grown desi supergirl in the lead.
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