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Worst actresses in Indian cinema

by SohailH22 • Created 5 months ago • Modified 2 months ago
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  • Divya Khossla

    1. Divya Khossla

    • Actress
    • Producer
    • Director
    Savi (2024)
    Divya Khosla Kumar (born 20 November 1987) is an Indian actress, producer, and director who works in Hindi films. She has directed various advertisements and has also featured in some music videos. She is married to Bhushan Kumar, the chairman and managing director of T-Series music label and film production company.
  • Ameesha Patel

    2. Ameesha Patel

    • Actress
    • Producer
    Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000)
    Grand-daughter of Indian freedom fighter, lawyer and former Justice Rajni Patel, Amisha, a Gemini, was born in Bombay's Breach Candy Hospital. Her younger brother Ashmit Patel is also a Bollywood film actor and her name is a blend of the first three letters of her father's name Amit and the last three letters of her mother's name Asha.

    She studied at the Cathedral and John Connon High School in Bombay and went on to obtain a degree in Economics from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. After graduation she worked for a Finance company and also modeled on the side.

    She has studied Bharat Natyam dance form since the age of five and had acted in several plays in Satyadev Dubey's Theatre including a play titled 'Neelam'.

    She did not have any plans of being an actress, but when Amit's friend, film-maker and actor, Rakesh Roshan, met her during a family lunch, he offered her the lead role in 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'. Amisha accepted the offer, the movie went on to become a blockbuster and made her a star overnight.

    She went on to star in a number of films and her most notable works include 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha', 'Humraaz', 'Yeh Hai Jalwa', 'Mangal Pandey', 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.', 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', 'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic' and 'Race 2'.

    She has also acted in several South Indian films.

    Amisha has been the recipient of four awards for her performances in 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai' and 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha'.

    She has co-starred with Akshaye Khanna, Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Aftab Shivdasani, Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Rampal among others.

    Her personal life has been marred with misunderstandings with her parents and brother, so much so that she has sought the intervention of the courts. She dated Bollywood director, Vikram Bhatt, for five years since the release of their first film together, 'Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage', but they had broken-up in 2007. Patel started dating London and Delhi-based businessman Kanav Puri after her break-up, but they eventually broke up two years later in 2010.

    She has many critics, who have described her as inconsistent, but have since then bitten their lips when they were proved wrong by this petite and beautiful actress - who has, and continues to enthrall her fans with a variety of performances on the silver screen.
  • Ananya Panday

    3. Ananya Panday

    • Actress
    Gehraiyaan (2022)
    In 2023, Ananya Panday starred as the leading lady in the sequel "Dream Girl 2," alongside Ayushmann Khurrana. She also starred in the pivotal role in the film 'Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan' alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav, for which the actress received accolades for her role as Ahana. She bagged the Zine Cine Awards' 'Performer of the Year,' Pinkvilla's 'Most Stylish Performer of the Year,' Femina Beautiful Indian's 'Standout Performer of the Year,' and News 18's ShowSha Reel Awards' 'Breakthrough Performance.

    Ananya Panday made a special appearance in the song "HeartThrob" from the film "Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani." Her upcoming projects include Vikramaditya Motwane's cyber thriller, "Control," and an Amazon Prime Video series titled "Call Me Bae." Additionally, she is set to star in the period film "Shankara," alongside Akshay Kumar, produced by Dharma Productions.
  • Bhumi Pednekar

    4. Bhumi Pednekar

    • Actress
    My Big Fat Bride (2015)
    Bhumi Pednekar is a renowned Bollywood actress born to late Satish and Sumitra. Her father was a former 'Maharashtra home and labor minister' while her mother worked as an activist fighting for the anti-tobacco regime after her husband passed away suffering from oral cancer.

    Pednekar worked at Yash Raj Films as a casting director for six years before making her acting debut in Sharat Katariya's My Big Fat Bride (2015), in which she played the obese wife of Ayushmann Khurrana's character. She was widely appreciated for her performance in the movie and won the Filmfare Award, Screen Award, and International Indian Film Academy Award for Best Female Debut for her work.

