There’s something about the comedies of the ’90s that fans still can’t get enough of. The hilarious one-liners, over-the-top situations and unforgettable characters continue to entertain audiences even
today. But according to one actor who lived through that era, one important ingredient has slowly disappeared over the years.
After making a comeback to the comedy genre with Welcome to the Jungle, Raveena Tandon has spoken about how the role of women in Bollywood comedies has changed. While the film has been criticised for not giving many of its female actors enough screen time, Raveena believes the issue goes beyond just one movie.
Speaking to PTI, the actor said legendary star Sridevi set the benchmark for female-led comedy in Hindi cinema. Remembering her performances, Raveena said, “What she did in Mr India, the whole Hawa Hawai sequence, Charlie Chaplin act and Chaal Baaz was sheer genius. She proved that a mainstream, gorgeous heroine could twist her face, be utterly goofy, do slapstick, and still look absolutely mesmerising.”
Also Read: Ahmed Khan Says Welcome To The Jungle Didn’t Need More Dialogues For Disha, Jacqueline | Here’s Why
Raveena also praised Juhi Chawla’s comic timing and said actresses like Geeta Bali and Madhubala brought a unique “witty spark” to the screen.
However, she feels things are very different now.
Talking about the changing landscape of comedy films, Raveena said, “The space has changed, and frankly, we’ve lost some of that organic playground we had in the 90s. Today, comedy films have become highly structured and heavily plot-driven, or they are huge ensembles. In the process, the heroine comic tracks have shrunk.”
The actor added that today’s actresses have the talent to pull off comedy but often don’t get the opportunity because of the way female characters are written.
“Today’s girls are incredibly sharp, polished, and have fantastic timing, but the scripts often confine them to being glamorous catalyst characters rather than full-fledged comedic dynamos. We need writers to intentionally create flawed, chaotic, and downright hilarious female protagonists without worrying about making them look perfect or politically correct all the time,” she told PTI.
Raveena is currently seen in Welcome to the Jungle, the third film in the Welcome franchise. The series began with Welcome in 2007, starring Akshay Kumar, followed by Welcome Back in 2015 with John Abraham. Both films also featured Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar and were directed by Anees Bazmee.
The latest instalment, directed by Ahmed Khan, released in theatres last week and has crossed ₹100 crore at the worldwide box office. Apart from Raveena, the film features Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal and an ensemble cast of 34 actors.
