Women seem to be leading the way in Bollywood, given the benchmark their films are setting at the box office. Kangana Ranaut, amongst the first to pioneer the trend, credits director Aanand L Rai and writer Himanshu Sharma for redefining women in movies and not shying away from portraying an unconventional woman like Tanuja Trivedi.

Also known as Tanu Trivedi, the character was introduced to us in Tanu Weds Manu (2011) by Aanand about four years ago, when women didn't follow conventional norms. While women who spoke their mind, indulged in social taboos like casual sex and consumed alcohol were considered vamps and looked down upon in movies, Tanu was a hit with the audience. Since then, a number of films featured such characters.

While it may not be wrong to call a feisty woman like Tanu a quintessential Bollywood heroine today, Kangana credits Aanand for conceptualising the character thus. Talking about the portrayal of heroines in Hindi films, the actress says, “Most of the time in Indian cinema, female characters have been stereotypical. While I loved playing Tanu, the best part is that she has been loved widely. This nation embraced a woman who challenges the moral police. Tanu has been loved for her individuality and not judged and this gives me a lot of hope for the future of cinema in this country.“

While the film takes ahead the story of Tanu Weds Manu, the makers promise that those who haven't seen it, will still enjoy the sequel.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns, produced by Eros International and Colour Yellow Productions, releases May 22.