    She was cast in the satirical film Toilet: A Love Story (2017) opposite Akshay Kumar as a young lady in rural India who campaigns to enhance sanitation conditions, especially in rural areas. It grossed over 3 billion (about US$38 million) worldwide, making it one of the year's highest-grossing films and Pednekar's highest-grossing film overall.

    Pednekar's first nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actress was in the same year for her performance opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in the comedy Shubh Mangal Savdhan (2017), which revolved around male impotence in India.

    In 2018, Pednekar played a maid in a relationship with her boss on the Netflix anthology series Lust Stories (2018). Her first film of 2019 was the Abhishek Chaubey-directed criminal thriller Sonchiriya (2019). She co-starred as a young housewife on the run with the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Manoj Bajpayee in the rural region of Chambal. In Saand Ki Aankh (2019), which came out the next year, she played Chandro Tomar, a sharpshooter in her 70s. Her sister-in-law, Prakashi Tomar, was played by Taapsee Pannu. Pannu and Pednekar spent a lot of time with the two women and shot a lot of targets for practice.

    In Bala (2019), Pednekar reprised her role as a headstrong small-town teen. This was her third time working with Khurrana; in this film, she played a woman with a dark complexion who faced prejudice. And in Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019), a remake of the 1978 film, she played the role of a housewife whose husband was having an affair.

    Alankrita Shrivastava directed Dolly Kitty and Those Twinkling Stars (2019), which had its world premiere at the 24th Busan International Film Festival in 2019 and was released on Netflix in 2020. After that, she played a small role in the comedy-drama Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020) and the horror movie Bhoot: Part One - The Haunted Ship (2020).

    Pednekar appeared in Durgamati: The Myth (2020), the Hindi version of the horror film Bhaagamathie (2018). After a year from the silver screen, Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao starred in the comedy-drama Badhaai Do (2022) as homosexuals in a lavender marriage.

    Her appearance with Akshay Kumar in Aanand L. Rai's Raksha Bandhan (2022), a family comedy, has also been immensely praised. She next appeared in the Disney+ Hotstar comedy-suspense film Govinda Naam Mera (2022) with Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani, directed by Shashank Khaitan.

    Her first movie My Big Fat Bride (2015) got her seven awards. She also won Zee Cine Awards for her movie Bala (2019) as the best supporting actress in 2020. Later in the same year, she was awarded the best actress award (critics) for her movie Saand Ki Aankh (2019) by Screen Awards, which was shared with Taapsee Pannu as well. Another Best actress (critics) award came her way in 2020 for her role in Sonchiriya (2019).

    Pednekar also appeared in four episodes of Man's World (2015), a satire on YouTube made by Y-Films about what would happen if women treated men the way men treat women.

    In 2020, she collaborated with MTV India on the Nisedh campaign that aimed at increasing young people's understanding of women's health care.
  • Bipasha Basu

    5. Bipasha Basu

    • Actress
    • Music Department
    • Soundtrack
    Ajnabee (2001)
    Fate intervened when Bipasha recoiled and passed out when dissecting a rat. Thus ended her dream of being a medical professional. She was enrolled in the science faculty until 12th standard, but switched to commerce thereafter. After acquiring a degree in commerce she planned to be a chartered accountant but ended up being the Ford Supermodel of the World when she was just 17 years old.

    Bipasha was born on January 7th 1979 in New Delhi. subsequently the Basu family re-located to Calcutta. Bipasha is the second of three sisters, born and brought up in a Hindu Bengali family, she is fluent in Hindi, English, and Bengali. The names of her sisters are Bidisha and Bijoyeta. Unbelievable as it may sound, sexy Bipasha was considered 'ugly' in her younger years due to her dark complexion. Her name means 'Dark Deep Desire', and is also the name of a river.

    After her triumph as the Ford Supermodel, she went on to be crowned Miss Vivacious sponsored by Tulips.

    Bipasha made her foray into Bollywood with Ajnabee (2001) in 2001, and subsequently acquired a place for herself in the tinsel world. She went to star in Raaz (2002), Jism (2003), No Entry (2005), Phir Hera Pheri (2006), Corporate (2006) & Dhoom 2 (2006). All of these movies did fairly well at the box office, and escalated her position as not only a leading lady, but one who can dare to bare. Dhoom 2 (2006) also credits her as a playback singer.

