Posted:
Bollywood's working girls | 2008-05-06
The ladies who did the 'world's oldest profession' proud!
Kareena Kapoor in Chameli
This is considered one of the best roles of Kareena's career. Imagine a hooker's role taking her up there! In fact, critics liked the way she played the character. Her not so pleasant dialogue, 'Oh saab, chalna hai kya?' became very very famous! Her bushy eyebrows and dark lipstick look was actually considered happening.
In the movie, Kareena was sold to a brothel as a little girl. She grows up to become one of the most beautiful and street smart prostitutes. One fine day she meets Rahul Bose, the hero of the movie and spends some time on the streets with him. They fall in love with each other and Rahul rescues her, a La Pretty Woman, only in slummy Bombay. But they don't get married and live happily ever after. In fact, Chameli returns next morning to the same place.
A good opportunity for Kareena to get rid of her bimbo tag and display her hitherto unknown acting skills! Kareena Kapoor won a Filmfare Special Performance Award for the role!
Rani Mukerji in Laaga Chunri Mein Daag
Rani Mukerji is one actress who has played prostitute roles for as many as three times in her career. Mangal Pandey, Sawaariya and the one that takes the cake is surely 'Laaga Chunri Mein daag.'
In the movie, she plays Vaibhavari Sahay, a small town girl who comes to Mumbai in search of a job to feed her family. After searching hard, she ends up sleeping with the guy who promises her a job! He gives her money for services extended. After that (weirdly) she takes this actually quite seriously and ends up becoming a high profile escort with the secret identity of Natasha. Later Mr liberal Abhishek Bachchan accepts her the way she is and they live happily ever after.
How in tune with Abhishek's subversive ways!
Quite 80s style with nothing novel to offer! The film was outrightly rejected by the audiences for obvious reasons but Rani just managed to win some appreciation!
No one wanted to piss the Chopra's off, it seems.
Tabu in Chandni Bar
This is one breakthrough role which gave Tabu the tag of a serious actress. A tag she is happily carrying till date!
In the movie she is an innocent girl called Mumtaaz from Gujarat whose parents die during the communal riots. Her uncle brings her to Mumbai and forcefully gets her a job as a bar dancer in Chandni Bar. After she starts earning he blows up all her money on alcohol and one fine day even rapes her. Post that incident she gets married to a gangster and has children. But when her husband dies, her children go on the wrong path and there's a lot of Boo-hoo-ing
To give them a good life she willingly takes up prostitution. But in spite of making such sacrifices her children end up with the same fate. Her son becomes a gangster and daughter takes up dancing in the same bar where she used to dance.
A touchy subject aided with a powerhouse performance! Tabu rightfully won a National Film Award for Best Actress!
Sushmita Sen in Chingaari
Sushmita Sen went the hooker way in Kalpana Lajmi's 'Chingaari.' In the film, she plays Basanti who has been staying in a brothel as long as she remembers. She being a prostitute with lot of self-worth, doesn't let anyone trample her dignity. She falls in love with Chandan (Anuj Sawney) a postman, who promises to marry her and give her and her daughter a better life.
But on the day of their wedding, Chandan never shows up as he is killed by the village priest Bhuvan (Mithun) who is in love with her. But Basanti is unaware of this and she returns to her job as a prostitute once again. But when she finds out the truth, she kills the priest to take revenge on behalf of her love Chandan.
The film was booed for its bizarre attempt at giving Sushmita Sen the stature of a goddess! It was a box office reject but Sushmita Sen's performance was critically acclaimed.
Rekha and Aishwarya Rai in Umrao Jaan
Rekha and much later Aishwarya Rai got a chance to play the classy courtesan in 'Umrao Jaan.'
An 8yr old girl called Amiran gets kidnapped and sold into a brothel. She is not an ordinary prostitute because she grows up to be an elegant poetess and a sophisticated courtesan.
Everyone she loves leaves her. And one fine day she meets the person who had sold her. She finds him in a very bad state begging on the streets, wretched and homeless. At that very moment she decides to forgive everyone who misunderstood and wronged her. Hey, what about revenge and redemption... they make the world go around!
Rekha won a National Film Award for Best Actress in 1981. On the other hand, Aishwarya's 'Umrao Jaan' had zero takers as the film bombed badly at the box office.
Konkana Sen in Traffic Signal
Konkona Sen donned the loud greasepaint for the street smart prostitute act in Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Traffic Signal.' In the movie, she is Noorie, a street side prostitute who is in love with Dominic (Ranveer Shorey), a drug addict. One day she is forced to sleep with a police officer who also sexually assaults her. She wants to take action against him but can't do anything just because she is a prostitute!
Konkana's realistic portrayal earned her the kudos. She managed to live up to the director's expectations. Though the film got lukewarm response, Koko sure stood out!
Meena Kumari in Pakeezah
This very portrayal took Meena Kumari places and even if it released after her death, it is considered one of the best roles of her career. The film has been awarded 'classic' status.
The movie is the heart wrecking tale of Nargis, whose mother dies of sorrow owing to rejection from her husband's family. Nargis grows up in brothel where she is given the name of Sahibjaan and is trained to become a talented courtesan just like her mother. The princely Salim falls for her and wants to marry her.
But on the day of the marriage, she realises that Salim will be banned by his own family and society because she is famous amongst men and she would be recognised easily. She doesn't wish to meet her mother's fate and declines to get married and returns to the brothel. The queen of tragic portrayals is still remembered fondly for this one role.
This profession might be looked down upon but our Bolly queens went places by going that very road!
