Every Fatima Sana Shaikh role where she played a woman inside a system: Dangal, Sam Bahadur, Dhak Dhak, Hunkkaar: The Roar

When it comes to actresses who are staying away from the quintessential tropes of rom-coms and predictabilities, Fatima Sana Shaikh is the name that comes to mind. Like the path of formulas doesn’t exist for her, she has often been inclined towards characters that are a solid system in their own. Whether she’s playing Geeta Phogat in Dangal or she’s playing a first-posting ACP in the recently released, Hunkkaar: The Roar, Shaikh keeps picking women under institutional pressure. Take a look:

Dangal: Fatima Sana Shaikh’s portrayal of wrestler Geeta Phogat in Dangal remains one of the most defining roles of her career. Marking a big-screen debut that was unexpected, Shaikh portrayed a woman breaking into a male-dominated sport and she brought apt justification to the journey of a wrestler, depicting its trajectory from a young girl learning wrestling to becoming a world-class athlete.

Sam Bahadur: As Indira Gandhi in Sam Bahadur, Fatima Sana Shaikh took that bold leap at a time when actresses would think twice before stepping into the shoes of it. No romance, no drama, just pure performance as a woman in the front and centre of political power and governance. To justify the story of a real-life political figure, Fatima brought a striking resemblance to the lady, right from her mannerisms, body language to speech.

Dhak Dhak: Fatima Sana Shaikh tapped into a more contemporary shade of female institution in Dhak Dhak, essaying the role of a social media influencer who heads on a bike ride with three other women. Her journey draws a strong connection between the film’s exploration of friendship and self-discovery.

Hunkkaar: The Roar: Fatima Sana Shaikh tapped into an institutional role once again with Hunkkaar: The Roar. As ACP Jasleen Singh Soin, she takes charge of investigating an allegation against a powerful spiritual leader. As a woman in a position of authority, Shaikh brought more importance to women headlining spaces surrounding police systems, instead of walking the path of glamour and bling.

Aap Jaisa Koi: In Aap Jaisa Koi, Fatima Sana Shaikh played a French language instructor who lives life on her own terms. Though Aap Jaisa Koi revolves around an unconventional romantic trope, Shaikh’s character taps into spaces of gender stereotypes, patriarchal settings and questioning notions of everyday life, only to serve a role that’s modern, thoughtful and substantial.

With each role, Fatima Sana Shaikh has entered different worlds of wrestling, teaching, governance and more, only to bring different kinds of pressures that shape women’s lives.