1. Kajol
Notable Movies: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Fanaa
Among the many heroines of Bollywood who have won hearts, one stands out for her effortless energy and natural acting. It is for her that Shah Rukh Khan produced her. She has the knack of making the audience laugh and cry at the drop of a hat. The role in DDLJ made her an icon for Indian cinema.
2. Rani Mukherjee
Notable Movies: Hum Tum, Black, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Mardaani
She is really remarkable with a husky voice and thoughtful eyes. She can go for everything from romantic comedies to tough, intense characters. For Black, she played a blind and deaf woman and received much acclaim.
3. Preity Zinta
Notable Movies: Kal Ho Naa Ho, Veer-Zaara, Dil Chahta Hai, Koi Mil Gaya.
Freshness and glamour accompany a dimpled smile and effervescent personality, characteristics she brings to powerful yet lovable characters in most of her films as contemporary independent women. Her combinations with Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan were super hits.
4. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Notable Movies: Devdas, Jodhaa Akbar, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Dhoom 2.
Aishwarya Rai is one of the most recognized faces not only of Bollywood across the world but also for a commercially hit film as well as many critically acclaimed films. The most celebrated performances in her act were when she portrayed Paro in Devdas.
5. Karishma Kapoor
Notable Films: Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Biwi No. 1, Zubeidaa
Karishma was the first rebel among them who went to break the family mold and became one of the biggest stars of the 90’s. Fantastic dance skills and dramatic roles helped her introduce the versatile actress as well. She gained immense popularity with her performance in Dil To Pagal Hai.
6. Sushmita Sen
Notable Movies: Main Hoon Na, Biwi No. 1, Filhaal
The former Miss Universe brought elegance and strength to Bollywood. Sushmita Sen, though popular for modern, confident characters on screen, believes her Main Hoon Na is very close to her heart. However, her poise and bold choices were factors that made her stand out from the others during an era when there were strong traditional roles.
7. Bipasha Basu
Notable Movies: Raaz, Jism, Dhoom 2, Race
Bipasha has defined the face of a Bollywood heroine to be bold and unconventional, offering especially to the thriller and horror genres. Her debut film Raaz catapulted her to great heights, and she went on experimenting with her roles so that she has become a poster for glamour, strength, and power.
8. Shilpa Shetty
Notable Movies: Baazigar, Dhadkan, Phir Milenge
While her long career was best highlighted by her role in Baazigar, it was in Dhadkan that she came to be established as a leading actress. She went on later to do meaningful roles of importance, including Phir Milenge- in social issues.
9. Raveena Tandon
Notable Movies: Mohra, Dilwale, Satta, Daman
She started on glamorous offers, but it is much later in her career that her acting talent breaks through in serious cinema. The National Award at Daman, where she played a role of an abused woman, was a long-overdue testament to her range beyond the commercial celluloid world.
10. Lara Dutta
Notable Movies: Andaaz, No Entry, Partner
Winner, Miss Universe 2000, Lara Dutta became a teen icon with Andaaz. Well, the viewer adored her as a bright and charming face for romantic comedies and all those ensemble-cast films.
11. Amisha Patel
Notable Movies: Kaho Naa. Pyaar Hai, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Gadar the role mattered when Amisha played the role of a Pakistani woman during Partition, though Kaho Naa. Pyaar Hai went for a super duper hit. And when she acted in both these films, her performances were immensely appreciated, but then quiet down for a long time afterwards.
12. Dia Mirza
Notable Movies: Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Lage Raho Munna Bhai
With the passing of time, Dia Mirza’s film charm, especially when she plays a romantic character, drew many to her side. Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein was a cult debut film from where her role in Lage Raho Munna Bhai started earning her recognition.
13. Esha Deol
Notable Movies: Dhoom, Yuva, Kaal
Esha Malini had begun boldly as an action heroine of Bollywood- daughter of Hema Malini. Yuva had given her critical acclaim and made her the synonym of the superstar of blockbusters- Dhoom.
14. Tabu
Notable Movies: Chandni Bar, Maqbool, The Namesake, Haider
Tabu gave some of the finest and most power-packed performances both in mainstream cinema and in parallel cinema. One of India’s finest actresses, she always changed her lines very unwisely. In Chandni Bar, she won the National Award and reasserted herself seriously in Maqbool and Haider as an emerging force to be reckoned with.
15. Juhi Chawla
Notable Movies: Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Darr, Ishq, Yes Boss.
Juhi Chawla brought such a great mix of effervescence with emotional depth to the roles she played. She was one of the most beloved heroines of the 90s and had a great hold on comedy, working well in bringing impeccable comic timing with girl-next-door charm. Her on-screen chemistry with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan just added more flavor to her popularity.
16. Manisha Koirala
Notable Movies: Bombay, Dil Se, Khamoshi, 1942: A Love Story
Even with sensitive beauty, Manisha Koirala rose to become the leading lady of the 90s, doing many serious and tragic roles in the actor’s life itself, especially while she portrayed deep emotional conflicts in Bombay and Dil Se.
17. Sonali Bendre
Notable Movies: Sarfarosh, Hum Saath-Saath Hain, Diljale Possessive screen presence and for her heartfelt performances, Sonali Bendre is one of them. In the late 90’s and the early 2000, she had a string of successive films that would balance boxoffice success with meaningful roles in films like Sarfarosh.
18. Madhuri Dixit
Notable Movies: Hum Aapke Hain Koun.!, Dil To Pagal Hai, Devdas, Tezaab
Madhuri Dixit is very undoubtedly one of the most unforgettable Bollywood actresses known for beauty, stunning dance steps, and excellent acting talent. Her performances in Devdas, Dil To Pagal Hai, and so on are simply legendary, and so were her dancing numbers during those times.
19. Sridevi
Notable Movies: Chandni, Lamhe, English Vinglish, Judaai.
Sridevi was perhaps one of the most versatile and celebrated actresses in Indian cinema. She will be remembered for her capacity to sustain two genres of cinema, comedies and dramas, who have done well as an actress in a film career spanning two decades with much of her success in the 80’s and 90’s. Her comeback film was English Vinglish.
20. Urmila Matondkar
Notable Movies: Rangeela, Satya, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya
Strong, intense characters gave life to Bollywood as Urmila had become a star with the phenomenal success of Rangeela. More important, though, were the Satya and Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya tell-tale signs of the hidden acting potential within more serious, unconventional roles.
Conclusion: These actresses played a momentous role in changing the face of Bollywood from the 90’s through to the 2000’s. They were not pretty faces or doll-like looks but rather depth, grace, and strength that made them inspirational for the masses. Each one of them carved her unique identity in the industry and hence, contributed to the change in the narration of female roles in Indian cinema.