    She has also appeared in two music videos, and was one of the judges in the 2004 Femina Miss India beauty pageant.
  • Parineeti Chopra

    6. Parineeti Chopra

    • Actress
    • Music Department
    • Soundtrack
    Hasee Toh Phasee (2014)
    Parineeti Chopra is an Indian actress and singer who appears in Hindi films, was born on in Ambala, Haryana into a Punjabi family. Her father, Pawan Chopra, is a businessman and supplier to the Indian Army at Ambala Cantonment and her mother is Reena Chopra. Chopra studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Ambala. In an interview published in The Hindu, she revealed that she was a very good student and had always wanted to become an investment banker. Chopra is also a trained Hindustani classical singer with a B.A. Honours in music. She used to perform on stage with her cousin, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and their fathers in her childhood.[12]

    Chopra initially aspired to pursue a career in investment banking, but after obtaining a triple honor's degree in business, finance and economics from Manchester Business School she returned to India during the 2009 economic recession and joined Yash Raj Films as a public relations consultant. Later, she signed a deal with the company as an actress. Chopra made her acting debut with an acclaimed performance in the 2011 romantic comedy Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl (2011), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut and a Best Supporting Actress nomination. She followed it by garnering widespread critical acclaim for her starring roles in the box office hits- Ishaqzaade (2012), A Pure Desi Romance (2013) and Hasee Toh Phasee (2014). The first of these won her the National Film Award - Special Mention while the first two of these earned her two nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. After a three-year hiatus from full-time acting, she starred in the blockbuster comedy Golmaal Again (2017).
  • Preity G Zinta

    7. Preity G Zinta

    • Actress
    • Producer
    • Writer
    Veer-Zaara (2004)
    Preity Zinta shot to fame as the refreshing, cool, wet model in the Liril commercial. She also modeled for Perk and her dimpled smile won the hearts of millions. Preity never thought she would be an actress. Kapoor saw her in the Liril commercial and liked her so much that he instantly decided that the next film he would announce would have her in the lead. However, 'Tara Rum Pum' never got made and is still pending since the director got very busy with his other projects.

    But another offer soon came by, Kundan Shah's Kya Kehna (2000). Though the film was the first, Preity had actually begun shooting for her first release which was Mani Ratnam's Dil Se.. (1998). The film was a hit which won Preity accolades. Later Abbas-Mustan's Soldier (1998) that too was a hit at the box-office confirmed she was here to stay. Though Kya Kehna (2000) was her first film, but it released in 2000 and was the surprise hit of 2000.

    Her role in Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002) was appreciated and liked by all and that has made her an actress to reckon with in Bollywood. Her screen presence, charm and down to earth nature has made her the favorite actress of almost all the directors and producers. With banners and films like Rakesh Roshan's Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) with 'Hrithik Roshan', Nikkhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) starring Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Jaya Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya (2004) with Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan, Atul Agnihotri's Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha (2004) starring Salman Khan and Bhoomika Chawla, Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara (2004) with Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, Siddharth Anand's Salaam Namaste (2005) with Saif Ali Khan, and Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) with Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji, Preity has already made her place in the hearts of the public and also in Bollywood.
  • Sai Pallavi

    8. Sai Pallavi

    • Actress
    Premam (2015)
    Sai Pallavi is an actress and dancer who has established her presence in Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam films. Pallavi was born in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, to Senthamarai Kannan and Radha Kannan. She has a younger sister named Pooja Kannan, who is also an actor.

    Pallavi grew up in Coimbatore and did her schooling at Avila Convent School. She completed her medical studies at the Tbilisi State Medical University in Georgia in 2016. Later, in 2020, she sat for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in Trichy.

    Pallavi's first brush with acting on the big screen took place in 2005 in an uncredited role in Kasthuri Maan (2005), in which she played the role of a college girl. She appeared in another uncredited blink-and-miss role in Dhaam Dhoom (2008), an action thriller starring Kangana Ranaut.