The ladies who did the 'world's oldest profession' proud!
Kareena Kapoor in Chameli
This is considered one of the best roles of Kareena's career. Imagine a hooker's role taking her up there! In fact, critics liked the way she played the character. Her not so pleasant dialogue, 'Oh saab, chalna hai kya?' became very very famous! Her bushy eyebrows and dark lipstick look was actually considered happening.
In the movie, Kareena was sold to a brothel as a little girl. She grows up to become one of the most beautiful and street smart prostitutes. One fine day she meets Rahul Bose, the hero of the movie and spends some time on the streets with him. They fall in love with each other and Rahul rescues her, a La Pretty Woman, only in slummy Bombay. But they don't get married and live happily ever after. In fact, Chameli returns next morning to the same place.
A good opportunity for Kareena to get rid of her bimbo tag and display her hitherto unknown acting skills! Kareena Kapoor won a Filmfare Special Performance Award for the role!
Rani Mukerji in Laaga Chunri Mein Daag
Rani Mukerji is one actress who has played prostitute roles for as many as three times in her career. Mangal Pandey, Sawaariya and the one that takes the cake is surely 'Laaga Chunri Mein daag.'
In the movie, she plays Vaibhavari Sahay, a small town girl who comes to Mumbai in search of a job to feed her family. After searching hard, she ends up sleeping with the guy who promises her a job! He gives her money for services extended. After that (weirdly) she takes this actually quite seriously and ends up becoming a high profile escort with the secret identity of Natasha. Later Mr liberal Abhishek Bachchan accepts her the way she is and they live happily ever after.
How in tune with Abhishek's subversive ways!
Quite 80s style with nothing novel to offer! The film was outrightly rejected by the audiences for obvious reasons but Rani just managed to win some appreciation!
No one wanted to piss the Chopra's off, it seems.
Tabu in Chandni Bar
This is one breakthrough role which gave Tabu the tag of a serious actress. A tag she is happily carrying till date!
In the movie she is an innocent girl called Mumtaaz from Gujarat whose parents die during the communal riots. Her uncle brings her to Mumbai and forcefully gets her a job as a bar dancer in Chandni Bar. After she starts earning he blows up all her money on alcohol and one fine day even rapes her. Post that incident she gets married to a gangster and has children. But when her husband dies, her children go on the wrong path and there's a lot of Boo-hoo-ing
To give them a good life she willingly takes up prostitution. But in spite of making such sacrifices her children end up with the same fate. Her son becomes a gangster and daughter takes up dancing in the same bar where she used to dance.
A touchy subject aided with a powerhouse performance! Tabu rightfully won a National Film Award for Best Actress!
Sushmita Sen in Chingaari
Sushmita Sen went the hooker way in Kalpana Lajmi's 'Chingaari.' In the film, she plays Basanti who has been staying in a brothel as long as she remembers. She being a prostitute with lot of self-worth, doesn't let anyone trample her dignity. She falls in love with Chandan (Anuj Sawney) a postman, who promises to marry her and give her and her daughter a better life.
But on the day of their wedding, Chandan never shows up as he is killed by the village priest Bhuvan (Mithun) who is in love with her. But Basanti is unaware of this and she returns to her job as a prostitute once again. But when she finds out the truth, she kills the priest to take revenge on behalf of her love Chandan.
The film was booed for its bizarre attempt at giving Sushmita Sen the stature of a goddess! It was a box office reject but Sushmita Sen's performance was critically acclaimed.
Rekha and Aishwarya Rai in Umrao Jaan
Rekha and much later Aishwarya Rai got a chance to play the classy courtesan in 'Umrao Jaan.'
An 8yr old girl called Amiran gets kidnapped and sold into a brothel. She is not an ordinary prostitute because she grows up to be an elegant poetess and a sophisticated courtesan.
Everyone she loves leaves her. And one fine day she meets the person who had sold her. She finds him in a very bad state begging on the streets, wretched and homeless. At that very moment she decides to forgive everyone who misunderstood and wronged her. Hey, what about revenge and redemption... they make the world go around!
Rekha won a National Film Award for Best Actress in 1981. On the other hand, Aishwarya's 'Umrao Jaan' had zero takers as the film bombed badly at the box office.
Konkana Sen in Traffic Signal
Konkona Sen donned the loud greasepaint for the street smart prostitute act in Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Traffic Signal.' In the movie, she is Noorie, a street side prostitute who is in love with Dominic (Ranveer Shorey), a drug addict. One day she is forced to sleep with a police officer who also sexually assaults her. She wants to take action against him but can't do anything just because she is a prostitute!
Konkana's realistic portrayal earned her the kudos. She managed to live up to the director's expectations. Though the film got lukewarm response, Koko sure stood out!
Meena Kumari in Pakeezah
This very portrayal took Meena Kumari places and even if it released after her death, it is considered one of the best roles of her career. The film has been awarded 'classic' status.
The movie is the heart wrecking tale of Nargis, whose mother dies of sorrow owing to rejection from her husband's family. Nargis grows up in brothel where she is given the name of Sahibjaan and is trained to become a talented courtesan just like her mother. The princely Salim falls for her and wants to marry her.
But on the day of the marriage, she realises that Salim will be banned by his own family and society because she is famous amongst men and she would be recognised easily. She doesn't wish to meet her mother's fate and declines to get married and returns to the brothel. The queen of tragic portrayals is still remembered fondly for this one role.
This profession might be looked down upon but our Bolly queens went places by going that very road!
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