Whether voluntarily or not, there are several actresses we haven't seen for a while. Some are choosy, some are around but not finding regular work, others pop up in item songs to make sure they aren't forgotten, while others have just been neglected by the industry.
Here's a look at ten actresses who aren't spending enough time on our screens:
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Even before her pregnancy was declared, Aishwarya Rai's career was showing signs of slowing down.
One of the industry's highest-paid and most sought-after actresses, Rai at this time has only one film in her kitty -- Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine, shooting for which is currently on hold.
Ash had a disastrous 2010, though, with Raavan, Action Replayy and Guzaarish all failing miserably. Maybe a break is just what the doctor ordered.
Image: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
It's all gone steadily downhill ever since Mallika slithered onto the screen with Hisss. She spent two years doing Jennifer Lynch's film, and it turned out to be a tacky monstrosity.
She has an American romcom called Politics Of Love coming up, but her Bollywood prospects seem currently limited to a steady stream of item numbers -- none of which pack the muscle of a Munni or a Sheila.
Image: Mallika Sherawat
Okay, so we saw Rani in No One Killed Jessica earlier this year, but despite the film doing well, the actress seems to have vanished again.
Her last film was the disastrous Dil Bole Hadippa in 2009, and before that her last leading role came with Laaga Chunari Mein Daag four years ago. Has the former queen of the industry abdicated? Sure looks like it.
Image: Rani Mukerji
We get to see a lot of Preity Zinta on television these days, but that's mostly because of how enthusiastically she cheers on her team, the Punjab Kings XI, in the IPL.
Nobody watched her Guinness Records show on TV, though, and her recent bigscreen appearances -- a cameo in Main Aur Mrs Khanna, a special appearance in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and a role in the unwatchable Heroes -- aren't much to boast of either.
As we saw in that Dostana item number, Shetty still has one of the industry's most flawless bodies.
Even that song, however, was three years ago, and Shetty -- who had a great 2007 with Life... In A Metro and Apne -- seems to have pretty much retired into married life, hanging with husband Raj Kundra and egging on their IPL team, the Rajasthan Royals.
Image: Shilpa Shetty
She's still stunning, she can act circles around most of the industry bimbettes, but she just doesn't seem to be around these days.
We saw Tabu wasted in last year's hackneyed Toh Baat Pakki, but producers seem to be completely ignoring this great, striking actress.
In 2007 she had both The Namesake and Cheeni Kum to boast about, but now she seems utterly, tragically forgotten.
Image: Tabu
The last time we noticed Sush in a good movie was way back in 2004, when she stunned us all with Farah Khan's Main Hoon Na.
Since then a set of poorly chosen acting vehicles -- Chingaari, Zindaggi Rocks, Karma Confessions Aur Holi -- have been her undoing, leading to roles in b-movies like Dulha Mil Gaya and No Problem. Right now, we have no idea when we'll see the ravishing actress next.
Image: Sushmita Sen
The last time Urmila was in something good was with Ek Hasina Thi, seven years ago. Since then the films have gradually slowed to a trickle of mediocrity, hitting rock-bottom when she played a vamp in Himesh Reshammiya's Karz remake, titled Karzzz.
We hardly get to see Matondkar around anymore, but then perhaps that isn't such a bad thing after all.
Image: Urmila Matondkar
With husband Ajay Devgn being one of the industry's most successful actors and her own My Name Is Khan being one of last year's biggest hits, it may seem like a bit of a stretch to put Kajol on this list but the fact is that the actress has no work lined up at all.
Her last film before MNIK was 2008's U Me Aur Hum, and before that was 2006's Fanaa. She clearly has other priorities as a wife and mother, but as audiences we definitely want to see more Kajol.
Image: Kajol
Every now and then she shows up in some film usually made by Onir, but Juhi Chawla, the spunky and bubbly charmer, has been unfairly and completely sidelined by the Hindi film industry.
She might be 43 now, but retains the vivacity of her youth, when she was one of our only truly good comedic actresses. The flair remains, but the films just aren't there anymore.
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