List of Hindi film actresses
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2024}}
{{multiple image
| title = Prominent actresses of Hindi cinema across decades
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| image1 = Sulochana in the 1920s.jpg
| caption1 = 1920s: Sulochana
| image2 = Devika Rani in Anjaan (1941).jpg
| caption2 = 1930s: Devika Rani
| image3 = Suraiya on 2013 stamp of India.jpg
| caption3 = 1940s: Suraiya
| image4 = Madhubala on 2008 stamp.jpg
| caption4 = 1950s: Madhubala
| image5 = Vyjayanthimala.jpg
| caption5 = 1960s: Vyjayanthimala
| image6 = Hema Malini - Kolkata 2007-04-09 155.png
| caption6 = 1970s: Hema Malini
| image7 = Sridevi.jpg
| caption7 = 1980s: Sridevi
| image8 = Madhuri Dixit snapped on sets Dance Deewane (05) (cropped).jpg
| caption8 = 1990s: Madhuri Dixit
| image9 = Aishwarya_Rai_Bachchan_inaugurates_Kalyan_Jewellers'_store_2.jpg
| caption9 = 2000s: Aishwarya Rai{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/hit-down-actoress.php?txtYearlyData=2000-2009|title=Top Actress 2000-2009|work=Box Office India|url-status=live}}
| image10 = Deepika Padukone promoting RACE 2 on NACH BALIYE 5.jpg
| caption10 = 2010s: Deepika Padukone
| image11 = Alia attends ITA Awards 2022 (cropped).jpg
| caption11 = 2020s:
Alia Bhatt
}}
Given below is a list of all the notable actresses, who have starred in Hindi cinema, the Hindi language film industry now known as Bollywood, based primarily in Mumbai. Many actresses have had careers spanning multiple decades, often becoming closely associated with specific periods during which their influence and popularity peaked.{{cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/cinema/100-years-of-indian-cinema/photo/top-actresses-of-bollywood-ever-367543-2012-05-01/36 |title=Top heroines of Bollywood |access-date=28 March 2020 |work=India Today |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327214337/https://www.indiatoday.in/cinema/100-years-of-indian-cinema/photo/top-actresses-of-bollywood-ever-367543-2012-05-01/36 |archive-date=27 March 2020 |url-status=live}}
In early Indian cinema, male actors often played female roles because acting was considered taboo for women. Durgabai Kamat and her 4-year-old daughter, Kamlabai Gokhale, were the first female actors to appear in a full-length feature film in Indian Cinema in 1913. Gradually, as women from more liberal backgrounds, such as Anglo-Indian and Jewish communities, began entering the industry in the 1920s and adopting Indian stage names such as Sulochana and Sudhabala, their success paved the way for actresses like Durga Khote and Devika Rani, who rose to fame in the 1930s as silent films transitioned to talkies. By the 1940s, icons like Noor Jehan, Suraiya, and Mumtaz Shanti built successful careers, with many moving to Pakistani cinema after the partition of India in 1947.{{cite web|url=https://goldenglobes.com/articles/pioneering-international-actresses-first-women-indian-cinema/|date=20 March 2022|access-date=14 February 2024|title=Pioneering International Actresses – the First Women of Indian Cinema}} The "Golden Age" of Hindi cinema, featured actresses like Nargis, Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Nutan, Vyjayanthimala, Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh, who became the symbols of grace and emotional depth onscreen, as films gradually transitioned from black-and-white to color. The 1970s ushered in a new era, with actresses like Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri and Rekha playing diverse roles in both traditional and modern narratives, while glamour heroines like Parveen Babi and Zeenat Aman brought a new dimension onscreen. The 1980s saw Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil led the wave of "parallel cinema" in contrast to the rise of mainstream stars like Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Dimple Kapadia, and many others. The 1990s, marked by economic liberalisation, witnessed Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla and Kajol dominating the industry with their versatility, charm, and dancing skills, while actresses like Tabu and Manisha Koirala explored unconventional roles.
