Helen Jairag Richardson
THE vamp in Indian cinema in the decades before the 1990s became obsolete as the traditional heroines could not do the daring, baring, and drinking scenes back then.
As societal norms changed, so did the role of heroines evolve. What was once regarded as taboo is now popularly known as “item numbers”.
The evolution of Indian cinema is often written through the triumphs of its heroes, but for decades, its structural engine was powered by a captivating contrast: the pure, self-sacrificing heroine and the dangerous, alluring vamp.
From the smoky cabaret dens of 1960s Mumbai to the neon-lit, rustic bars of 1980s Chennai and Hyderabad, the vamp was an essential archetype.
