Nutan Samarth Bahl, known mononymously as Nutan, was an Indian actress who worked primarily in Hindi films. In a career spanning nearly four decades, she appeared in more than 80 films, that ranged in genre from urban romances to socio-realist dramas. Regarded as one of the finest actors in the history of Indian cinema, Nutan was noted for her naturalistic acting style in parts of conflicted women often deemed unconventional. Her accolades include a record five Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. In 1974, Nutan received the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award.
Kajol Devgan, known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian actress. Described in the media as one of the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, such as six Filmfare Awards, which include a record-tying five Best Actress wins. In 2011, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director, producer, and politician who is currently serving as a member of the Lok Sabha from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), representing Mathura constituency since 2014. She was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka from 2011 to 2012, subsequent to her nomination to that chamber from 2003 to 2009 as a member of the BJP. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has starred in both comic and dramatic roles, and is one of the most popular and successful leading actresses of mainstream Hindi cinema.
Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, known mononymously as Tabu, is an Indian actress who works primarily in Hindi films. She is regarded as one of the most accomplished actresses in Hindi cinema, and has often played troubled women, from fictional to literary, in both mainstream and independent cinema. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards, seven Filmfare Awards, and two Filmfare Awards South. In 2011, she was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian honour.
Zeenat Khan, better known as Zeenat Aman, is an Indian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She first received recognition for her modelling work, and at the age of 19, went on to participate in beauty pageants, winning both the Femina Miss India pageant and the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant in 1970. She began her acting career in 1970, and her early works include films such as The Evil Within (1970) and Hulchul (1971). Aman's breakthrough came with the musical drama Haré Rama Haré Krishna (1971), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Sharmila Tagore is an Indian actress primarily known for her work in Hindi and Bengali films. Regarded among the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, Tagore is a recipient of two National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to Hindi cinema. In 2013, the Government of India, honoured her with Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour for her contributions to Indian culture through performing arts.
Jaya Bachchan is an Indian actress and politician. She has served as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party. Known for her work in Hindi films, she is noted for reinforcing a natural style of acting in both mainstream and "middle-of-the-road" cinema. A recipient of several accolades, she has won a record nine Filmfare Awards and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour awarded by the Government of India.
Bhumika Chawla is an Indian actress who primarily works in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil films. Chawla made her acting debut with the Telugu film Yuvakudu (2000) and received success with Kushi (2001), for which she received Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu. Chawla went on to make her Tamil debut with Badri (2001), after which she starred in the commercially successful Roja Kootam (2002).
Bhanurekha Ganesan, better known by her mononymous stage name Rekha, is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. Acknowledged as one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema, she has starred in more than 180 films and is the recipient of several accolades, including one National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards. She has often played strong and complicated female characters—from fictional to literary—in both mainstream and independent films. Though her career has gone through certain periods of decline, Rekha has gained a reputation for reinventing herself numerous times and has been credited for her ability to sustain her status. In 2010, the Government of India honoured her with Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour.
Waheeda Rehman is an Indian actress. Regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most accomplished actresses, she has worked in more than 90 feature films, in a career spanning over five decades. Her accolades include a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. She was honoured with India's civilian awards; the Padma Shri in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011. In 2021 she was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema, but was awarded in 2023.
Smita Patil was an Indian film and theatre actress who primarily worked in Hindi and Marathi films. Regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, Patil appeared in over 80 films, in a career that spanned over a decade. Patil was the recipient of two National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award, two Filmfare Awards Marathi. She received the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour in 1985.
Aruna Irani is an Indian actress, who has acted in over 500 films throughout Hindi, Kannada, Marathi and Gujarati cinema, playing mostly supporting and character roles. She received two Filmfare Awards for Best Supporting Actress for Pet Pyaar Aur Paap (1985) and Beta (1992), and holds the record for the most nominations in the category (10). In January 2012, Irani was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award at the 57th Filmfare Awards.
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film that was directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. The film, which is based on Bimal Mitra's Bengali-language novel Saheb Bibi Golam (1953) which was the second adaptation of the novel after the 1956 Bengali film with the same title Saheb Bibi Golam starring Sumitra Devi, Uttam Kumar and Chhabi Biswas. Having seen the novel and its staged version, Dutt wanted to adapt Saheb Bibi Golam into a film, was set in the 19th century during the British Raj and focuses on Bhoothnath (Dutt), who meets Chhoti Bahu (Kumari), the lonely wife of a zamindar (Rehman). The film follows Chhoti Bahu's effort to keep her husband—who likes drinking and watching dancing girls perform—at their home by drinking with him. She becomes addicted to alcohol, leading both of them into bankruptcy.
Padmini Kolhapure is an Indian actress and singer, who primarily works in Hindi and Marathi films. Kolhapure went onto established herself as one of the leading actress of the 80s. In a career spanning over four decades, she was worked in over 75 films and has received several accolades including three Filmfare Awards.
Raakhee Gulzar, professionally known as Raakhee, is an Indian actress who has appeared in Hindi and Bengali films. In her four decades of acting, she has worked in more than 100 films. Raakhee has won several awards including two National Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards. In 2003, she received Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.
Khoon Bhari Maang is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan. Based on the Australian mini-series Return to Eden (1983), it stars Rekha as a wealthy widow who is almost killed by her second husband and sets out for revenge. The film was a comeback venture for Rekha, and was a critical and commercial success. It received seven nominations at the 34th Filmfare Awards, including for Best Film and Best Director for Roshan, and won Rekha her second Best Actress award. Khoon Bhari Maang was released on 12 August 1988.
Pushpavalli was an Indian actress who predominently worked in Telugu and Tamil films. She entered the film industry as a child actress with a small role as young Sita in the film Sampoorna Ramayanam (1936). This was followed by a few more roles as child star. Pushpavalli later graduated to doing roles as an adult. Her biggest hit was the Telugu film Bala Nagamma (1942), where she played an important supporting role. Her 1947 film Miss Malini, where she played the lead role, received great critical acclaim from the intelligentsia, but flopped at the box office. She continued playing supporting roles well into the late 1960s.
Rakul Preet Singh is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil films. She has won several awards including a South Indian International Movie Award, in addition to four nominations at the Filmfare Awards South.
Rekha: The Untold Story is a 2016 Indian biographical book by Yasser Usman, detailing the life of Indian film actress Rekha. The book chronicles her birth to South Indian actors Gemini Ganesan and Pushpavalli, which generated rumors in the media at the time, her well-publicised marriage to Delhi-based industrialist Mukesh Agarwal, who died by suicide in seventh months of marriage, and her fifty-year-long acting career.
