15 Women Who Redefined Bollywood

In an industry dominated by men, there are a few women who have been calling the shots on their own terms. From being the first in their league to taking on jobs that were earlier considered a man’s forte, these Bollywood divas have been there and done that. On this Women’s Day, let’s salute these women who have made Bollywood what it is today.

1. Devika Rani
She’s known as the first lady of Indian cinema. The biggest star of the 40s, Devika Rani was the first recipient of the coveted Dada Saheb Phalke Award. She was also an apprentice to Elizabeth Arden and a student of London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Devika Rani thrilled Bollywood with the first on-screen kiss and played a key role in making an important talent discovery – the legendary actor Dilip Kumar.

2. Fatma Begum
Way before the Zoyas, Farahs and Deepas of Bollywood, one woman debuted as a director and she was none other than Fatma Begum. As the first lady director of Bollywood, Fatma directed Veer Abhimanyu in 1922.

3. Nadia
In an era when her contemporaries were busy posing pretty, Nadia was riding horses and kicking baddies. Also known as Fearless Nadia, she was India’s first stunt woman who performed all her stunts herself – even if they meant running atop trains, jumping off horse carts and battling villains.

4. Bhanu Athaiya
She is India’s most celebrated costume designer and the first Indian to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design in 1982 for the film, Gandhi. Bhanu has worked in more than 100 movies and received many coveted awards in a career spanning 50 years.

5. Madhubala
One of the most talented actresses of Bollywood, Madhubala is considered the epitome of beauty. She was featured in the American magazine Theatre Arts in 1952, which called her “The Biggest Star in the World and she’s not in Beverly Hills.”

6. Tun Tun
Those were the days when women were expected to play pretty heroines. But she dared to break the stereotype and emerged as Bollywood’s first woman comedian. Her real name was Uma Devi but and Dilip Kumar rechristened her as Tun Tun.

7. Zeenat Aman
She gave an image makeover to Bollywood, oozing oomph and sexiness as never before. Can you forger her Qurbaani act?

8. Smita Patil
While her contemporaries were topping the charts in the commercial movie space, Smita challenged the norms and carved a niche of her own in art house cinema, and won accolades for her power-packed performances.

9. Rekha
Whenever one mentions the timeless beauties of Bollywood, Rekha would be topping the list for sure. A powerhouse of talent and an epitome of beauty, she is a phenomenon quite unmatched.

10. Lata Mangeshkar
This Nightingale of India has around 25,000 songs in her name in a career spanning 70 years. Only the second vocalist to have been awarded the Bharat Ratna, Lata Mangeshkar has also made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for the maximum number of recordings in the world during 1974-1991.

11. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Even after being in the industry for more than two decades, accolades haven’t stopped coming her way. A global icon representing Indian Cinema across the world, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is a living example of beauty with brains.

12. Kareena Kapoor
She’s got the looks and she’s got the talent – isn’t it a deadly combo? Kareena Kapoor is the first Bollywood actress to charge in crores – a rarity in an industry where either sex or SRK sells!

13. Priyanka Chopra
From winning the Miss World beauty pageant to carving a niche in Bollywood, Priyanka Chopra is not stopping any time soon. A trained western classical singer, she is already creating waves in the global music industry and has two singles albums up her sleeve – In My City and Exotic. The multi-talented beauty is the first Indian actress to be signed by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), whose client list includes names like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts and Will Smith.

14. Deepika Padukone
Giving four back-to-back mega hits in one year is no joke. But after a stint with a few wrong choices, Deepika Padukone has finally arrived in Bollywood. Not only did she bag most of the awards this year but also had the cash registers ringing for a long time!

15. Vidya Balan
When the ‘Khans’ were the flavour of the season, she emerged as the ‘shero’ in an industry ruled by men. Breaking the body stereotypes associated with Bollywood, Vidya has made big look beautiful. With a gamut of successful woman-oriented films in her kitty, Vidya is a true game-changer.