Meet ‘The Sholay Girl’ Reshma Pathan, Bollywood’s 1st Stunt Woman

In conversation with the real and reel stunt women of Bollywood.

Bollywood’s first stunt woman, Reshma Pathan with actor Bidita Bag.

(Photo: The Quint)

Bollywood films are incomplete without action. However, it’s a lesser-known fact that behind the pretty, shining faces of actors who seem to perform the most life-threatening action sequences with so much ease, there’s a whole army of stunt doubles making it possible. Owing to patriarchy, ‘stunt men’ have always existed. However, it wasn’t until a few decades ago that stunt women too started becoming a part of the industry. And it was all thanks to one courageous woman - Reshma Pathan.

Bollywood’s first stunt woman, Reshma Pathan, started her journey as a young child struggling to make ends meet. Her natural affinity for the profession is what motivated her to take up such an unconventional career. She not only carved a niche for herself, but also fought for the rights of other women to become stunt performers in the industry. The Sholay Girl, a web film currently streaming on ZEE5, is Pathan’s story.

Released on 8 March, to celebrate International Women’s Day, The Sholay Girl, stars Bidita Bag (who plays the character of Reshma Pathan) as well as Reshma Pathan herself. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, The Sholay Girl takes us through Pathan’s life. From her early days of going door to door and selling rice to getting the opportunity to play Hema Malini’s stunt double in the Bollywood classic Sholay, Pathan has risked her life for many veteran actors of the industry. And in The Sholay Girl she finally gets the recognition she deserves.