Meet Lady 007

Vedant Chandel

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British actress Lashana Lynch is set to take over the role of Agent 007 for the latest entrant in the James Bond film series, Bond 25. While women, famously grouped under the title of ‘Bond girls’, have been part of the franchise previously, Lynch’s character will be the first to play in the capacity of Agent 007.

The decision to cast a woman as Bond’s successor for the job of 007 has left a polarising impression on audiences. Notably, Daniel Craig had been non-committal on reprising the role of the eponymous hero ever since his last outing in the franchise, Spectre. While he has decided to stay on as Bond, he will, in all probability, no longer use the alias Agent 007. Speculations were rife for Craig’s probable successor, with notable names including that of Idris Elba doing rounds. However, Bond 25 co-writer Phoebe Walter-Bridge came up with the idea of casting a woman as the new Agent 007.

Critical eye

Social media was quick to react to the news with several long-time fans voicing their disappointment at the casting choice and criticising the move as a token attempt at political correctness.

Says Ashutosh Mishra, a student at DAV College, Chandigarh, “If they continue with Lynch in the franchise, they will have to be careful in honouring the legacy created by the franchise’s original hero.” Adds Akhil BS, a Mohali-based engineer, “The fans will feel cheated if the move was to materialise as Bond is the story of a white man from England, it has always been that and changing that makes it a different franchise altogether.” Similar attempts in the past, including Ghostbusters, Ocean’s series, and Men in Black, resulted in varying degrees of success.

Dr. Kriti Kuthiala, a professor at DAV College, Chandigarh, and a film enthusiast, says, “The cast for Ocean’s 8 was well-received and the film made a lot of money. Lynch’s character, if treated well, can also go miles.”

Film analyst A. Sahadevan adds, “It’s really about the writer and director’s vision. If they think that the move is organic and natural, then there should be little discussion over its magnitude.” The rest, only time will tell!