Bollywood's Hottest Action Girls

Action has traditionally been the bastion of male actors. But every once in a while there have been role reversals; with heroines entering the fray and flexing their muscles.

And whenever heroines have performed action on screen (think Fearless Nadia), they have proved that they are more than just sexy seductresses.

In Abbas-Mustan's Players, you are likely see the image of a heroine change radically; for Bipasha Basu and Sonam Kapoor are seen performing risky stunts, giving the heroes a run for their money.

Take a look at some of the popular actresses fetching up as desi Lara Crofts in recent years:

Bipasha Basu in Players 

"I love action roles and want to do more. I am fit for it," announced Bipasha, generally seen as a sex symbol.

In the Hollywood film Singularity, she rode virile horses as a Maratha warrior. But that's for later. For now, you can catch Bipasha on bikes and bikini, in Players.

Putting aside her top label gowns and branded stilettos, Sonam has performed stunts on speeding boats and moving cars under the guidance of action director Allan Amin.

She trained in pilates (a rigorous fitness regime) for this role. "I have kicked some bad guys' ass," she has reportedly said.

When she rode the Royal Enfield on the roads of Spain, Katrina seemed to be telling her male colleagues, "If you guys can, why not me?"

Other than that, she performed some underwater scenes, too. Expect an encore in Dhoom 3.

As a Byzantine warrior (trained in martial art) in the Hollywood film The Last Legion, the Bachchan bahu proved she's made of tough stuff.

Hubby Abhishek was by her side when she performed some dangerous stunts in South India's dense forests for Raavan.

Let's not forget queen Jodhaa's sword fight in Jodhaa Akbar.

Blessed with an athletic body, Deepika is best suited for action roles more than any other single heroine working today.

In Chandni Chowk to China, she single-handedly takes on the cops at the airport, jumping up in the air, kickin' and bashing the daylight of them.

She's at it again in Rajnikanth's next, Rana.

To get into her role of a female bodyguard, Priyanka (a self-confessed adventure lover) trained in Gakta, a martial art form from Punjab.

Her sword-wielding skills in Drona came in for as much praise as her feisty action sequences in Don.

Usually, it's another kind of stunts she's famous for -- publicity stunts, we mean.

In Hisss, her forgettable attempt at a career revival, Ms Sherawat slipped into the skin of a snake in search of her nag (male partner). 

The self-styled female Gabbar Singh who hates men, the inspiration for this character is clearly Phoolan Devi.

Neha's Munni Madame is foul-tongued and speaks mostly with her gun.

The ravishing con artist, Dia gets mixed up in a diamond heist and what follows are stylishly-picturised action sequences that see the otherwise cute actress engage in a game-play of chase and hit.

Very rarely do we see actresses don the uniform. Sushmita does so and in style, as ACP Malvika Chauhan who's more Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs) than Kiran Bedi.

An expert gunwoman, she means business and won't think twice before pulling the trigger.