Jul 15, 2026 6:30pm IST
Disha Patani on India’s Missing Female Superheroes: ‘We Aren’t Exploring Our Comic Books Enough’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Disha Patani believes the future of Indian superhero cinema lies in an untapped source, the country’s own comic books. While Hollywood has built franchises around beloved comic book characters, the actor says Indian filmmakers have yet to fully explore the wealth of stories and female heroes that already exist.
Speaking exclusively to Variety India, Patani reveals that playing a superhero remains one of her biggest career ambitions. “My dream is to be a superhero on screen. When I think about superheroes, watching ‘Shaktimaan’ is one of my strongest childhood memories. I also remember Krrish. We don’t have enough superhero films in India, and creating female superheroes would require a lot more work.”
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Patani points to Hollywood’s female superheroes like Wonder Woman and Supergirl, saying their popularity stems from decades of storytelling in comics before making the leap to the big screen. “They already have their fan base. They have their storylines, and the audience is familiar with them. It is easier to develop that into a screenplay. We are not taking our characters from the comics. That is where the difference is. I would, in fact, love to do a superhero film,” she says.
For Patani, India’s comic book landscape presents opportunities beyond live-action films. “Digging into our comics would be a beautiful way to explore storytelling, even through animation,” she said. “I love Spider-Man and Hulk, and I’ve read the comics. Knowing their stories makes it easier to connect with them when I watch them on screen,” she adds.
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The actor also hopes to headline a full-fledged action film, a genre she has steadily worked on over the years. While she believes audience preferences continue to shape what gets made, she’s encouraged by the growing space for women-led action stories. “I would love to lead an action movie, but it depends on the audience. We are seeing stronger female characters now. I feel we’ll see a lot more action-oriented films for women in the future,” she shares.
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