    Pallavi made her official acting debut as the lead in Premam (2015), a romantic comedy directed by, Alphonse Puthren, in which she essayed the role of a teacher. She was approached for the movie while she was still studying medicine, and she shot for the film during her vacation. The film was released without any teasers, trailers, or pre-release interviews. It went on to become a huge hit at the box office, garnering appreciation from critics and audiences alike, and shot her to instant fame.

    Pallavi bagged several awards for her performance in the film, including the Filmfare Awards South 2015 for the Best Female Debut - Malayalam, South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) 2015 for the Best Female Debut - Malayalam, and the Vanitha Film Awards 2016 for the Best Newcomer - Actress. She also won the Asianet Film Honour Special Jury Award in 2015.

    With her second film Kali (2016), Pallavi once again proved her mettle as an actress. She played the role of a newly married girl dealing with the extreme anger issues of her husband. The action thriller directed by Sameer Thahir had Dulquer Salmaan playing the lead opposite her. The film was one of the biggest box office successes of 2016. It earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Awards South 2016 for Best Actress - Malayalam.

    Her next project was Sekhar Kammula's romantic comedy Fidaa (2017), which marked her debut in Telugu cinema. Starring opposite Varun Tej, Pallavi stood out as a feisty village girl named Bhanumathi. Her performance in the film has been listed among the 100 Greatest Performances of the Decade, compiled by Film Companion. The film went on to become a huge commercial success. She won the Filmfare Award South 2018 for Best Actress - Telugu for her performance.

    In MCA Middle Class Abbayi (2017), an action comedy directed by Venu Sriram, Pallavi appears onscreen with Nani. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, it turned out to be a successful venture at the box office.

    Then, Pallavi explored the supernatural genre for the first time with Diya (2018), which was directed by A.L. Vijay and had Naga Shaurya as the lead opposite her. It was her debut in Tamil cinema in a lead role. Her next film was Padi Padi Leche Manasu (2018)(2018).

    Her following silver screen appearance was in Maari 2 (2018), in which she starred opposite Dhanush. In this action comedy directed by Balaji Mohan, she portrays the role of an auto driver. While the film earned mixed reviews from critics, the song, 'Rowdy Baby', became one of the most-watched music videos from South India on YouTube.

    In 2019, Pallavi appeared in Vivek's psychological thriller Anukoni Athidhi (2019) opposite Fahadh Faasil. To prepare for her role as an autistic girl, she met several people with autism and worked profoundly on her body language.

    She followed it up with movies like NGK (2019) and the anthology drama Paava Kadhaigal (2020), which was released on Netflix.

    In 2021, she had two releases, Love Story (2021) and Shyam Singha Roy (2021), both of which received a positive response at the box office. She won the Filmfare Award South 2022 for Best Actress - Telugu for her acting in Love Story and the Filmfare Critics Award 2022 for Best Actress - Telugu for her role in Shyam Singha Roy. She also won the SIIMA Award 2022 for the Entertainer of the Year (Female) - Telugu for her performance in both movies.

    Pallavi was last seen in Gargi (2022), a legal drama directed by Gautham Ramachandran. She earned critical appreciation for her performance in the movie.
  • Vidya Balan

    9. Vidya Balan

    • Actress
    • Producer
    Kahaani (2012)
    Vidya was born in Palghat, Kerala, India. Her family consists of her dad, P.R. Balan, who is the Vice-President of ETC Channel; mom - a home-maker, and an elder sister, Priya, who is married to Kedar. She also has an aunt by the name of Raji Raju.

    The Balan family re-located to live at Road No. 11, near Ambedkar Garden, Chembur, Bombay, when Vidya was very young. She studied in St. Anthony's Convent School, and thereafter in St. Xavier's College from where she obtained a degree in Sociology. She then went on to obtain a Masters degree in Sociology from Bombay University.

    She also studied and performed in Prithvi Theaters' workshops. Due to tradition of most Tamil-Iyer families, Vidya and her Priya learned Carnatic dance form during their early childhood days, but Vidya opted out as the dance classes took place early on Sunday mornings and as she is not an early riser.

    Considerably overweight, rather tomboyish, during her school-days, and an ardent fan of Shahrukh Khan, she decided to shed those extra pounds when she elected to opt for modeling and movies.

