No more fake punches: Why martial arts is now a Bollywood must

Once upon a time in the magical world of movies in India, heroes didn’t need to know how to fight. They were poets with perfect hair, charmers with a winning smile—men who wooed, not walloped. They rarely threw a punch unless absolutely necessary, and even then, it was more of a symbolic gesture than a knockout blow.

But things changed.

Enter the era of chaos—where villains became more vile, more violent, and disturbingly creative in how they endangered damsels. The script evolved, and so did our heroes. The once-docile romantic leads had to trade roses for roundhouse kicks. It was awkward at first—like watching a ballroom dancer try MMA—but somehow, it still worked. We cheered, even when their punches looked more rehearsed than ruthless... aided more by sound than swing.

Back then, realism wasn’t the point. We didn’t care about biceps or black belts. If the hero soared through the air, paused mid-flight (as only Bollywood and Hollywood physics allow), and planted a fist on the villain’s jaw—audiences erupted in applause. Whether or not he had any formal martial arts training? Irrelevant. The stunt master choreographed, the cameraman worked his magic, and we happily suspended disbelief.

These were heroes made for heartbreaks, not brawls. But we believed—wanted to believe—that when push came to shove, they could take on a dozen goons and walk away with only a stylish cut always on their foreheads.

Then came the game-changers.

Actors arrived not just with chiselled physiques, but with serious combat skills. The likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger (bodybuilder-turned-Terminator), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF royalty), and martial arts legends like Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jason Statham, and Steven Seagal turned the tide. Their punches felt real. Their kicks had history. And their action films? Instant hits.

Audiences noticed. And once they realised these stars weren’t just pretending—they were trained fighters—expectations shifted. No longer content with pretend punches and body doubles, fans wanted the real deal. Now, if an actor couldn’t convincingly throw a high kick or disarm a thug with flair, it risked pulling viewers out of the scene.

An industry insider put it plainly: “Action films demand believability. And if your lead isn’t already trained, they have to learn martial arts.” Today, training isn’t a bonus—it’s the baseline.

India followed suit. We stopped buying into good-looking heroes magically transforming into warriors without breaking a sweat. Enter Akshay Kumar, who trained in Muay Thai; Tiger Shroff, a master of Taekwondo, Wushu, and Kalaripayattu; and Vidyut Jamwal, who’s been studying Kalaripayattu since age four. They brought credibility to action scenes—and audiences rewarded them.

Even actors not naturally inclined toward martial arts now undergo rigorous training. From Aamir Khan’s painstaking six-pack in Ghajini to Isha Talwar’s (Mirzapur fame) recent Kalaripayattu training for personal growth, physical preparation has become part of the profession.

As actor Hrithik Roshan’s trainer Swapneel Hazare explains, martial arts background allows actors to perform their own stunts. No doubles. No tricks. Just raw, authentic action. “It confuses the audience less,” he laughs. “They know it’s real. Vidyut or Tiger pulling off a double flip? No one's questioning it. They’re trained.”

Gone are the days of sneaky cutaways and clever camera angles hiding the stunt double. Today, if the hero doesn’t do it himself, the illusion breaks. “Back in the day, when my dad was in the movies, actors were expected to have a certain kind of walk—almost like a panther, graceful and stylish,” says fitness coach Divyanka Bedi, daughter of Bollywood actor Ranjit. “They also had to be good at riding horses, and when it came to combat, a few basic stunts—some punches and kicks—were considered enough. It never went much beyond that.”

Hazare emphasises that each role demands a specific physical skill set. A martial arts foundation makes the preparation smoother and more convincing—not just for the actor or director, but for the audience too. “That’s why someone like Tom Cruise is so admired. He does his own stunts. And people know it.”

So, does it matter if the hero is trained in martial arts?

In today’s action-packed cinema landscape, the answer is a resounding yes. Punches must land, kicks must soar, and the audience must feel the impact. We no longer just want to see the hero win—we want to believe he could.