Rewind
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday February 1, 2008
Born in Perth in 1908 with blonde hair and blue eyes, it would seem Mary Ann Evans was destined for a life of pigtails, cups of tea and child-rearing. Instead she became Fearless Nadia, the Lady with the Whip - one of Bollywood's biggest stars and stuntwomen.
After growing up in colonial India, Nadia - who changed her name on the advice of a fortune teller - met two progressive filmmakers, the Wadia brothers. They saw her as their feminist icon who brushed bad guys aside with ease and broke through religious and social restrictions in a way Indian women would never dream of.She performed swashbuckling stunts, threw punches, cracked whips, danced gracefully and smashed box office records in the world's largest film industry. She would pick up men. And throw them.In her second major film, The Diamond Queen, Nadia defeats the baddies who try to subvert an education program in order to continue using child labour in the surrounding mines.Upon beating the guys to a pulp she gives them a heartfelt lecture on women's rights, feminism and literacy programs.It's pure slapstick, of course.A theatrical adventure based on the extraordinary life of Fearless Nadia comes to the Armory Theatre, Sydney Olympic Park, on March 6.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald
