HoneY
MaaPeya Da LaaDLa
Top 10 Bollywood Actresses
10. Sushmita Sen
The only reason the most graceful stunner in Mumbai is so far down the
list is that we never really get to see enough of her. She takes the
sari to new heights in Main Hoon Na, then disappears from the marquee;
she twirls around as the prettiest part of Kisna, and slinks into the
shadows....Even as her Zindaggi Rocks readies for release, we just need
to see a lot more of her.
9. Mallika Sherawat
Last year, if you’d tell an industry power-monger that Mallika Sherawat
would slip this low down the list, he’d laugh in your face. But times
they are a changing, and in the era of the cleavage-friendly music
video, this statuesque woman isn’t as special as she once was. Bit
roles, item-dances, and movies with indie actors no one will watch --
Madame Mallika’s still a headline, but she’s fading fast.
8. Vidya Balan
She entranced audiences with her eyes in Parineeta, one of those film
debuts that showed undoubted spark. And while she might not have done
anything at all since then, the lass features in the one upcoming film
whose trailer made the country break into a wider grin than anything
else this year -- bole to, if she’s good enough for Munna, she’s good
enough for us.
7. Bipasha Basu
Now this one’s the exception -- abs as flat as a pricey Korean
television, an indulgent grin, and acting skills. Bips initially
captured our imaginations as a voluptuous temptress who could (barely,
it must be said) pull off a swimsuit. Acting was not her thing at all,
the girl being dubbed in almost every film.
6. Kareena Kapoor
She might not have delivered on the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham potential
and turned up as Bollywood’s bonafide Number One yet, but Kareena seems
to be doing her own thing, her way. She has a steady boyfriend (a
Bollywood accomplishment of Herculean standards) in Shahid Kapoor, a
bunch of hit films, and most top directors would kill to cast her in
their next. And Omkara made each and every one of us fall in love with
this fair girl trying to sing Stevie Wonder. Sigh.
5. Preity Zinta
In terms of visibility, Ms Z is down to almost one film a year. 2004
had Veer-Zaara (Lakshya doesn’t count, does it), 2005 had Salaam
Namaste (and a random disaster, you get the drift). This year, however
has been good for Preity. She makes a blink-and-miss special appearance
in the year’s biggest film so far, Krrish, and while her screentime in
Karan Johar’s mammoth Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna might not be much more,
she’s one of the few to escape all the critical rants. And the upcoming
Jaan-E-Man pits her with ever-hot hunks Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan.
4. Kajol
India almost wept when Kajol waved bye to Bollywood, prioritising her
family with hubby Ajay Devgan. Madhuri Dixit’s successor as the female
film icon of India, Bollywood without Kajol was a depressing prospect.
Five years on, and she comes back with Fanaa. An absurd film with a
ridiculous plot, and a leading man looking older than ever. Ask the
audience why they queued up for it, and the answer would be to see this
woman smile. Kajol’s back, and India’s thrilled to bits.
3. Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai transcends mere numbers. If you were to actually tally
her last dozen films, and not count her item-song in Bunty Aur Babli,
then you’d see that none of her films have made a profit since 2002’s
Devdas. But all that’s unimportant in the flashbulb-friendly world of
the red carpet, isn’t it? Ash is all about the ’concept’ of an actress,
the idea of a pretty woman with an exotic, unheard-of accent working
the cameras at Cannes. She’s perfect, even without movies. And with
Dhoom 2 barely 2 months away, she isn’t going anywhere.
2. Priyanka Chopra
This 24-year-old girl is the copybook success story. She spent the
requisite gym-hours, became Miss World and entered Bollywood. Where she
actually slogged it out and earned herself the applause. She didn’t
start with big banners, but worked her way up, consistently getting
herself noticed. Today, she’s the pick of the glamour brigade, an
extremely desirable pin-up babe who is a definite performer. And if you
think Krrish sold her short, hold your horses for Don. This babe’s here
to stay.
1. Rani Mukerji
If there can be a point of unanimity during any banal Bollywood
discussion about numbers and ranks -- in an industry that trades
loyalties every Friday -- it is simply this: Rani rules. It’s come to
the point where everybody loves Rani. The film might be a painfully
over-indulgent director tripping on shadows, but Rani is good. It might
be exaggerated farce written very poorly indeed, but Rani is good. Be
it a historical gone wrong or a melodramatic letdown, the truth is
clear -- Rani is good. She’s a director’s actress, and she’s worked
very hard indeed to solidify her position. Today, Rani Mukerji is
reason enough to stand in line to buy tickets for a film -- an amazing
feat in an overwhelmingly male dominated industry. This year has
already seen her in Karan Johar’s KANK. Ravi Chopra’s Baabul and Sanjay
Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya are waiting in the wings.
