This year, it was Dimple Kapadia who perhaps set the ball rolling by making her presence felt in Zoya Akhtar's Luck By Chance.
While some former reigning Bollywood queens like Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor took television as their first step, they could not shy away from the silver screen for long.
2009 will see the comeback of names like Karisma Kapoor, Raveeena Tandon, Poonam Dhillon, Neetu Singh, Sridevi, Vidya Sinha on the big screen. Read on.
Sridevi
She was one of the leading actresses of her time who gave a handful of blockbusters in late '80s and '90s. Sridevi then married producer Boney Kapoor in 1996 and decided to retire.
But the sexy mama is all set to make a comeback this year with the sequel to Mr India . And no points for guessing, she will be seen with Anil Kapoor yet again.
Her last release: The much-delayed Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin opposite Akshay Kumar in 2004.
Neetu Singh Kapoor: One of the leading actresses in the 1970s, Neetu Singh married Rishi Kapoor when she was just 21 years old.
She was at the peak of her career, having just been nominated for a Filmfare Award as Best Supporting Actress for Kaala Pathar (1979).
Needless to say, being a Kapoor bahu comes at a price and sure enough post-marriage she retired
After a break of 26 years, Neetu Singh Kapoor has decided to make a comeback in 2009. The movie is titled Do Dooni Char. And it will feature her as the wife of a mathematics teacher portrayed by real-life husband Rishi Kapoor.
Directed by Habib Faizal, Arindam Chaudhary of Planman is producing the film.
Karisma Kapoor
Yet another Kapoor girl, Karisma had disappeared from the scene soon after her marriage.The reigning queen of the '90s Karisma Kapoor had created a niche for herself with her No. 1 films with Govinda and David Dhawan.
Karisma Kapoor gave hits like Raja Hindustani, Jigar, Raja Babu, Coolie No 1, Saajan Chale Sasural and Jeet.
In 2003, Kapoor took a break and got married to industrialist Sanjay Kapur. There were rumours of an impending divorce with Sanjay for some time. But it seems like they have died a natural death.
After five years however, the actress is ready to face the camera with his Hero No. 1 co-actor Govinda in David Dhawan's next.
Karisma had however faced the camera on Shah Rukh Khan's request in Om Shanti Om.
Her last release: Mere Jeevan Saathi in 2006.
After marrying film distributor Anil Thadani in 2004, Raveena Tandon disappeared from the Bollywood scene altogether.
Recently she made a comeback of sorts on the small screen where she judged a dance reality show.
The lure of the big screen however couldn't keep her away for long. After four years, Raveena Tandon will make a comeback in a feature film.
Titled Fir Tum Mil Gaye, the film is a remake of a Tamil movie called June R. Revathy Verma directs the film that also stars R Madhavan and Ayesha Takia.
June R was released in 2006 starring Jyotika, Khushboo and Surya among others.
Her last release: Sandwich in 2006 with Govinda.
Poonam Dhillon
Back in 1977 when she won the Miss India crown Poonam Dhillon had the world at her feet.
Filmmaker Yash Chopra was the first to notice her and cast her in the star-studded hit film Trishul.
After Trishul, there was no looking back. One hit after another followed and Poonam Dhillon became a face to reckon with.
However in 1988, she married Ashok Thakeria. And like all married heroines, she quit acting.
After this she, she kept appearing off and on right through the 90s.
Poonam Dhillon will now return to the big screen in a big way. She will act in 13B a mystery thriller that stars R Madhavan and Neetu Chandra among others.
Dhillon will also play Anupam Kher's wife in the Rani Mukherji-Shahid Kapoor starrer on cricket, tentatively titled Hadippa.
Her last release: Mahanta with actor Jeetendra in 1997.
Jaya Pradha
She was one of the most popular actresses in Bollywood in the 1980s. Having created a niche in Bollywood, this South Indian beauty was part of many hit films like Kaamchor(1982), Sharaabi (1984), Tohfaa (1984) ands so on. She even tried her hands in politics, which kept her busy for some time. After three years she is all set to make a comeback of with much talked about Indo-Chinese film The Desire that stars Shilpa Shetty in the lead. Jaya plays Shilpa's mother.
Her last release: Her last Hindi film was the Sanjay Dutt starrer Tathastu, which released in 2006.
Vidya Sinha
She came into limelight with a film called Rajnigandha (1974). Directed by Basu Chatterjee the movie went on to become a huge hit.
After this Vidya Sinha was part of films like Choti Si Baat and Pati Patni Aur Woh where she played the middle class girl to the tee.
But perhaps because she wasn't exactly glamorous, Vidya Sinha never managed to get too many roles. Sooner rather than later, Vidya Sinha vanished from the scene.
She did do a few television serials here and there. But that was it.
The actress will again be seen in Malik Ek with Jackie Shroff in the title role. She plays a village woman in the film.
Her last release: Bharat Bhagya Vidhata in 2002.
Anupamaa
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