Feisty Ladies: Bobby Jasoos, Rani aka Queen and other Bollywood firebrands

Vidya Balan’s Bobby Jasoos isn’t like too many Bollywood heroines we’ve seen of late. At 30, Bobby still clings on to her dream of becoming a detective with almost child-like conviction. She may not be a particularly good detective, but she is ambitious, courageous and nine times out of ten, she’ll have the last word in any argument. A smart mouthed woman with a lot of pluck is a rare sight on celluloid, but there are a few that have made men and women cheer over the years. 1. Princess Madhuri in Hunterwali: Princess Madhuri is Zorro’s female, Indian and hotter version. Played by an Australian stunt woman Mary Evans in a 1930s’ Bollywood film called Hunterwali, Fearless Nadia, as she was known in Indian cinema, cracked her whip and stole the hearts of Indian audiences. Long before Salman Khan hung from a chandelier and made women swoon or Hrithik Roshan fought on the top of a train, Nadia did it all. In leather. [caption id=“attachment_1607325” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Courtesy: Facebook[/caption] 2. Geeta in Seeta Aur Geeta: The oft-repeated story of Bollywood was given a fun spin when instead of the hero, it was the heroine in a double role. Twin sisters ( played by Hema Malini) separated at birth, one is docile and shy (Seeta) while the other is a firebrand (Geeta). A twist of fate leads to them swapping places, and that’s when the fun begins. Geeta, in Seeta Aur Geeta, was a gypsy girl and street performer. When she takes Seeta’s place, she takes matters in Seeta’s house into her own hands. The family that was traumatising Seeta is given a taste of their own medicine. Geeta’s energy is infectious and she’s an absolute delight to watch even now. 3. Seema Sahni from Mr India: Sridevi’s Seema Sahni is every editor’s nightmare. Would you want a crime reporter who mistakes an innocent man for a renowned thief, dresses up like Charlie Chaplin and generally does madcap things to get a story? Then again, she did get an exclusive with the invisible vigilante called Mr India, so maybe she’s not so crazy after all? Seema not only fights with her editor for the stories she believes in, but is also one of those few women who doesn’t hide the fact that she doesn’t feel all warm and fuzzy at the idea of a house full of children. She’s also independent, choosing to live alone. A heroine before her time, for sure. 4. Namrata From Phool Bane Angaray: Before there was Salman Dabangg Khan and Singham Devgn, there was Rekha in a film called Phool Bane Angaray where she managed to accomplish the task that even Rajinikanth couldn’t manage in the film. Inspector Ranjit Singh (Rajinikanth) is killed fighting crimes and his wife Namrata (Rekha) is molested by political goons. But instead of giving up and kowtowing to the pressures of the powerful politician, Namrata gets admitted to a police academy and returns as a police inspector to uproot the corrupt gangster/politician. While Rekha’s Namrata is shown coping with the death of her husband, armed with powerful dialogues and clad in khaki, we also see the actress in some serious fights. Woman on top, and how! 5. Rani From Queen: How many times do you meet a female lead character on the screen who isn’t scared to make a fool of herself or how many times have you heard a woman brag with ingenious adorableness that, “Mera sense of humour bahaut achcha hai, apko dhire-dhire pata chalega”? Not often. Kangana Ranaut’s Rani in Queen isn’t your regular rebel, but hers is the kind of everyday rebellion that has made thousands of Indians root for her. Abandoned by her fiancé right before her wedding, Rani crumples with sadness, but she also bounces right back and decides she’s going to go on her honeymoon even if she has to do it alone. Rani’s warmth is endearing, but what is even more exciting is to see her break the pointless little taboos that often restrain ‘good Indian girls’.