2.39 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Bollywood's warrior princesses: Deepika, Aishwarya, Kareena...

Bollywood actresses are more than just delicate divas. (Agencies)

Published
By Showbiz Correspondent

Bollywood beauties are not just damsels in distress, capable of dancing atop gigantic drums or around bushes.

They can pack a punch, wield a sword and look messy too (that's job half done).

With the release of the first look of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani', apart from Ranveer Singh's Maratha warrior look, we also got a glimpse of Deepika Padukone as the warrior queen 'Mastani'.
Deepika seen a in a poster looking intense, aiming at arrow sporting what looks like a medieval helmet.

In the teaser a sword-wielding Deepika, with a child in her arms, is among the frames that stay on in one's mind long after the teaser is over.

This led us to list Bollywood women warriors before 'Mastani' Deepika.

'Baahubali': Tamannah Bhatia

After a string of flops, pretty faced Tamannaah Bhatia strikes gold as a feisty warrior princess in SS Rajamouli's 'Baahubali'.

This war film did not depend on dialogue and Tamannaah had to train in sword fighting, martial arts and rope work. 

'Jodhaa Akbar': Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

It was fun to watch Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Mira, a Kalaripayatu expert from Kerala, rub shoulders with Hollywood stars like Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley in 'The Last Legion'.

Her warrior training ini the Hollywood flick came to good use later as she sparred with Hrithik Roshan in 'Jodhaa-Akbar'.

In Ashutosh Gowarikar's film, Ash is shown to be a skilled warrior.

'Drona': Priyanka Chopra

This mystical movie - featuring Abhishek Bachchan (as 'Drona') as young superhero in the making - was a disaster. But someone came out victorious.

Priyanka Chopra playing Abhishek's bodyguard Sonia, stood out. It was treat to watch Chopra get out of the typical Bollywood heroine mode and play a character with badass attitude.

'Asoka': Kareena Kapoor

The movie was all about Shah Rukh Khan as 'Asoka' but you cannot ignore Kareena Kapoor (Khan). The actress was convincing as the lovely tattooed princess Kaurwaki (of Kalinga) in this stylishly shot 2001 film by Santosh Sivan.

When Asoka declares war on Kalinga, the princess bravely faces the brutal Maurya soldiers. Kareena was fiece and convincing at the battle field.

'Razia Sultan': Hema Malini

Kamal Amrohi's 'Razia Sultan', focuses Razia's alleged love affair with Yakut Jamaluddin instead of exploring the fierce female Sultan of Delhi.

In the last few scenes, Hema Malini as Razia Sultan fights is seen in warrior mode. But it was too less to satiate our want to see Hema wielding away.