List of Hindi film actresses
Given below is a list of all the notable actresses, who have starred in Hindi cinema, the Hindi language film industry now known as Bollywood, based primarily in Mumbai. Many actresses have had careers spanning multiple decades, often becoming closely associated with specific periods during which their influence and popularity peaked.[3]
In early Indian cinema, male actors often played female roles because acting was considered taboo for women. Durgabai Kamat and her 4-year-old daughter, Kamlabai Gokhale, were the first female actors to appear in a full-length feature film in Indian Cinema in 1913. Gradually, as women from more liberal backgrounds, such as Anglo-Indian and Jewish communities, began entering the industry in the 1920s and adopting Indian stage names such as Sulochana and Sudhabala, their success paved the way for actresses like Durga Khote and Devika Rani, who rose to fame in the 1930s as silent films transitioned to talkies. By the 1940s, icons like Noor Jehan, Suraiya, and Mumtaz Shanti built successful careers, with many moving to Pakistani cinema after the partition of India in 1947.[4] The "Golden Age" of Hindi cinema, featured actresses like Nargis, Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Nutan, Vyjayanthimala, Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh, who became the symbols of grace and emotional depth onscreen, as films gradually transitioned from black-and-white to color. The 1970s ushered in a new era, with actresses like Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri and Rekha playing diverse roles in both traditional and modern narratives, while glamour heroines like Parveen Babi and Zeenat Aman brought a new dimension onscreen. The 1980s saw Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil led the wave of "parallel cinema" in contrast to the rise of mainstream stars like Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Dimple Kapadia, and many others. The 1990s, marked by economic liberalisation, witnessed Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla and Kajol dominating the industry with their versatility, charm, and dancing skills, while actresses like Tabu and Manisha Koirala explored unconventional roles.
As the 21st century took hold, a new surge of contemporary actresses emerged, including pageant winners like Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra, who expanded Bollywood's global reach by venturing into international projects, while others like Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut & Deepika Padukone gained popularity and pushed boundaries of career longevity for actresses.[2]
The following are some of the most renowned actresses and the decades when they were most recognized.[5][6][7][8]
1920s
| Year | Name | Debut film |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Patience Cooper | Damayanti |
| 1922 | Fatma Begum | Veer Abhimanyu |
| Sudhabala | Bhishma Pitamah | |
| Sultana | Veer Abhimanyu | |
| 1923 | Zubeida | Kohinoor |
| 1925 | Seeta Devi | Prem Sanyas |
| Ruby Myers | Cinema Ki Rani | |
| 1926 | Gohar Mamajiwala | Baap Kamai |
| Indira Devi | Jaydev |
1930s
| Year | Name | Debut film |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Sabita Devi | Kamaner Aagun |
| Mehtab | Kamaal-e-Shamsheer | |
| 1931 | Esther Victoria Abraham | Toofani Tiruni |
| Kajjanbai | Shirin Farhad | |
| Khursheed Bano | Eye for an eye | |
| Rattan Bai | ||
| 1932 | Firoza Begum | Bewafa Qatil |
| Lalita Pawar | Kailash | |
| Durga Khote | Maya Machhindra | |
| 1933 | Sardar Akhtar | Id Ka Chand |
| Bibbo | Rangila Rajput | |
| Devika Rani | Karma | |
| Umasashi | Puran Bhagat (film) | |
| 1935 | Fearless Nadia | Hunterwali |
| Shobhna Samarth | Nigahe Nafrat | |
| Jaddanbai | Talashe Haq | |
| Leela Chitnis | Shri Satyanarayan | |
| Naseem Banu | Khoon Ka Khoon | |
| 1936 | Jamuna Barua | Das |
| Shanta Apte | Amar Jyoti | |
| 1937 | Kanan Devi | Vidyapati |
| Mohini | Devdas | |
| Leela Desai | President | |
| 1938 | Sitara Devi | Watan |
| 1939 | Begum Khurshid Mirza | Bhakti |
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
See also
- Hindi cinema
- List of Indian film actresses
- List of Marathi film actresses
- List of Kannada film actresses
- List of Tamil film actresses
- List of Telugu film actresses
References
- ^ "Top Actress 2000-2009". Box Office India.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Verma, Sukanya (5 January 2011). "How The Decade Has Treated These Actresses". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Top heroines of Bollywood". India Today. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "Pioneering International Actresses – the First Women of Indian Cinema". 20 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "50 Most Beautiful Indian Faces". iDiva. 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- ^ "Top Actresses Of All Time". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actresses". Rediff.com. 29 November 2009. Archived from the original on 9 March 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ Sen, Raja (6 March 2007). "Bollywood's best actresses. Ever". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
