Multiheroines For Glam Quotient or Box Office Magic?

If the makers of The Raja Saab felt that three heroines—Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar and Malavika Mohanan—were enough, the producers of Kannada film Toxic have raised the bar by unveiling the looks of four divas: Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Their glamorous first-look pictures have instantly grabbed attention, triggering debate over the growing fascination with featuring multiple actresses in a single film. Is it purely about boosting the glam quotient?

Producer Vishnu Vardhan Induri disagrees. “I don’t think it’s only about glamour,” he says. “Producers and directors spend every rupee with a purpose and clear reasoning. The director would have already etched out key roles for these actresses and decided how to present them. Top actresses certainly bring additional mileage and help attract a global audience, so it works both ways.”

Interestingly, several films with a single female lead—Janhvi Kapoor (Devara), Sreeleela (Mass Jathara), Priyanka Mohan (Saripodhaa Sanivaaram), Rashmika Mandanna (Kuberaa) and Shruti Haasan (Bhola Shankar)—did not necessarily translate into meaty roles. “I can' take names but a lot depends on the script. Actresses choose roles realising their screen time most of the time. I believe they know what they are contributing to a film, yet they like to work with superstars like Prabhas, NTR and Yash since they know its reach across the globe,” says Vishnu, ruling out any bias.

At the same time, The Raja Saab heroines—Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar and Malavika Mohanan—are leading promotional events in Mumbai and drawing attention with their glamorous appearances. “Good-looking heroines during promotions often replace big stars at such events. Their charm and communication help grab attention and give films extra mileage,” Vishnu explains.

This Sankranthi, several releases feature two heroines, with young actresses testing their luck. Ashika Ranganath and Dimple Hayathi (Bharatha Mahasayulaku Vinjapthi), and Samyuktha Menon and Sakshi Vaidya (Nari Nari Naduma Murari) are among them. Director Teja feels these roles are often restrictive. “These actresses are usually limited to a few songs and scenes and end up getting a raw deal,” he says. “It’s unfortunate because many actresses are capable of delivering much more than just looking pretty or showcasing dance skills.”

Offering an actress’s perspective, Priyamani says the industry has always been hero-driven but believes the space for women is gradually expanding. “We listen to the script carefully before signing a project. We know our screen time and relevance,” she says. “Working with big stars helps actresses reach a wider audience. And actresses have repeatedly proved that they are capable of much more than just dancing and looking glamorous—though that too is part of an actor’s job.”