Hindi cinema, in it’s 100 year history, has seen some outstanding female talents across the years – that have managed to light-up the screen with their mere presence.
Beyond beautiful faces and sensational dance-sequences, there have been some outstanding acting talents – who have one-upped the game for other female actors of their times, and even the generations that have followed them.
Here are the 10 greatest female acting talents of Hindi cinema:
10) Nandita Das
Nandita’s acting sprint lasted mostly just through the 90’s and early 2000’s, but boy did it burn like a torch bearing the promise of a new wave of meaningful Indian cinema. Her awe-inspiring work in films like ‘Earth’, ‘Fire’ and ‘Bawandar’, proved her as one of the most gritty actresses of her time. The glamorous work of mainstream will always be lacking of a talent and a face like hers.
9) Meena Kumari
A legendary and often-worshipped figure of the Golden-age of Indian cinema, who always wowed her costars and critics with her on-screen prowess. Meena Kumari managed to bring to life the trauma and tragedies of her own personal life on celluloid, and it made her performances in films like ‘Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam’, ‘Parineeta’ and ‘Pakeezah’ turn her into a generation’s icon.
8) Vidya Balan
With strong female-oriented roles and films, Vidya Balan created a niche for herself – away from the glitz and glamour of the mainstream. Her work in films like ‘Kahaani’ and ‘The Dirty Picture’ won her several awards, and she continues to do the same with her recent films like ‘Sherni’, in which she subtly lets her talent speak for itself.
7) Konkona Sen Sharma
One of those actresses, who need to be seen and heard a lot more on the big screen and beyond. Konkona has time and again showcased her acting prowess, and it has always managed to impress audiences and critics alike. Her raw and gritty ability to organically dwell into the deep pits of her characters, to bring out the human in them, has made her performances in films like – ‘Mr. & Mrs. Iyer’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Wake Up Sid!’, etc – totally believable. She may not have a long catalog – as of now, but her talent safely secures her a place in this list as truly one of the finest female acting talents we have had.
6) Kangana Ranaut
In a short span of time, Kangana Ranaut has shown her willingness to invest in methods to bring out the best in her portrayals. After a career-defining performance in ‘Queen’ – in which she created what can easily be called one of the most lovable female characters of Indian cinema, she catapulted even higher by delivering, perhaps the best ‘double role’ of Bollywood, with her film – Tanu Weds Manu Returns. Her epic transformation into ‘Datto’ is still awe-inspiring. The actress continued to show her acting prowess in films like – Rangoon, Simran and Panga, to name a few.
5) Smita Patil
Smita Patil’s death was certainly one of the most tragic events of Indian cinema, simply because the actress still had so much more to offer to the artform. The actress became a common face in the Parallel Wave of Indian Cinema, alongside Shabana Aazmi, under the wings of filmmaker – Shyam Benegal. Her brutally realistic performances in films like ‘Manthan’, ‘Mandi’ and ‘Bhumika – made her a class apart.
4) Shabana Aazmi
A winner of multiple National Awards during the coarse of her illustrious career, Shabana Aazmi shunned away the mainstream glamour and portrayed women from all walks of whatever makes the ‘real India’. From a worker in the farm fields of 1950’s to a courtesan running a famous brothel in the dirty streets of a famous city, Shabana Aazmi did it all and let her work do all the talking.
3) Tabu
While majority of Bollywood actresses at the turn of the century, remained stuck the repetitive genre of ‘romantic comedies’ or simply being reduced to playing ‘love interests’ of “film heroes”, Tabu was the one to break that mold and walk her own path. Her groundbreaking roles in films like ‘Chandni Bar’ and ‘Maqbool’, established her as one of the finest acting talents that we have ever seen in our cinema.
2) Nutan
A seasoned star and an iconic face of Indian cinema, Nutan was often seen playing female characters which were ‘mature’ and had a certain wisdom to them. Her tongue-in-cheek dialogue delivery and strong female roles in films like ‘Mein Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’ and ‘Sujaata’ makes her one of the top Goddesses of Indian cinema.
1) Nargis
With films like ‘Mother India’ and ‘Awaara’ to her name, Nargis always showed how she’s in a league of her own. Her acting prowess was best witnessed in Mehboob Khan’s Academy Award nominated film ‘Mother India’, in which her coming-of-age story of a mother’s struggle and pride – in the midst poverty and the blood-sucking traditions of Zameendari, still melts your heart.
A special honourable mention to – Seema Biswas, who showcased her massive acting talent in films like ‘Bandit Queen’ and ‘Water’, but sadly did not get enough opportunities to showcase her complete talent, and thereby could not truly qualify for a list like this.