As the 21st century took hold, a new surge of contemporary actresses emerged, including pageant winners like Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra, who expanded Bollywood's global reach by venturing into international projects, while others like Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut and Deepika Padukone gained popularity and pushed boundaries of career longevity for actresses.{{cite web |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-top-10-bollywood-actresses-of-the-decade/20110105.htm#1 |title=How The Decade Has Treated These Actresses |date=5 January 2011 |last=Verma |first=Sukanya |work=Rediff.com |access-date=13 November 2020 |archive-date=20 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620082159/http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-top-10-bollywood-actresses-of-the-decade/20110105.htm#1 |url-status=live}}
The following are some of the most renowned actresses and the decades when they were most recognized.{{cite web |url=http://idiva.com/photogallery-entertainment/50-most-beautiful-indian-faces/11401/30 |title=50 Most Beautiful Indian Faces |access-date=19 July 2013 |date=9 March 2012 |work=iDiva |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928191327/http://idiva.com/photogallery-entertainment/50-most-beautiful-indian-faces/11401/30 |archive-date=28 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |url=https://boxofficeindia.com/hit-down-actoress.php |title=Top Actresses Of All Time |access-date=28 August 2022 |work=Box Office India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327214337/https://boxofficeindia.com/hit-down-actoress.php |archive-date=27 March 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |work=Rediff.com |title=Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actresses |date=29 November 2009 |url=https://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/25sd1.htm |access-date=13 March 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309121441/https://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/25sd1.htm |archive-date=9 March 2007}}{{cite web |author=Sen, Raja |work=Rediff.com |title=Bollywood's best actresses. Ever |date=6 March 2007 |url=http://specials.rediff.com/women07/2007/mar/06wslid8.htm |access-date=13 March 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309121441/http://specials.rediff.com/women07/2007/mar/06wslid8.htm |archive-date=9 March 2007}}
1920s
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{{multiple image
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| image1 = Patience Cooper (vers 1930).jpg
| caption1 = Patience Cooper
| image2 = Ermeline Sudhabala.jpg
| caption2 = Sudhabala
| image3 = Fatima Begum (vers 1925).jpg
| caption3 = Fatma Begum
}}
class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text hover-highlight" "style="font-size: 100%"
! Year ! Name ! class="unsortable" | Debut film |
1920
|Damayanti |
rowspan="3"|1922
|Veer Abhimanyu |
Sudhabala
|Bhishma Pitamah |
Sultana
|Veer Abhimanyu |
1923
|Kohinoor |
rowspan="2" |1925 |
Ruby Myers
|Cinema Ki Rani |
rowspan="2"|1926
|Baap Kamai |
Indira Devi
|Jaydev |
1930s
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| image1 = Durga Khote.jpg
| caption1 = Durga Khote
| image2 = Sabita Devi in "Teen Sau Din Ke Baad".jpg
| caption2 = Sabita Devi
| image3 = Bibbo (1940).jpg
| caption3 = Bibbo
}}
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! Year ! Name ! class="unsortable" |Debut film |
rowspan="2" |1930
|Kamaner Aagun |
Mehtab
|Kamaal-e-Shamsheer |
rowspan="4" |1931
