IN DUS FILMOMEIN HEROINES HEROS THE

Gone are the days when the abla naari heroines cowered in fear, waiting for the He Man hero to protect them. Today's B-town heroines can and will give as good as they get - Jyothi Venkatesh

The action thriller Dhaakad directed by ad man Razneesh Razy Ghai which is all set to release this Friday sees lead woman actor Kangana Ranaut matching her male counterpart the antagonist Arjun Rampal step-for-step when it comes to death-defying action sequences.

Bollywood may not have given up all its stereotypes but the damsel in distress is not a set image too many women actors have to conform to anymore. Here are 10 Hindi films where the women actors were seen in action.

From Kareena Kapoor to Katrina Kaif, here's a look at the actresses who have donned the role of action stars and given our heroes a run for their money.

Dhaakad (2022)

This action movie will premiere on-screen on April 8, 2022. Directed by Razneesh Razy Ghai, the movie will feature Kangana Ranaut, Arjun Rampal, and Divya Dutta in pivotal roles. Besides, Kangana will be seen in an entirely different character playing the role of a fierce and tough international spy.

Akira (2016)

Sonakshi Sinha played the title role in A.R. Murugadoss’ action film, a remake of Tamil thriller Mouna Guru. The film earned Rs26 crore in box office collections.

Jai Gangaajal (2016)

Prakash Jha’s crime drama saw Priyanka Chopra play a cop battling prejudices in small town India. A follow-up to Jha’s 2003 hit Gangaajal, the film made Rs32 crore at the box office.

Director Neeraj Pandey’s spy thriller featured one of the most impressive action sequences choreographed for a woman actor (Taapsee Pannu) in recent times. The film that starred Akshay Kumar in the lead earned Rs81 crore in box office collections.

Mardaani (2014)

The Pradeep Sarkar directed crime thriller saw Rani Mukerji play a cop, out to solve a human trafficking case. The film netted Rs35 crore at the box office.

Krrish 3 (2013)

Kangana Ranaut played a mutant straddling karate, judo and taekwondo in Rakesh Roshan’s superhero science fiction film. The film that also starred Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Vivek Oberoi in pivotal roles made Rs175 crore in box office collections.

Chandni Chowk to China (2009)

Deepika Padukone, who played a double role, joined in the stunts for the martial arts comedy starring Akshay Kumar. The Nikhil Advani-directed film made Rs29 crore at the box office.

Drona (2008)

Though Abhishek Bachchan was actually the leading man in the film technically, the fantasy superhero flick saw Priyanka Chopra attempt martial arts as diverse as kalaripayattu, chhau, gatka and sword fighting. The high-budget film directed by Goldie Behl made Rs8 crore at the box office.

Dhoom 2 (2006)

The second instalment of Yash Raj Films’ popular action franchise saw Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Bipasha Basu partake in the stunts with elan. The film directed by Sanjay Gadhvi made Rs81 crore at the box office.

NH10 (2015)

An action thriller, the movie features Anushka Sharma, Neil Bhoopalam, Darshan Kumar, and Deepti Naval in pivotal roles. Anushka Sharma stood out in the movie owing to her powered performance.

Her vengeance against her husband’s killers was pure from start to the end. The movie showcased a glorious rampage, destroying an entire gang with the help of a rod, a Scorpio, and her extraordinary wits. The movie was directed by Navdeep Singh.