New Delhi: She wears conical bras, has wild, curly hair and proudly sports a sun-kissed, tanned look. With a revolver as her weapon of choice, she sports army jackets, salwar and combat boots. She's loud, crass and violent -- but she also has a soft side.
Talented actress Kangana Ranaut portrays the role of a Chambal politician -- a young, hard-hearted woman with a dark past. With an array of whimsical characters by her side, one of the striking things about the film, as well as Ranaut's character Alka Singh, is that she has re-defined the stereotypical 'hero' in Bollywood. For she is not the 'heroine', a supporting character, an ingenue, a muse, a damsel in distress, or even the sultry seductress. Alka Singh is the she-ro.
(If you haven't watched the film yet, please don't go any further. The rest of the story contains spoilers.)
Clothes: From sporting tough combat boots, harem pants, garish kurtis and army-inspired long jackets -- Alka Singh is anything but feminine. With kitchy sunglasses and guns as her only accessories, Alka doesn't look like she gives a damn about what she is wearing.
Arm candy: Actor Vir Das can hardly be termed as a toy boy, with reference to Kangana Ranaut. But Alka Singh meets Vir Das' character at a *cough* beauty pageant titled, "Crazy Underwear Chambal Dud No 1". He woos her with a long, theatrically-delivered speech, and Alka picks him as the winner.
Politics: For as long as we can remember, the woman politician in Bollywood films has been a victim of circumstances. A sad widow, an idealist daughter, a disillusioned sister. But Alka Singh is by turns idealist, corrupt, violent, narcissist, ego maniac, sad as well as lonely.
Violence: Popping up at her political opponent Udaybhan Singh's rally, Alka Singh open fires at the rally, claiming they are only "fireworks", in respect of his victory. A clear pro-gun nutcase, Alka kills her enemies point black, tosses empty revolvers, and laughs maniacally as her opponents as they cower and take cover. She doesn't even bat an eyelid as the goons' heads are reduced to pulp. Respect.
A knight in distress: A through bad-ass, when Alka Singh's political opponent Udaybhan Tomar (Zakir Hussain) kidnaps her boyfriend, she, riding ON TOP of a huge SUV, makes a theatrical entrance, kills her enemies, and saves her knight in distress. A damsel in shining armour, indeed.
The dominatrix: Instead of the blushing ingenue or the nonchalant femme fatale, Ranaut's Alka is fearless, bold and completely at ease with her body, as well as her sexuality. A tigress in bed, she takes the lead here as well, and leaves her toy boy gasping for breath. "Itni jaldi? Arrey battery toh recharge hone do," whines the wannabe actor aka toy boy Rohan Kapoor.
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