|Toofani Tiruni |
Kajjanbai |
Khursheed Bano
|Eye for an eye |
Rattan Bai
| |
rowspan="3" |1932
|Bewafa Qatil |
Lalita Pawar
|Kailash |
Durga Khote |
rowspan="4" |1933
|Id Ka Chand |
Bibbo
|Rangila Rajput |
Devika Rani |
Umasashi |
rowspan="5" |1935 |
Shobhna Samarth
|Nigahe Nafrat |
Jaddanbai |
Leela Chitnis
|Shri Satyanarayan |
Naseem Banu |
rowspan="2" |1936
|Das |
Shanta Apte |
rowspan="3" |1937 |
Mohini |
Leela Desai |
1938
|Watan |
1939
|Bhakti |
1940s
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| image1 = Shobhana Samarth in Shobha (1942).jpg
| caption1 = Shobhna Samarth
| image2 = Diamond Queen 1940.jpg
| caption2 = Fearless Nadia
| image3 = LeelaChitnis.jpg
| caption3 = Leela Chitnis
| image4 = Humjoli 1946.jpg
| caption4 = Noor Jehan
| image5 = Naseem Banu.jpg
| caption5 = Naseem Banu
| image6 = Mumtaz Shanti dans Basant (1942).jpg
| caption6 = Mumtaz Shanti
}}
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! Year ! Name ! Debut film ! class="unsortable" |Notable films |
1940
| |
1941 |
rowspan="6"|1942
| Khandaan |Zeenat, Anmol Ghadi (1946), Jugnu (1947), Mirza Sahibaan (1947) |
Sulochana Latkar
|Marvi | |
Meena Shorey
| |
Veena
|Garib |Pakeezah (1972) |
Swaran Lata
|Awaaz | |
Mumtaz Shanti
|Kismet (1943), Dharti Ke Lal (1946), Ghar Ki Izzat (1948) |
rowspan="2" |1943
| Tadbir (1943), Phool (1945), Anmol Ghadi (1946), Omar Khaiyyam (1946), Parwana (1947), Dard (1947), Shair (1949), Dastan (1950), {{Lang|hi-latn|Afsar}} (1950), Diwana (1952), Bilwamangal (1954), Mr. Lambu (1956) |
Nargis
|Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Chori Chori (1956), Mother India (1957), Raat Aur Din (1967) |
rowspan="2"|1944
|Neel Kamal (1947) |
Sumitra Devi |
rowspan="2"|1945
|Champa | |
Munawar Sultana
|Pehli Nazar |Parai Aag (1948), Babul (1950) |
rowspan="4" |1946
|rowspan="2" |Hum Ek Hain |Aage Badho (1949), Seedha Raasta (1949) |
Rehana |
Meena Kumari
|Baiju Bawra (1952), Parineeta (1953), Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960), |
Geeta Bali
| Badnami | Sohag Raat (1948), Bawre Nain (1950), Albela (1951), Baazi (1951), Jaal (1952), Anand Math (1952), Vachan (1955), Milap (1955), Faraar (1955), Jailor (1958) |
rowspan="2" |1947
| |
Madhubala
|Mahal (1949), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), |
rowspan="4" |1948
| |
Nigar Sultana
|Shikayat |Patanga (1949), Yahudi (1958), Mughal-E-Azam (1960) |
Uma Anand
|rowspan="2" |Neecha Nagar | |
Kamini Kaushal
|Shaheed (1948), Nadiya Ke Paar (1948), |
rowspan="4"|1949
|Deedar (1951), Aan (1952), Basant Bahar (1956) |
Shakila
|Duniya | |
Shammi
|Ustad Pedro |Sangdil (1952) |
Bhanumathi Ramakrishna
| |
1950s
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| perrow = 3
| image1 = Meena Kumariji.jpg
| caption1 = Meena Kumari
| image2 = Nargis Dutt 1993 stamp.jpg
| caption2 = Nargis
| image3 = Sumitra Devi in Diwana (1952).jpg
| caption3 = Sumitra Devi
| image4 = Nutan.jpg
| caption4 = Nutan
| image5 = Nimmi.jpg
| caption5 = Nimmi
| image6 = Bina Rai.png
| caption6 = Bina Rai
}}
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! Year ! Name ! Debut film ! class="unsortable" |Notable Films |
rowspan="2"|1950
|Har Har Mahadev |Deewaar (1975) |
Nutan
|Hamari Beti |Seema (1955), Sujata (1959), Bandini (1963), Milan (1967), Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978), Meri Jung (1985) |
rowspan="3" |1951
| |
Vyjayanthimala
|Nagin (1954), Devdas (1955), Naya Daur (1957), Sadhna (1958), Madhumati (1958), Gunga Jumna (1961), Sangam (1964), Suraj, Amrapali (1966), Jewel Thief (1967) |
Bina Rai |
1952
|Aan | |