    Facing disappointment after being rejected by a Tamil producer, she nevertheless persisted until she got her first break with a Malyalam movie 'Chakram' opposite Mohanlal, however, the project was shelved, and she had to wait until 1998 to debut in a Surf Excel commercial. She then went on to appear in several commercials directed by Pradeep Sarkar. She completed nearly 90 such ads.

    She appeared in three music videos for Pankaj Udhas, Euphoria, and Shubha Mudgal in supporting roles. She then also appeared in two TV serials Ekta Kapoor's 'Hum Paanch', and Ashok Pandit's 'Hanste Khelte'.

    During 2003 she was signed-up to play a role in a Bengali movie 'Bhaalo Theko' opposite Joy Sengupta. This project was completed during the year 2006, and was a considerable hit.

    Then during 2006 Vidya was approached by Vidhu Vinod Chopra during a pop-concert in Mumbai to play a lead role in 'Parineeta'. She then had to undergo 17 make-up shoots and 40 screen tests before being chosen for this role. All this hard work did result in success as 'Parineeta' was very well received so much so that the Tamil producer, who had previously rejected her, invited her to appear in a 'Dasavatharam' opposite Kamal Hassan, and now it was Vidya's turn to reject this offer which eventually went to 'Asin'.

    Apart from acting, Vidya occupies herself for supporting education for young Indians by promoting children's' books; is associated with Americans for Aids Research; with Hale House - that provides support and housing for children born with HIV and drug abuse; as well as hosting forums and attending events for Harvard Aids Institute.

    When she was single, she was never involved in any scandal and claimed to get along well with both female and male friends. In 2012, she married producer Siddharth Roy Kapur

    An ardent devotee of Bhagwan Shri Sai Baba, she makes it a point to attend Mandirs every Thursday. She is proficient in Tamil, Malyalam, Hindi, English, Bengali, and can also read Urdu.
  • Urmila Matondkar

    10. Urmila Matondkar

    • Actress
    Bhoot (2003)
    The daughter of a lecturer, actress Urmila Matondkar began her celluloid career as a child artiste with the film _Kalyug (1980)_. Although an average film at the box-office, her next film, Masoom (1983), about a family coping with an illegitimate member, showed her acting talents blossom and she received critical acclaim from both her fans and the film fraternity. She subsequently appeared in a number of films including Dacait (1987), where she plays Sunny Deol's under-aged sister who gets brutally raped.

    Years later, Urmila then made her debut as an adult actress in N. Chandra's Narasimha (1991) opposite Sunny Deol . She then did the fantasy Chamatkar (1992) with the then-débutant Shahrukh Khan and Shreemaan Aashique (1993), a comedy on male chauvinism opposite Anupam Kher and Rishi Kapoor and a crime movie Drohi (1992), But no matter what films she did, while her fellow actresses Manisha Koirala and Raveena Tandon reached the peak of their popularity with blockbuster after blockbuster, success seemed to elude her.

    Then she did Ram Gopal Varma's Rangeela (1995), a tale of a girl's journey in the film industry. The movie came as a refreshing surprise and Urmila gave a magnificent performance, which is no small feet alongside actors Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff, but what gave the film classic status was A.R. Rahman's music, Asha Bhosle's songs and designer Manish Malhotra, who transformed Urmila from a Maharashtrian middle-class girl into a sexy and glamorous actress. With this movie Urmila revolutionized sensuality on the Indian screen. What most actresses hadn't managed even after a dozen hits, Urmila had achieved with only one film. And ever since, she has been associated with Asha Bhosle's sensual voice and of course the image of the sizzling seductress - in fact, she is still known for her sizzling sensuality and her stunning looks.

    However, Urmila is not to be judged only for her looks. She is also an actress of great talent and skill - her performance in Satya (1998) as a modest girl whose boyfriend, the titular character, gets sucked into the Bombay underworld is one of her best ever performances to date. And since 2000, she began to play roles of depth and substance, making an impact most notably in the films Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya... (2001), Om Jai Jagadish (2002), Pinjar (2003), a drama based on India's partition, I Did Not Kill Gandhi (2005), about a man accused of Gandhi's murder and Banaras (2006).

