
Mary Ann Evans
Acting
Biography
Mary Ann Evans, also known by her stage name Fearless Nadia, was an Indian actress and stuntwoman of Australian origin who is most remembered as the masked, cloaked adventurer in Hunterwali, released in 1935, which was one of the earliest female-lead Indian films. She is often referred to as a sex symbol.
Known For

Two look-alike sisters, one good and one evil, are at odds. The evil sister, a criminal, frames her innocent twin for her misdeeds. The good sister must then expose her criminal sibling to clear her name.
Muqabala

No description available.
Khilari

Preceded by a legend describing its heroine as a 'Brave Indian girl who sacrificed royal luxuries to the cause of her people and her country', the story opens with a prologue showing Krishnavati and her infant son being thrown out of the house in a thunderstorm by the wicked Prime Minister Ranamal who also killed her brother. 20 years later the now adult son, Jaswant, is hit by a royal motor car and given a bag of gold in compensation. His refusal of the gift attracts the admiration of Princess Madhuri. When the nasty Ranamal, who wants to marry her, imprisons her father the king, she becomes the masked Hunterwali, 'protector of the poor and punisher of evildoers', and performer of stunts like jumping over a moving cartand fighting 20 soldiers at once. She steals Jaswant's prize horse, Punjab, but returns it later. Jaswant chances upon a nude Hunterwali bathing in the river and after a long duel captures her and takes her to Ranamal to claim his reward.
Hunterwali

The story revolves around a doctor living in the jungle with his daughter, surrounded by wild tribal people who are ruled by the jungle queen, Sheena.
Jungle Ka Jawahar

Dr. Sharma (Sayani Atish) creates a serum that can control any human’s will. He first tests it on dancer, Veena (Sita Devi), with great success. One night Veena, as instructed, gives the serum to the local villagers who then began to sign over all of their property to Sharma and his co-conspirators (Dalpat and Azim). Two villagers, who avoided taking the serum, report the incident to the King (Master Mohammad) who in turn instructs his son Vijay (John Cawas) to investigate. Vijay takes on the persona of a masked pilot known as The Flying Price and battles Sharma and his associates and saves the villagers from losing their land.
Flying Prince

A retrospective documentary about the life of Mary Evans Wadia AKA Fearless Nadia.
Fearless: The Hunterwali Story

Also known as Lion of Baghdad, this film stars Fearless Nadia, John Cavas and Sayani Atish.
Lion of Baghdad

Suresh (John Cawas) has been left ₹1,000,000 (equivalent to ₹110 million or US$1.4 million in 2023) by his uncle in his will. The stipulation is that he has to be married and reach the lawyer's office by 11 O'Clock the next morning. The money will otherwise go to his cousin Harish.
11 O'Clock

A young girl named Maya is shipwrecked and raised by lions in a jungle. Years later, a search party tries to return her to civilization. Despite interference from cannibal chief Radha Rani, Maya and her loyal lions help the explorers. She also finds love with John.
The Jungle Princess

When a landlord offers monetary help to the villagers, a teacher advises her brother Jagu against it. An enraged landlord promises help to a farmer if he cancels his daughter's marriage to Jagu.
Tigress

Directed by Homi Wadia.
Diamond Queen

Hansa, daughter of Veer Singh, escapes an attack on her family by the villain Zalim Singh in which her mother is killed, her father injured and her sister Padma abducted. Growing up as a Harijan (an untouchable) she transforms the word to 'Hurricane', dons a mask and overthrows Zalim. She falls in love with Zalim's good son Diler. The horse Punjab-Ka-Beta features in its usual key role, rescuing Hansa when she hangs from a cliff, leaping over a wall of fire and aiding the love angle by nudging Diler into the pond where Hansa is having a bath.
Hurricane Hansa

Fearless Nadia as Fighting Queen
Fighting Queen

Savita, aka Miss 1936, is an amateur hunter while her brother Jayant is an amateur film-maker. Their father, Maganlal, arrested for the murder of a station-master, is defended by their uncle Shyamlal, who is in fact the mysterious Signal X. Shyamlal causes a major train smash-up so as to promote his new airline. He then implicates hero Sundar, son of the railway president, in the crime. Savita overcomes the nasty Signal X, whose henchmen are caught on film by Jayant as they sabotage a bridge. Nadia indulges in extensive fist-fights, set to heavy sound effects, and a famous battle alongside Sundar atop a moving train.
Miss Frontier Mail

Dharamdas, A fake philanthropist, sets up an ashram for poor women as a front for his dealing in black market grain. Inspectors Dayal and Comet (John Cawas) along with Sergeant Sunder (Shyam Sunder) vow to bring him to book. Dayal’s daughter Shanti (Fearless Nadia) and Sunder’s fiancé Mohini (Sona Chaterjee), join hands with the police to nab the crook, however Dharmads has Inspector Dayal murdered and vows to silence anyone else who gets near the truth of his criminal activity.
Comet

Two sisters, Iqbal and Sharifa, battle for control of a kingdom. Iqbal wins, persecuting Sharifa, who is supported by Iqbal's husband. When Iqbal captures her brother-in-law, he stands firm in his ideals. The treacherous general's daughter, Bano, champions a pacifist campaign after losing her lover. With the help of the adventurous Nadia and Parsee Charlie, disguised as dancers, they infiltrate the enemy.
Desh Deepak

A young boy (Master Suresh), and his pet duck, are found by the owners of a circus. A gangster (Habib) plans to kidnap the kid and hold him for ransom, but circus star Usha Devi (Fearless Nadia) and police detective Kishore (John Cawas) foil the plan.
Circus Queen

A daredevil disguises herself as a man, calling herself Delhi Express, while in search of her detective friend Navin’s father who was kidnapped on his way to Delhi with some important papers.