Why Sonakshi Sinha is Bollywood's angry young woman

When the makers of Bollywood action flick Akira decided to promote the Sonakshi Sinha-led project on social media with the hashtag #FightLikeAGirl, they must have been sure that their novel tactic would grab eyeballs. The Hindi film industry has for long had the reputation for treating its women as mere eye candy - where they are predominantly required to look pretty and play the damsel-in-distress to the heroic hero to the hilt. That's not to say, Bollywood hasn't come up with thought-provoking, women-oriented movies with depth as well. But they have been few and far in between, though the tide seems to be changing of late. 
When it comes to action movies, in particular, it's the men who have gone around kicking a**, more often than not in defense of the heroine. Barring a few exceptions like perhaps Jazbaa (where Aishwarya Rai had the support of Irrfan Khan) and maybe NH10 (where Anushka Sharma goes on a rampage) audiences have not been privy to hardcore action movies where the actress throws punches as easily as the hero. So when a movie like Akira (a remake of Tamil film Mouna Guru) comes along, it is like a breath of fresh air. Starring Sonakshi Sinha in the lead, the A.R. Murugadoss directed action film revolves around Akira Sharma, a simple girl who comes to Mumbai from Jodhpur, and gets into a fight with college goons. 
Here are excerpts from a recent interview with the actress where she talks women power and why she feels blessed about her Bollywood career.
How long will she play second fiddle to hero
In movies like Dabangg, Rowdy Rathore, Son of Sardaar and Holiday she has played the damsel in distress or the fiery girl who falls in love with the hero. Is she satisfied with playing second fiddle to the actors? 
"I was satisfied when I was new in the industry. I was playing characters, which are very different from what I am in real life. For me it took a lot to understand these characters, a Punjabi girl from Chandigarh, a small town village belle who is an orphan. I have never interacted with characters like these. It's purely my imagination. However I do feel the need to experiment with many more characters and in my next few films you will see a lot of variety."
Dubai, a home away from home 
I love Dubai; work brings me there so often! It's like a home away from home because so many of our Indian friends live there. The people have always been so hospitable and every trip has been memorable! It's got a great energy to it!
Daddy's daughter 
Shatrughan Sinha is known to be pretty vocal about issues. So has his daughter inherited his genes? "Speak your mind definitely but not without caring about what people think. We were taught not to get bogged down by other's negative opinions if any. However we would never hurt anyone deliberately by saying whatever we feel like and be insensitive but if something needs to be said regarding an important matter at hand then we definitely speak up."
The fiery Sonakshi proves her point 
One look at Sonakshi or probably it is an occupational hazard considering the roles she plays, but she comes across on one hand as the type of girl any man would love to take home to their parents and on the other hand she also comes across as pretty tough - the kind of girl probably whom the wayside rowdy would think twice about teasing. 
"Why wouldn't a head strong, tough on the outside, confident girl be the perfect girl to take home to your parents? 
"Whether it fits my personality assessment or not, any girl today with an honest and clean heart is the right girl to take home to your parents. I would love to see society change its perception of the perfect girl to take home to your parents or the perfect girl to marry. Each girl has her strengths and some unique quality that makes her special and stand out from the rest." Touché.
Style it like Sonakshi 
"Style is a very personal attribute and varies from person to person. Its not only about fashion or the clothes you wear, its about how you carry yourself, style can be in how you walk and talk too! I think the most stylish person right now is Alia... She has a very easy going and fresh sense of style!"
Sona's style tips:
1: I think its very important to understand your body type and dress accordingly.
2: Be comfortable in what you wear; discomfort automatically affects your confidence.
3: Play with colours that bring out your skin tone well.
4: For me less is always more. Simplicity speaks volumes.
5: Don't try too hard. Every outing doesn't need to look like you're going for a fancy dress competition!
The game changer 
Lootera was in many ways a game changer for Sonakshi. Critics sat up and took note of her and even her fans were enthralled by her role. "It was definitely a different kind of a film than what I was doing, but for me each film is a learning (experience) whether the outsider can see the difference or not. I know how much I grew as an actor when I worked with different actors and directors. I'm thankful for each film and each role I've played till date. My career took a different turn because the audience saw me in a different avatar and in a never seen before role."
Voicing her opinion 
Sonakshi has been heard espousing equal pay for women and men across all fields. "As a celebrity we do have some moral responsibilities because we have access to the right platforms to propagate changes that are the need of the hour; we can voice what we think is right for the society, What goes out of control is at times the way people perceive and misunderstand the message we are trying to convey or the mission or cause we are propagating."
The will to change 
The best thing about being a woman in today's world? "That today women can speak up and voice their opinions. No more do they suffer in silence; they live their lives on their own terms, they are working in a so called man's world and taking over so many terrains. Its so good to see such talented women out there." 
"Our biggest strength as women is our will power and determination. Once a woman makes up her mind to do something or makes it a point to prove something, then nothing can bog her down." 
And our weakness? "It's not exactly the worst weakness but it is a weakness, so to say, when we get emotional while making some important life decisions." 
'I'm terrible at math!' 
Wikipedia describes her as a rapper and then actress.. Is there a secret side to her personality we are unaware of. "Well lots! I play tons of sports... Volleyball, tennis, throwball, basketball and I'm a good swimmer too. I paint... I used to sketch since I was a child. This year I took that hobby one step forward by putting it on canvas. I'm a pro at word games and terrible at math!"
The perfect debut 
She started her career playing the love interest to a superstar like Salman Khan - and unlike many other actresses who have starred opposite him and faded away into oblivion, she has managed to stand apart and grow in her career. Sonakshi is very candid when she attributes it to her "hardwork and dedication." 
"I guess I chose a film that was perfect for my debut and people appreciated that. I brought a certain freshness to the film. After that I think everything just fell into place. I feel blessed." (ambica@khaleejtimes.com)