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Hansa. Hansa was created by the Indian creator J.B.H. Wadia (Savita Devi, Hind Kesari, Lion Man (II), Parwiz, Thunderbolt (II), Vantolio) and appeared in the film Hurricane Hansa (1937).

Hansa is a Costumed Avenger. Centuries ago, in India, the wealthy merchant Veer Singh is attacked by his enemy Zalim Singh. Veer Singh is injured, his wife is killed, one daughter is kidnapped and the other, Hansa, is abandoned. Hansa grows up as an Untouchable but on becoming an adult learns the truth of her background and puts on a mask to become “Hurricane Hansa,” enemy of the wicked. She uses her athletic abilities and skills with sword and whip to depose Zalim Singh while also falling in love with his noble son Diler. Hansa is aided by her unusually intelligent horse Punjab-ka-beta.

* I'm including Hurricane Hansa in the Best of the Encyclopedia category because it's one of Fearless Nadia's iconic films. Hurricane Hansa, along with Hunterwali and Miss Frontier Mail (see: Savita Devi) and a couple of others, made Nadia into the iconic action star of 1930s Indian cinema. She became the archetype of the action actress for Indian audiences, and if they were bothered by Nadia (nee Mary Ann Evans) being white and of Australian origin they never let it show--they adored her. She did her own stunts (many of which were outrageous--jumping a horse from a bridge onto the top of a moving train, that sort of thing), was a legitimate film star, and acted in films that are only a little dated today. The nearest American equivalent would be Steve McQueen, I think, which is high praise for Nadia indeed. 

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