rowspan="2" |1953
| |
Ameeta
| |
rowspan="3" |1954
| |
Kannamba Pasupuleti
| |
Mala Sinha
|Pyasa (1957), Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Himalay Ki God Mein (1965), Geet (1970) |
rowspan="1"|1955
| |
rowspan="3"|1956
|Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Guide (1965), Neel Kamal (1968), Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991) |
Helen
| |
Anjali Devi
| |
1957
|Anokha Rishta(1986),Kabhi Na Kabhi(1998) |
1958
|Ragini | |
rowspan="4" |1959
|Black Cat | |
Asha Parekh
|Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Teesri Manzil ( 1966), Chirag (1969), Kati Patang (1971), Caravan (1971), Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) |
B. Saroja Devi
|Sasural (1961), Opera House (1961), Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya (1963) |
Nanda
|Hum Dono (1961), Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), Gumnaam (1965), Ittefaq (1969), The Train (1970), Prem Rog (1982) |
1960s
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| perrow = 3
| image1 = Waheeda Rehman (4x5) (cropped).jpg
| caption1 = Waheeda Rehman
| image2 = Asha Parekh.jpg
| caption2 = Asha Parekh
| image4 = Mala-Sinha1.jpg
| caption4 = Mala Sinha
| image3 = Saira Banu grace the Kresha Bajaj's store launch (7).jpg
| caption3 = Saira Banu
| image6 = Shaina NC Fashion Show 1 (cropped on Sadhna).jpg
| caption6 = Sadhana
| image7 = Actress Nanda 001.jpg
| caption7 = Nanda
}}
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class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text hover-highlight" "style="font-size: 100%"
! Year ! Name ! Debut film ! class="unsortable" |Notable films |
rowspan="2" |1960
|Hum Dono (1961), Mere Mehboob (1963), Woh Kaun Thi? (1964), Waqt (1965), Mera Saaya (1966), Ek Phool Do Mali (1969) |
Tanuja
| Chand Aur Suraj (1965), Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), Nai Roshni (1967), Jeene Ki Raah (1969), Jewel Thief (1967), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972) |
rowspan="3" |1961
|Bluff Master (1963), Padosan (1968), Hera Pheri (1976) |
Mumtaz
|Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Brahmachari (1968), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Do Raaste (1969), Khilona (1970), Loafer (1973) |
Aruna Irani |
rowspan="3" |1962
| |
Simi Garewal
| Do Badan (1966), Saathi (1968), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Siddhartha (1972), Karz (1980) |
Bindu
| Ittefaq (1969) , Do Raaste (1969), Dastaan (1972), Abhimaan (1973), Hawas (1974), Imtihan (1974) |
rowspan="2"|1963
| |
Jamuna
|Ek Raaz | |
rowspan="3"|1964
| |
L. Vijayalakshmi
|Shabnam |Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1966) |
Sharmila Tagore
|Aradhana (1969), Safar (1970), Amar Prem (1972), Daag: A Poem of Love (1973), Chupke Chupke (1975), Mausam (1975) |
rowspan="1"|1966
|Raaz (1967), Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968), Banphool (1971), |
rowspan="1"|1967
|Vimi | |
rowspan="2"|1968
|Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Sholay (1975), Dream Girl (1977), Satte Pe Satta (1982), Baghban (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004) |
J.Jayalalithaa
| Izzat |Man-Mauji (1962) |
rowspan="2"| 1969
|Man Ka Meet | |
Poonam Sinha
|Jigri dost |
1970s
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| image1 = Sharmila Tagore.jpg
| caption1 = Sharmila Tagore
| image2 = Rekha01.jpg
| caption2 = Rekha
| image3 = Rakhee Gulzar.jpg
| caption3 = Rakhee
| image4 = Mumtaz (cropped).jpg
| caption4 = Mumtaz
| image5 = Zeenat Aman at the Society Achievers Awards 2018 (cropped).jpg
