Mumbai, March 7 Despite women-led films repeatedly proving their success at the box office, their presence in the 2026 theatrical release calendar has dwindled significantly – with only Rani Mukerji's "Mardaani 3", Taapsee Pannu's "Assi", and Alia Bhatt's "Alpha" headlining the year. This situation is a stark contrast to previous trends.
According to trade website Sacnilk, women-led films have shown considerable box-office resilience between 2024–2026, with films like "Crew", "Article 370", "Stree 2" and "Lokah Chapter One" performing well at the ticket window. However, leading actors have expressed difficulty in securing meaningful roles and hope for a change.
Pannu, who has starred in films like "Thappad", "Mulk", "Pink" and "Saand Ki Aankh", has voiced her concerns bluntly.
She recently starred in Anubhav Sinha's "Assi", a courtroom drama that tells the story of a lawyer who takes on a powerful case involving sexual assault.
"We are on the verge of becoming extinct, like 'Assi'. There is a certain standard that our so-called commercial cinema follows, and we don't necessarily fit that mold," she told
