1 Sridevi
Nothing is more amusing than a ghagra-clad heroine beating the hell out of goons. Sridevi did it, dressed like a bride in yellow, attacking goons who had come to kidnap a poor man’s daughter. One sequence had her do seven somersaults. Why didn’t we send her to the Olympics?
2 Sridevi again
This hilarious action sequence from the 80s Telugu film Jayam Manade will sweep you off your feet. Imagine an old lady plucked from thin air by goons flying on ropes, and the ‘rescue mom’ act becomes an airborne battle. The hero battles one flying goon after another, while his lady Sridevi on the ground strikes at the dangling feet with a log.
3 Katrina Kaif
Little is known about this partly 2013 animated film Main Krishna Hoon, except for the cameo appearances by Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Feisty Kaif saves the day for little kids here, striking some powerful blows.
4 Sonika Gill
Best known for playing Vivienne in Ram Lakhan (1989), Sonika Gill found her feet in comical masala films. Dressed in a ghagra, she displayed great athleticism in taking down goons in Bijlee Aur Toofan (1988). There were somersaults, kicks and some deft footwork too. Unbelievably, while executing such high-flying acts, Gill even hurled some interesting desi cuss words.
5 Rekha
Only Rekha can explain why she chose to do the 1994 action thriller Madam X. However, it turned out to be a laugh riot. Her headgear made her look like Muammar Gaddafi's bodyguard rather than a woman seeking revenge. Inspector Vijay (Mohsin Khan) helplessly watches his beloved being confined to flames, and is mocked by Madam X, who lights her cigarette from the wood used to light the pyre. What follows next is a cat-and-mouse battle with Vijay kicking Rekha multiple times on the face, but failing to unmask her.
6 Rambha
Rambha is no stranger to Bollywood, but she's always saved her best for south Indian films. Inspired by Charlie's Angels, Tamil flick Three Roses starred southern divas Rambha, Jyothika and Laila. Watch her 10 flying kicks at one go in this sequence. Take a bow, Rambha
7 Dimple Kapadia
Don't wound someone you can't kill. Poor Puneet Issar and Tej Sapru didn't know this, and paid the price for chasing Dimple Kapadia in Zakhmi Aurat (1988). This remarkable scene begins with cop Kiran Dutt (Kapadia) trading hard blows with a gang of rapists who have held two girls captive. Next, rapists Sukhdev (Issar) and Suryakanth (Sapru) stalk Dutt at night. She throws table lamps, vases, bottles at them, and also reloads her pistol while riding a bike.
8 Shilpa Shetty
She's tall, lanky and knows martial arts, thus making her a perfect fit for actions scenes. Surprisingly, few filmmakers tapped into Shilpa Shetty's aggressive persona. This scene from 1996 film Himmat had her zoom in on a bike in the nick of time to save her father, played by Mohan Joshi. Shetty made use of those long legs to keep Gulshan Grover at bay, but failed to dodge a fatal bullet.