| caption5 = Zeenat Aman
| image6 = Jaya B Big B’s birthday.jpg
| caption6 = Jaya Bachchan
}}
1980s
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| image1 = Jayaprada 62nd Filmfare Awards South (cropped).jpg
| caption1 = Jaya Prada
| image2 = Smita Patil 2013 stamp of India.jpg
| caption2 = Smita Patil
| image3 = Shabana Azmi SFU honorary degree (cropped).jpg
| caption3 = Shabana Azmi
| image4 = DimpleKapadia2018 (cropped).jpg
| caption4 = Dimple Kapadia
| image5 = PadminiKolhapure.jpg
| caption5 = Padmini Kolhapure
| image6 = Amrita_Singh_%26_Sara_Ali_Khan_at_Shaadi_By_Marriott_showcase_(08)_(cropped)_2.jpg
| caption6 = Amrita Singh
}}
1990s
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| image1 = JuhiChawla.jpg
| caption1 = Juhi Chawla
| image2 = Kajol Olay Event.jpg
| caption2 = Kajol
| image3 = Manisha Koirala graces her film Dear Maya’s media meet (05).jpg
| caption3 = Manisha Koirala
| image6 = KarismaKapoor02.jpg
| caption6 = Karisma Kapoor
| image5 = Tabu at Esha Deol's wedding reception 08 (cropped).jpg
| caption5 = Tabu
| image4 = RaveenaTandon3.jpg
| caption4 = Raveena Tandon
| image7 = Sonali Bendre attends the 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018 (20) (cropped).jpg
| caption7 = Sonali Bendre
| image8 = Urmila.Matondkar (cropped).jpg
| caption8 = Urmila Matondkar
}}
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2000s
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| image1 = Rani Mukerji cropped.jpg
| caption1 = Rani Mukerji
| image2 = PreityZintaa.jpg
| caption2 = Preity Zinta
| image4 = Bipasha Basu 2014.jpg
|caption4 = Bipasha Basu
| image5 = Priyanka Chopra at TOIFA 2013.jpg
| caption5 = Priyanka Chopra
| image3 = Kareena at SV laptop launch.jpg
| caption3 = Kareena Kapoor
| image6 = Lara Dutta in 2009.jpg
| caption6 = Lara Dutta
}}
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2010s
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| image1 = Vidya Balan at Dadasaheb Phalke Awards.jpg
| caption1 = Vidya Balan
| image2 = Katrina Kaif launching L'Oréal's 6 Oil Nourish-4.jpg
| caption2 = Katrina Kaif
| image3 = Kangana Ranaut walking the ramp at Signature International Fashion Weekend, 2013.jpg
| caption3 = Kangana Ranaut
| image4 = Anushka Sharma promotes her film Jab Harry Met Sejal (01) (cropped).jpg
| caption4 = Anushka Sharma
| image5 = Sonakshi-Sinha.jpg
| caption5 = Sonakshi Sinha
| image6 = Shraddha Kapoor 2016.jpg
| caption6 = Shraddha Kapoor
| image7 = Parineeti_Chopra_at_a_promotional_event_for_Golmaal_Again.jpg
| caption7 = Parineeti Chopra
| image8 = Taapsee-Pannu-Celebs-grace-the-HT-Style-Awards-2018-52 (cropped).jpg
| caption8 = Taapsee Pannu
}}
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2020s
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| image1 = Kriti_Sanon_at_IIFA_2017_(cropped).jpg
| caption1 = Kriti Sanon
| image2 = Yami_Gautam_Dhar_during_the_screening_of_A_Thursday_enhanced.jpg
| caption2 = Yami Gautam
| image3 = Bhumi_Pednekar_in_Screen_Awards_2019_(10)_(cropped).jpg
| caption3 = Bhumi Pednekar
| image4 = Kiara Advani at Vinaya Vidheya Rama interview.jpg
| caption4 = Kiara Advani
| image5 = Sanya Malhotra spotted during an ad shoot in Mumbai - Close view.jpg
| caption5 = Sanya Malhotra
| image6 = Triptii Dimri snapped outside Leap Club in Santacruz.jpg
| caption6 = Triptii Dimri
| image7 = Sharvari_Wagh.png
| caption7 = Sharvari
| image8 = Rashmika Mandanna at the Chhaava trailer launch (cropped).jpg
| caption8 = Rashmika Mandanna
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}