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FEARLESS NADIA- A CASE STUDY.

Born as Mary Ann Evans, Fearless Nadia is remembered as the masked, cloaked adventuress

in Hunterwali (The Princess and the Hunter) released in 1935, which was one of the earliest

female lead Indian Films. Nadia may be considered as the real stuntqueen of Indian films.

Her counterparts like Miss Sulochana and Miss Eremeline were equally good but Nadia beat

them when it came to popularity among the masses and directors of stunt films.

Toofan Mailstarted the vogue of the action and thriller genres, followed by Homi Wadia and

 Nadia's Hunterwali (1935). 1935 saw the release of her breakthrough film, Hunterwali, or 

"Lady of the Whip", and this was when she was permanently nicknamed Hunterwali -- the

role that defined her career, and made her synonymous with the genre of stunt film. Her rolein the film — which had her dressed in tight, revealing clothes, tall boots, while wielding a

whip —  became iconic in 1930s pre-independence India. 

The movie was an absolute hit and spawned an entire genre of daring stunt films, featuring

the Robin Hood-like protagonist. Nadia performed her amazing action sequences herself,

thereby endearing herself to the public. In this and later films, the actor Sayani (who always

 played the villain) and a horse named Punjab Ka Beta were staples. The character became a

cult of sorts - whips, masks, shoes and belts with the Hunterwali logo were the rage.

In 1936 came Miss Frontier Mail. This was the most famous train films with a

spectacular fight scene atop a moving train with Nadia in the lead.

According to J.B.H Wadia, Nadia’s female traits could be more easily exploited as

compared to Miss Padma becayse Nadia was white, her buxom torso, her sparkly eyes

and pearly teeth made it easier for him. However, one thing that kept coming in

 between with her perfect features was her wait. she was not your traditional petite

actress, she had a ‘plump’ appearance. Some say that her weight was the reason when

the rope of her chandelier while performing a stunt in ‘Hunterwali’ broke. 

 Nadia was also considered more commercially viable than most of her counter parts.

This not only included bathing in nude. In ‘Hunterwali’ she was scantily dressedengaging in strenuous physical activities, wearing shorts that revealed large parts of 

her white and abundant flesh as she moved. In ‘Hunterwali’ cameras were specially

 positioned in such a way to display her body in all its splendid fullness, partly naked

 bulk.

 Nadia could run, jump, ride a horse, shoot a gun, wield a sword, swing from a rope,

throw punches and men, swim, lift weights and even drive a car apart from the regular 

singing and dancing clad in a sari.

her best role, the most strongly written by J.B.H., was in Diamond Queen which is

also perhaps the best made of all of Nadia's films, given J.B.H.'s passion for thethemes of female emancipation and anti-colonialism, and a particularly strong

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supporting cast that included the stalwart John Cavas (a stuntman and bodybuilder 

himself, with a strong screen presence); Sayani, the ubiquitous villain whose

trademark mustache and mannerisms endeared him to audiences; Sardar Mansoor, 

who appeared in many Wadia Movietone offerings, sometimes as hero, sometimes as

second lead, and who was a rather decent singer as well; and, of course, the "stunt

car" Rolls-Royce ki Beti ("Daughter of Rolls-Royce") and Gunboat the Dog (who performed many a stunt and trick himself!).

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