QUICK! Think of a Hindi movie. Next, try and figure out the contribution of the heroine. Chances are that 90 per cent of the time, one will picture her either running around trees, shedding copious tears, or changing outfits in the blink of an eye.

In other words, it is not everyday that films in which the female protagonist stands tall, such as Devdas or Jism, are made. Once upon a time, Sonali Bendre made her presence felt on the silver screen with her appearance in the Humma Hummanumber in Bombay.

Following which, she was spotted here and there in bit roles. The recent announcement of her marriage had everyone believe that Sonali was distancing herself from the limelight. No way! For Sonali has jumped right back into the thick of things with a superb role in Anaahat, a Marathi film. Don’t mind, but this revolutionary film is set in the 10th century and concerns the issue of niyoga — when a married woman whose husband is impotent is directed to carry the family name forward through another male.

Sonali, in turn, plays a queen who has come to terms with her husband’s impotence but is under pressure from the senate to go through niyoga for the welfare of the people. ‘‘This is a character I can identify with completely. I am not aggressive in real life but, at the same time, will never compromise on my self respect,’’ she elaborates. Shooting for Anaahat, an Amol Palekar film, will begin this month. So, are we looking at another entry to a foreign film awards function? ‘‘I have no idea about how the film will be promoted, or if it will be sent to film festivals. And I’m not really thinking in this direction at the moment.

For now, I’m feeling mixed emotions — of excitement and nervousness — before shooting commences,’’ says the leading lady. The scene is set. The script is ready. The characters are in place. Lights, camera... Sonali is ready for Anahaat a n d action!