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OPINION: Rise of female cop characters on big screen; from Rani Mukerji in Mardaani to Tabu in Drishyam
The first look of the Rani Mukerji starrer Mardaani 3 was released recently, and here are my thoughts on the rise of female cop characters in Bollywood.
Today, April 21, 2025, the first look of the upcoming film Mardaani 3, featuring Rani Mukerji as police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy, was revealed. The theatrical release date has also been announced as February 27, 2026. As we await the return of Rani's power-packed avatar, here is my opinion on the rise of female cop characters on the big screens in Bollywood.
There have been many popular cop characters played by actresses in Hindi movies. These include Rani Mukerji in the Mardaani franchise, Tabu in the Drishyam films, Kareena Kapoor Khan in The Buckingham Murders, Deepika Padukone in Singham Again, and more. While these are all the roles of police officers, their portrayals and journeys have been different.
In my opinion, there are various reasons behind the growing number of such characters in Bollywood films and why the audience is drawn to them. Firstly, a woman in uniform breaks the mold. They are not damsels in distress but the ones saving and delivering justice.
Secondly, not just as cops, but seeing females doing the action genre is a growing desire among the viewers. I think that people want to see women doing hand-to-hand combat, participating in car chases, and fighting villains.
Also, female police officers have not just been shown as having immense power and strength. They also have their internal battles and emotional backstories. For example, in Drishyam, Tabu is seen as an extremely smart and intense officer. However, she is also shown as a broken mother who just wants her child back. Similarly, Kareena Kapoor Khan's character is dealing with her own trauma while investigating the case of a missing child. Mardaani also focuses on Rani Mukerji's family.
Lastly, when such top Bollywood actresses play these kinds of characters, they spark conversations about important topics like gender roles and representation.
Thus, I feel that the number of female cop characters will just grow in the future and will also bring in the audience.
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