Raveena Tandon has reflected on the changing face of Bollywood comedies and the limited space female actors once had in the genre. The actress believes women were often reduced to glamorous catalysts while the male leads drove the story forward.
Updated: July 3, 2026, 1:33 PM IST
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Raveena Tandon on women’s roles in Bollywood comedies (PC: Instagram)
Raveena Tandon has never shied away from speaking honestly about her experiences in the film industry, and her latest comments have once again started an interesting conversation. Looking back at the comedy films of the 1990s and early 2000s, the actress shared how women were often treated in stories that largely revolved around male characters. Having starred in several popular comedies herself, Raveena Tandon has seen the industry evolve over the years. While those films continue to enjoy a loyal fan following, she believes they also reflected a time when female characters were given enough depth or importance but now its not the same. Here’s what Raveena Tandon said and how does she view the industry’s changing approach to women on screen.
Raveena Tandon on women’s roles in Bollywood comedies
In a recent interaction with PTI, Raveena Tandon highlighted how Sridevi opened doors for female actors in comedy but now women in Bollywood comedies were often reduced to ‘glamorous catalysts’ rather than being fully developed characters. According to the actress, the stories usually revolved around the male leads, while female actors were expected to add glamour, romance or simply move the plot forward. She said, “The space has changed, and frankly, we’ve lost some of that organic playground we had in the 90s. Today, comedy films have become highly structured and heavily plot-driven, or they are huge ensembles. In the process, the heroine comic tracks have shrunk. Today’s girls are incredibly sharp, polished, and have fantastic timing, but the scripts often confine them to being glamorous catalyst characters rather than full-fledged comedic dynamos. We need writers to intentionally create flawed, chaotic, and downright hilarious female protagonists without worrying about making them look perfect or politically correct all the time.”
Raveena Tandon explained that despite enjoying those films and the memories attached to them, there was little scope for women to explore layered performances in comedy. She also pointed out that comedy itself has become more challenging today, with filmmakers trying to balance humour while being mindful of changing audience sensibilities and social media reactions.
Raveena Tandon in Welcome to the Jungle
Raveena Tandon is part of the star-studded cast of Welcome to the Jungle, an upcoming Bollywood comedy film directed by Ahmed Khan. She plays the role of Zoya in the ensemble, reuniting on screen with Akshay Kumar after many years. The film is a chaotic comedy-adventure set around a group of quirky characters caught in a jungle mission full of confusion and humour.
