Actresses Wielding The Gun: What Feminine Power Means In Narratives
She joins the elite list of once-lover-girl actresses who have transformed into action queens—Samantha (Citadel) and Kajal Aggarwal (Satyabhama)—ushering in a new trend.
Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra, seen holding a gun in a saree-clad avatar in the first look of her Telugu debut SSMB29, now spearheads the growing tribe of gun-toting divas in Tollywood. She joins the elite list of once-lover-girl actresses who have transformed into action queens—Samantha (Citadel) and Kajal Aggarwal (Satyabhama)—ushering in a new trend.
“Gun-wielding divas are the latest fad in T-town,” admits producer M. S. Raju. “Actresses today are capable of doing all kinds of roles. They are showcasing their new skill sets—wielding guns to prove their versatility and to try out fresh avatars.”
Mrunal Thakur is the latest addition to the lineup, wielding a pistol in her new Telugu film, Dacoit, as she embarks on a complete image makeover. “Image makeover is key for actresses to shed their glam image and showcase a new side. It appears that actresses have decided to take up arms and settle scores on their own, rather than waiting for the hero to rescue them. They are becoming game changers,” he adds.
Even younger actresses like Samyuktha Menon (Devil), Anupama Parameswaran (Tillu Square), and Faria Abdullah (Mathu Vadalara 2) have hopped onto the fiery bandwagon, aiming for a new on-screen identity. “Younger actresses have quickly realised how to break monotony in roles. They are capable of doing all kinds of characters. These days, they are showcasing new skills—wielding guns with style to depict versatility and opting for roles with substance,” says director Abhishek Nama.
Director Hemanth Madhukar points out that actresses are often confined to glamour and bubbly roles, and the occasional gun-toting character offers them a refreshing change. “They take up anger-driven roles to connect with the masses, since girls in action mode enhance their brand equity. Posters and first-look images grab more eyeballs and fetch them a new audience and a new image,” says Hemanth Madhukar, who trained actress Anjali in firearms for his film Nishabdam.
Speaking about the challenges and training involved in handling guns, actress Priyamani—who carried firearms in Virata Parvam and Jawan—says, “It all depends on the script and the character we portray. It could be a police officer or a commando, and when the role demands that we handle guns with ease, we are game for it.”
She adds, “Of course, we underwent rigorous training to fit into the commando role in Jawan. An expert team from South Africa trained us hard. We had to learn how to hold a gun with style, correct our posture, and move quickly with weaponry. Bollywood stunt master Sunil Rodrigues also guided us during action sequences, and it all came out well on the big screen,” she concludes.