10. Sushmita Sen
The only reason the most graceful stunner in Mumbai is so far down the
list is that we never really get to see enough of her. She takes the
sari to new heights in Main Hoon Na, then disappears from the marquee;
she twirls around as the prettiest part of Kisna, and slinks into the
shadows....Even as her Zindaggi Rocks readies for release, we just need
to see a lot more of her.
9. Mallika Sherawat
Last year, if you’d tell an industry power-monger that Mallika Sherawat
would slip this low down the list, he’d laugh in your face. But times
they are a changing, and in the era of the cleavage-friendly music
video, this statuesque woman isn’t as special as she once was. Bit
roles, item-dances, and movies with indie actors no one will watch --
Madame Mallika’s still a headline, but she’s fading fast.
8. Vidya Balan
She entranced audiences with her eyes in Parineeta, one of those film
debuts that showed undoubted spark. And while she might not have done
anything at all since then, the lass features in the one upcoming film
whose trailer made the country break into a wider grin than anything
else this year -- bole to, if she’s good enough for Munna, she’s good
enough for us.
7. Bipasha Basu
Now this one’s the exception -- abs as flat as a pricey Korean
television, an indulgent grin, and acting skills. Bips initially
captured our imaginations as a voluptuous temptress who could (barely,
it must be said) pull off a swimsuit. Acting was not her thing at all,
the girl being dubbed in almost every film.
6. Kareena Kapoor
She might not have delivered on the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham potential
and turned up as Bollywood’s bonafide Number One yet, but Kareena seems
to be doing her own thing, her way. She has a steady boyfriend (a
Bollywood accomplishment of Herculean standards) in Shahid Kapoor, a
bunch of hit films, and most top directors would kill to cast her in
their next. And Omkara made each and every one of us fall in love with
this fair girl trying to sing Stevie Wonder. Sigh.
5. Preity Zinta
In terms of visibility, Ms Z is down to almost one film a year. 2004
had Veer-Zaara (Lakshya doesn’t count, does it), 2005 had Salaam
Namaste (and a random disaster, you get the drift). This year, however
has been good for Preity. She makes a blink-and-miss special appearance
in the year’s biggest film so far, Krrish, and while her screentime in
Karan Johar’s mammoth Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna might not be much more,
she’s one of the few to escape all the critical rants. And the upcoming
Jaan-E-Man pits her with ever-hot hunks Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan.
4. Kajol
India almost wept when Kajol waved bye to Bollywood, prioritising her
family with hubby Ajay Devgan. Madhuri Dixit’s successor as the female
film icon of India, Bollywood without Kajol was a depressing prospect.
Five years on, and she comes back with Fanaa. An absurd film with a
ridiculous plot, and a leading man looking older than ever. Ask the
audience why they queued up for it, and the answer would be to see this
woman smile. Kajol’s back, and India’s thrilled to bits.
3. Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai transcends mere numbers. If you were to actually tally
her last dozen films, and not count her item-song in Bunty Aur Babli,
then you’d see that none of her films have made a profit since 2002’s
Devdas. But all that’s unimportant in the flashbulb-friendly world of
the red carpet, isn’t it? Ash is all about the ’concept’ of an actress,
the idea of a pretty woman with an exotic, unheard-of accent working
the cameras at Cannes. She’s perfect, even without movies. And with
Dhoom 2 barely 2 months away, she isn’t going anywhere.
2. Priyanka Chopra
This 24-year-old girl is the copybook success story. She spent the
requisite gym-hours, became Miss World and entered Bollywood. Where she
actually slogged it out and earned herself the applause. She didn’t
start with big banners, but worked her way up, consistently getting
herself noticed. Today, she’s the pick of the glamour brigade, an
extremely desirable pin-up babe who is a definite performer. And if you
think Krrish sold her short, hold your horses for Don. This babe’s here
to stay.
1. Rani Mukerji
If there can be a point of unanimity during any banal Bollywood
discussion about numbers and ranks -- in an industry that trades
loyalties every Friday -- it is simply this: Rani rules. It’s come to
the point where everybody loves Rani. The film might be a painfully
over-indulgent director tripping on shadows, but Rani is good. It might
be exaggerated farce written very poorly indeed, but Rani is good. Be
it a historical gone wrong or a melodramatic letdown, the truth is
clear -- Rani is good. She’s a director’s actress, and she’s worked
very hard indeed to solidify her position. Today, Rani Mukerji is
reason enough to stand in line to buy tickets for a film -- an amazing
feat in an overwhelmingly male dominated industry. This year has
already seen her in Karan Johar’s KANK. Ravi Chopra’s Baabul and Sanjay
Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya are waiting in the wings.