    As of 2006, she has acquired several assignments, both using her talents as an actress and as a seductress - she is doing Onir's Bas Ek Pal (2006) and Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay (2006), the latter of which audiences are eagerly waiting for with bated breath. On March 3, 2016, she married actor-model-businessman Mohsin Akhtar in a small private ceremony.

    Today Urmila is known as one of Bollywood's most versatile actresses. After Sridevi, she is known to have the played the most varied characters next to fellow actresses Tabu and Mahima Chaudhry.
  • Ratna Pathak Shah

    11. Ratna Pathak Shah

    • Actress
    • Costume Designer
    • Additional Crew
    Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2008)
    Ratna Pathak Shah, born in Mumbai, India, is a highly esteemed Indian actress known for her versatile performances in Indian cinema, television, and theater. With a career spanning several decades, Ratna Pathak Shah has become a respected figure for her nuanced portrayals of characters, blending humor, depth, and authenticity.

    Ratna Pathak Shah comes from a family with a rich theatrical and cinematic legacy. She is the daughter of veteran actress Dina Pathak and the sister of acclaimed actress Supriya Pathak.

    Ratna Pathak Shah made her acting debut in the critically acclaimed film "Mandi" (1983), directed by Shyam Benegal. Her early performances showcased her ability to embody a range of characters with ease. However, it was her portrayal of the strong-willed and independent Maya Sarabhai in the popular television series "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai" (2004-2006) that brought her widespread recognition and made her a household name.

    In addition to her successful television career, Ratna Pathak Shah has been an integral part of Indian theater. Her association with the theater group Motley, founded by Naseeruddin Shah, has led to numerous acclaimed productions, further establishing her as a theater artist of great merit.

    Ratna Pathak Shah has been part of several noteworthy films, including "Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na" (2008), "Khoobsurat" (2014), and "Lipstick Under My Burkha" (2016). Her performances have often been praised for their authenticity, whether in comedic roles or more serious and dramatic characters.

    Awards and accolades have followed Ratna Pathak Shah throughout her career. Her contributions to Indian cinema and the performing arts have been recognized with honors such as the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Mandi" (1983).

    Known for her intellectual approach to characters and her commitment to quality storytelling, Ratna Pathak Shah remains an influential and revered figure in the Indian entertainment industry. she continues to contribute to the world of acting with her diverse and compelling roles.
  • Manisha Koirala in I Am (2010)

    12. Manisha Koirala

    • Actress
    • Music Department
    • Producer
    Dil Se.. (1998)
    Manisha Koirala (born 16 August 1970) is a Nepali actress who mainly appears in Bollywood, though she has worked in several South Indian and her native country's films. Noted for her acting prowess, Koirala is the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards-and is one of India's most well-known actresses. Critics have noted that her niche as an actor remains unharmed irrespective of her commercial potent. Manisha was born into the politically prominent Koirala family, in which several of her family members went on to rule the nation, but she did not aspire to pursue a career in politics. A stint in modeling opened a career path in films, and she made her Bollywood debut with the top-grossing production Saudagar (1991). In spite of initial struggle to leave a mark, she went on to establish herself as one of the leading actresses in the 1990s with such films as 1942: A Love Story (1994), Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995), Agni Sakshi (1996) and Gupt (1997). Koirala gained particular recognition for her willingness to experiment with a variety of strong, dramatic roles, and she delivered several acclaimed performances in a range of films that did well with critics, including Bombay (1995), Khamoshi: The Musical (1996), Dil Se.. (1998), Mann (1999), Lajja (2001), Company (2002), and Escape from Taliban (2003). These films brought Koirala several awards and nominations, including three Filmfare Critics Awards for Best Actress, a South Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and a Star Screen Award Best Actress, among others. This was followed by a major period of decline when most of her films failed to do well. Her work in the Malyalam drama Elektra, the anthology film I Am (both 2010), and the romantic comedy Mappillai (2011) was received well, but she took a break from acting in 2012 to return three years later with the psychological thriller Chehere: A Modern Day Classic (2015).

