Over the last two weeks, there has been chatter surrounding the release of women-led action films where the heroines slice up the bad guys with perfectly manicured nails.
There is Alpha starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, which I had the misfortune of watching. This ‘slick’ action film with two sisters (Sita and Durga) on a mission has the leads prancing around in an array of colourful athleisure between major action sequences. They are whimsical enough to play with young pahadi children while still looking for their lost father, and have stern ‘game on’ faces while fighting the bad guys. Though the sequences seem well-choreographed and executed, it is but apparent that the entire film is written by a man and is created to cater to the male gaze.
The Hindu’s review states that Alia uses her expressive face to tell the story of the fight, making every punch and kick feel deeply personal. “Almost like abhinaya in a classical dance presentation, she injects a wicked sense of personality in Sita…” the review adds. The question is: does a woman fighting require poise and grace? Can she not grunt and struggle?
A paper titled The Action Heroine as Feminist Figuration: Mapping the transgressive potential of Hollywood’s post-Woman women, looks to position the figure of the action heroine as a productive political fiction for feminism. However, the paper then delves into why it is impossible to subvert the male gaze in the process. British film theorist Laura Mulvey wrote the ground-breaking essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (1975) that says that films featuring female leads were practically unheard of at the time. The rare ones helmed by women were unnecessarily melodramatic, and were categorised as ‘women’s weepies’. Over time, the success of films like Kill Bill by Quentin Tarantino, proved to filmmakers that there was money in action content where women were hypersexualised, leading to the spawning of several other film franchises including Lara Croft and Charlie’s Angels.
India continues to try out these iterations of women suited in leather while carrying out operations, and possessing the magical capability of dancing to the ill-placed item song that has no connection to the plot. *Cough* Alpha, Jawaan, Race *cough*.
However, interestingly, corollaries exist. Blast, a Tamil flick starring Priety Mukundhan and Abhirami is a surprise. It may be part of the same genre as Alpha but it is a refreshing take. “Usually, women who are cast in roles where they perform action stunts are transplanted into roles that men play. But in Blast, it was done pretty tastefully,” says a colleague who reviewed the film. “My only problem was that it was established much beforehand that they were both from a family of martial art warriors. This is not the case in films led by men,” he says.
Priety is a striking-looking lead who transforms when she fights. Yet, both Abhirami and she continue to fight as ordinary people, sticking to the storyline and committing to the plot. It is still palatable, enjoyable even. She also has the right answers. That helps. When Bhuvanesh asked Preity in a recent interview if backstories are essential to women who perform action sequences, she says that she likes them irrespective of gender. “Backstories ground people,” she says, adding that she would do a Kill Bill-esque film if offered to her.
Here’s to hoping that Kill Bill stops being the touchstone of all women-led action flicks soon.
TOOLKIT
If your feed has not already been consumed by Rahul Mishra’s ‘Devi’ collection at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, now is the time to take a look. This beautiful collection is said to have emulated the intricate sculptures from the Hoysaleswara Temple in Karnataka and the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra — interpreting apsaras, devis and celestial figures and the idea of the eternal feminine divine. Several fashion critics lauded Mishra’s signature design. However, they also critiqued his interpretation of the Indian goddess. “A big miss at the show was not bringing any Indian model — voluptuous, plus-size, or beyond the fashion normal — to symbolise the sculptural Devi. Or any model that spoke for the female form in ancient stone art,” said a fashion publication.
WORDSWORTH
Empathy tax
In today’s work climate where job anxiety has been peaking with AI disruptions, layoffs, and economic uncertainty, more women in leadership positions have been speaking about empathy tax, and its hidden cost.
MIT Sloan recently interviewed 350 professional women in managerial roles as part of their research where 81.6% said they spend at least 30% of their workweek on caring tasks, such as listening to colleagues’ anxieties, offering encouragement, or monitoring how people around them are feeling. This falls disproportionately on women as men in corporate spaces are often expected to emulate decisiveness and competitiveness instead of empathy.
OUCH!
Whether you become an IAS officer or a teacher, first become an expert mother. Everyone should know how to cook the food prepared at home.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel at the 41st convocation of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University.
PEOPLE WE MEET
S Ganapathy
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Special Arrangement
S Ganapathy, who began his career as a gardener at the British Council’s Chennai centre has retired as manager, facilities as on June 10. What is interesting is that he wishes to pursue a career as an advocate at the Madras High Court post retirement because he wishes to be his daughter’s “assistant, car driver, office boy, and colleague” all in one. “My younger one is pursuing her fifth year in law. She is figuring her way out through life. When I began working, I did all sorts of odd jobs. I was a milk man, drove an autorickshaw, and was a security guard,” Ganapathy says. He is intent on making both his daughters’ lives as smooth as possible. “Use both your heart and your mind to succeed. The sole use of either will not be useful. That’s what I tell my girls at least,” he says.
Published – July 12, 2026 10:49 am IST