Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2025, with the Ranveer Singh-starrer creating massive box office havoc and reigniting the industry’s appetite for war dramas and action thrillers. While the genre continues to dominate theatrical releases, most such films are still headlined by male actors — a reality that actor Chitrangda Singh recently weighed in on.Speaking to Hindustan Times, Chitrangada shared her perspective on why women are rarely cast as leads in films like Dhurandhar.
‘It’s just the biology of it’
Reacting candidly to the issue, Chitrangada said, “It’s just the biology of it. Physically and biologically, a woman is not [deemed fit for the part]. I know that some people might just not like what I’m saying, but it’s a fact.”She added that beyond biology, social realities also play a role in how such stories are written. “There are a lot of social reasons why women can’t possibly be sent off like how Ranveer Singh’s character in Dhurandhar goes. So there’s probably that reason, as certain realism is required when it comes to that,” she explained.
‘Why not women in action?’
While acknowledging the constraints, Chitrangada also pointed out that action-led stories with women can be equally powerful if written with conviction. She cited recent examples from the South to make her case.“Having said that, there can be some amazing action sequences like there is Lokah and a South action film that was done in early 2025, and it was one of the most gruesome action films I have ever seen,” she said.Taking the argument further, the actor questioned why filmmakers hesitate to explore female-led action narratives. “I don’t know why filmmakers would not look at women doing action, because when you see that, it is something so unexpected—that kind of gruesome violence that a woman is capable of if she’s driven to that point. I think that is so exciting,” she added.She concluded by stressing that strong writing can make such characters believable and compelling. “So yes, why not? If your story backs a character like this, if you put it in writing, I feel it makes for some amazing cinema,” Chitrangada said.
Dhurandhar 2 teaser fuels excitement
Meanwhile, the first glimpse of Dhurandhar: The Revenge has already dropped, intensifying excitement among fans. The teaser features Ranveer Singh’s Hamza fighting India’s enemies in Pakistan and includes the line, “Yeh Naya Hindustan hai. He will enter this house and will also die.”The clip also offers brief glimpses of Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt, adding to the scale and intrigue surrounding the sequel. Dhurandhar 2 is slated to hit theaters on March 19, 2025, with Ranveer Singh reprising his role as Hamza in the lead.