    She was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund in 1999 and 2015, and was involved in the relief works after the Nepal earthquake 2015. She promotes various causes such as women's rights, prevention of violence against women, prevention of human trafficking and cancer awareness.

    Manisha was seen back on the Silver Screen with Sunaina Bhattnagar's Dear Maya. Manisha received appreciation from her fans and industry from across the whole of India. She has been seen doing some amazing motivational and social events.

    She was one of the speakers along side Dalai Lama and CM of Andhra Pradesh at the Womens's Parliament, Amravati. She advocated on how we need more women in our board rooms, court rooms, schools and universities to make policies for women and that women should stand in solidarity for each other. Manisha's TEDx talk touched hearts of millions of people and she has received appreciation from across worldwide for same. She spoke about her struggle with cancer and her brave victory as a warrior and highly advocates on how focusing from early day on our personal health can do wonders. Her philosophy is to focus on mind, body and soul rather than just physical body to stay fit and positive.
  • Nargis Fakhri

    13. Nargis Fakhri

    • Actress
    Spy (2015)
    Nargis was born to multi-cultural parents in Queens, New York City. In 2011, she made her Bollywood debut with Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar alongside Ranbir Kapoor. She gained further success for her roles in Madras Cafe (2013) and Main Tera Hero (2014). 2015 will see her make her Hollywood debut in Paul Feig's 'Spy' alongside names such as Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham and Jude Law amongst others.
  • Lisa Haydon

    14. Lisa Haydon

    • Actress
    Queen (2013)
    Lisa Haydon is a model-turned-actress. Born to an Indian father and Australian mother.

    Lisa was born in Chennai and has lived in Australia, India and the US. She started modelling at the age of 19 in Australia and then she moved to India in 2007 at the age of 21.

    Ever since, she has walked the ramp for Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) and HDIL-India Couture Week(HDIL-ICW) and also featured in commercials like Hyundai 120, Indigo Nation and Blender's Pride.

    "Aisha" is her first Bollywood movie, starring Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol in the leads, it is an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Emma and Sonam plays the main protagonist of a matchmaker.

    Her new movie is "Rascals" with Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgan.
  • Kangana Ranaut

    15. Kangana Ranaut

    • Actress
    • Director
    • Producer
    Queen (2013)
    Kangana was born on 23 March 1987 in Bhambla, near Manali, which is in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. Her dad Amardeep is a businessman and her mom Asha is a schoolteacher. She has two sisters and a younger brother. Her grandfather was an IAS Office. She spent her childhood in Dehra Dunand studied in DAV's High School, where she participated in many debates and elocutions and also played basketball.

    After completing her schooling, she attended Science College in Simla. She was enrolled in the Elite School of Modeling and also tried theater acting in Delhi and was a member of the Smita Theater Group under Arvind Gaur. She is also a trained Kathak dancer.

    She decided to relocate to Bombay and lived in a flat in Yari Road, Versova. In September 2005 she was spotted drinking coffee in a cafe by filmmaker Anurag Basu, who approached her and eventually signed her for a lead role in Gangster (2006).

    Since then, Kangana Ranaut has won 4 National Awards for her performance in _Fashion (2008)_qv, _Queen (2014)_qv, and _Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015)_qv. Manikarnika(2019) Panga (2019).
  • Urvashi Rautela in Racetrack (2016)

    16. Urvashi Rautela

    • Actress
    Kaabil (2017)
    Urvashi Rautela was born and raised in Haridwar, a small town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. She is an established Bollywood actor, model and beauty pageant enthusiast having won several crowns and accolades for herself including participating in the 2015 Miss Universe contest. She shot to fame in late 2014 when she appeared in Yo Yo Honey Singh's music video Love Dose, which was followed by minor roles in both Bollywood and South Indian films until 2016, when she appeared as the supporting actress and lead actress in Sanam Re and Great Grand Masti respectively.

    Outside of her film industry and modeling work, Urvashi runs a foundation along with her family called the 'Urvashi Rautela Foundation' to help empower the needs and rights of underprivileged people in India. She also actively supports PETA India and 'Save the Girl Child Camp'.

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