The Bollywood film industry holds a prominent position in Indian cinema, known for its grandeur and captivating storytelling. With their remarkable performances and exceptional acting prowess, numerous talented actors and actresses have garnered international recognition. These individuals have received immense acclaim and prestigious awards for their on-screen portrayals. Explore the list of in the past decades.
One of the incredible wonders of Indian cinema lies in its ability to bring people together. People from diverse socioeconomic classes and backgrounds are equally fascinated and moved by Indian movies. The silver screen continues to capture hearts and movies.
Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi Sinha is an Indian Actress and Costume Designer who predominantly works in Bollywood Film Industry. She is the daughter of legendary actor, Shatrughan Sinha and iconic actress, Poonam Sinha. An actor Sonakshi Sinha who entered the Bollywood industry in 2010, and made her first debut in action-drama Dabangg, plays a lead role along with Salman.
Shraddha Kapoor
She is from a family with a long history in Bollywood. Her father Shakti Kapoor is a well-known Bollywood actor known for both his negative and comedic parts. Teen Patti, in which she co-starred with Amitabh Bachchan, was her debut film. However, victory came into her life after “Aashiqui 2” and the film received huge love from the audience. She was born on March 3, 1987. She appears on rankings of India’s most popular and highest-paid actresses. For Aashiqui 2, she was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She is a celebrity endorser for various businesses and products. She launched her clothing line in 2015 and also get linked with Shunya, a sparkling beverage, in 2021. Kapoor represents Lakmé, Veet, Lipton, Marico’s Hair & Care, and others. She was named “one of the most coveted names” in the advertising industry by Bollywood Hungama. Later, in March 2015, she collaborated with Amazon.com to develop her own women’s apparel line, Imara.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (née Chopra) was born on July 18, 1982 in Jamshedpur, India, to the family of Capt. Dr. Ashok Chopra and Dr. Madhu Chopra, both Indian Army physicians. She had a very varied upbringing. She debuts her acting career in the 2002 Tamil movie “Thamizhan” and her Bollywood Debut in the 2003 Sunny Deol Starrer “The Hero: Love Story of a Spy”. Since then she has appeared in many popular movies including, Burfi, Mary Kom, Bajirao Mastani, Don 2, Krish, and Mujse Shadi Krogi.
Now she is working in Hollywood debuted in the popular TV show “Quantico”, and movies like Baywatch, Isn’t It Romantic, and The White Tiger.
Vidya Balan
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. Since then, she has appeared in many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. Bhool Bhulaiya, Paa, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Tumari Sulu, and Lage Raho Munna Bhai are some best movies of her career. She is known for her powerful on-screen presence and willingness to play unconventional roles.
She won multiple awards for a range of acting performances including the national award for Dirty Picture and several Filmfare awards. Vidya Balan was awarded Padma Shri in the year 2014, for her significant contribution to Indian cinema.
Vidya established herself by starring in five straight commercial triumphs, earning her critical and award acclaim in the process. These were included in the drama Paa, the black comedy Ishqiya, the thrillers No One Killed Jessica and Kahaani, and the biographical film The Dirty Picture. Vidya is also a strong advocate for women empowerment and humanitarian causes. Her fluctuating weight and fashion preferences drew criticism at first, but she was subsequently recognized in the media for her unconventionality. Film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur is Vidya’s husband.
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone, born 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark, is an Indian model and actress. She is the daughter of former badminton champion Prakash Padukone. Her mother tongue is Konkani. Deepika has a younger sister named Anisha. In addition to acting, Deepika Padukone is a leading model name and has endorsed many popular brands. And, she is one of the richest Hindi actress currently.
According to IMDb, Deepika Padukone currently holds the title of the highest-paid actress in India. Her journey in Bollywood began with the film ‘Om Shanti Om’ in 2007, and since then, she has risen to become one of the industry’s most sought-after actresses. Notably, for her role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat,’ she received a fee of Rs. 13 crores, surpassing her male co-stars who were paid Rs. 10 crores. This groundbreaking achievement made her the first Indian actress to reach such a milestone. Today, her fee per movie ranges from Rs. 15 to 30 crores.
Jacqueline Fernandez
Jacqueline Fernandez is a Sri Lankan actress from Manama, Bahrain and was raised in a multi-ethnic family. Jacqueline’s father Elroy Fernandez is from Sri Lanka (Sinhalese — Catholic)and her mother Kim is a Malaysian. She has two brothers and an older sister.
Sonam Kapoor
Sonam Kapoor comes from an established film family. She is the daughter of actor and producer Anil Kapoor and the grandchild of filmmaker Surinder Kapoor. Sonam is Bollywood royalty with immense support in the Indian film fraternity.
Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor is a well known Bollywood Actress who shines with her beauty, acting talent, and engaging on-screen performances. For a few years, she was the most popular and highest demanding actress in Indian cinema. She worked in a wide range of movies from romantic dramas to action thrillers. She is a well-known figure in Bollywood for her stylish outfits, fashion sense, and stunning red carpet-looks. She worked with almost every successful actor and appeared in more than 50 movies including the blockbuster Jab We Met, 3 Idiots, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Bodyguard, Ki & Ka, Mujse Dosti Krogi, Don, Chup Chup Ke, Singham Return, Omkara, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum, and Singham Return.
Kapoor is one of the highly paid actresses of the industry, having portrayed a wide range of roles in films ranging from romantic comedies to crime dramas, and has garnered several awards, including six Filmfare Awards. Kapoor has also appeared in stage productions, hosted a radio show, and co-authored four books, two of which are autobiographical memoirs and dietary guides. She owns her women’s clothes and cosmetics company. She has been working with UNICEF to promote girls’ education and improve India’s educational quality since 2014.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Aishwarya Rai is a world-famous Bollywood actress and former Miss World (1994). She has acted in numerous Hindi, Telugu, English, and Tamil movies and is considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. Some of her popular movies are Devdas, Jodha Akbar, Robot, Dhoom 2, and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Apart from her acting career and modeling, she has also been involved in many humanitarian programs. She is the Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations.
Topping the list of richest Indian actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Her net worth of Rs 800 comes from films, brand endorsements (like Longines, Cadbury, Kalyan Jewellers, Lodha Group, TTK Prestige group, Titan Watches, De Beers Diamonds, among others), real estate investments, and other areas. She charges approx. Rs 10 to 12 crore per film and Rs 6 to 7 crore for one day’s ad shoot!
After starring in several television commercials, she entered the Miss India competition and got second place. Rai began receiving offers to participate in movies after being voted Miss World 1994. In 1997, she made her acting debut Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya. She won two Filmfare Best Actress Awards for both Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas for her marvelous performance. Rai married actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007. They have a daughter together. She is a spokesperson for the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS). She was the first Indian actress to participate in the Cannes Festival Jury in 2003.