Where They All Began

Rani Mukerji: She did not have a dream start with Raja Ki Aayegi Baarat and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai became her trump card followed by the success of Ghulam. Horrific and/or flop films films such as Mehndi, Hello Brother, Badal, Hadh Kar Di Aapne, Bicchoo, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai, Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaye, Chalo Ishq Ladaye, and Chori. In between these films, she had a few hits such as Saathiya, Chalte Chalte, and Nayak. 2004 was a turning point in her career with hits such as Yuva, Hum Tum, and Veer Zaara. Then Black came along and the rest is history. Since 2004, Rani has worked mainly with YRF and Dharma. With consecutive flops such as Ta Ra Rum Pum, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, and Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, her size-zero comeback in Dil Bole Hadippa did not work. She will be seen in Rajkumar Gupta's No One Killed Jessica next and she plays a reporter in that film.

Kareena Kapoor: She is the most gorgeous and most talented actress we have today. She balances meaningful and commercial cinema but has had to struggle her way to the top. There was a time when she was written off as she did pathetic roles in even more pathetic movies. Refugee got her noticed as an actress but the film flopped. Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai was a hit but as a film, it was nothing to write home about. Though promising films such as Yaadein and Asoka flopped, Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham was a huge hit. Then followed a series of disasters such as Jeena Sirf Mere Liye, Talaash, Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and LOC Kargil. Chameli, Dev, Yuva, and Aitraaz offered her a successful run with critical or commercial acclaim or both. Hulchul, Bewafaa, Kyun Ki, Dosti, Chup Chup Ke, and 36 China Town were unsuccessful. After that Don was a hit. She took a well-deserved break to return in all new sizzling avatar in It's Rocking in Kya Love Story Hai. This was followed by the smashing and unparalleled success of Jab We Met. Kareena Kapoor was back in the reckoning to become the diva and superstar she is today. Post Jab We Met, even though Tashan, Kambakkht Ishq, and Main Aur Mrs. Khanna have flopped but they do not make an iota of difference to her. The acclaim of Kurbaan and the universal success of 3 Idiots is something she is very proud of and rightly so. She has a variety of films and roles in We Are Family, Ra.One, Agent Vinod, Golmaal 3, Heroine, and Short Term Shaadi to look forward to.

Priyanka Chopra: She may be a National Award winner today thanks to Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion, but once upon a time, she was far away from it. Priyanka started off as a glamour doll in Andaaz, Hero, Kismet, Plan, and Asambhav. Mujhse Shaadi Karogi was a bad film that became a huge hit. She won critical acclaim with Aitraaz. The failure of Blackmail, Yakeen, Karam, and Barsaat was balanced by the success of Bluffmaster and Waqt. In 2006 and 2007, Salaam-e-Ishq, Big Brother, and Aap Ki Khatir were flops while Krrish and Don were hits. Lastly, in 2008, before she rose to the top, Priyanka had four flops: Love Story 2050. Drona, Chamku, and God Tussi Great Ho. With the success and acclaim of Fashion, Dostana, and Kaminey, Priyanka has established herself as one of the most hard-working and versatile actresses today. Even though What's Your Raashee flopped, PC won unanimous praise for enacting 12 different characters. 2010 started on a silly note with Pyaar Impossible but we are looking forward to Anjaana Anjaani, Saat Khoon Maaf, and Don 2.

Katrina Kaif: She may behave like a dainty, touch-me-not damsel today but Katrina's beginnings were anything but that. She may refuse wearing bikinis and may be choosy about her intimate scenes but she wore the skimpiest clothes and did some of the raunchiest scenes in Kaizad Gustad's Boom. Even though she is hardly an actress and her roles are hardly any different from each other, Katrina has a very few flops. She had a small role in Sarkar, followed by full-fledged ones in Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, and Namastey London. Yuvvraaj and Boom are her only flop films, De Dana Dan did average business, and though Hello and Blue are flops, she only had cameos in those films. Race, Singh is Kinng, Welcome, Partner, New York, Raajneeti, and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani have been certified hits. Katrina is trying to prove that she is an actress with films like Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan and Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara.

Aishwarya Rai: She is sough-after in Hollywood, Bollywood, and the South Indian film industry today but Aishwarya Rai did not start on such a successful note. Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya and Aa Ab Laut Chalen were consecutive flops but she hit headlines with the consecutive success of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Taal. Then followed a spate of flops comprising Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, Albela, and Hum Kisise Kum Nahin. Ash also had to deal with constant criticism regarding her 'plastic image', her awful sartorial sense, and her affair with Salman Khan. The success and acclaim of Devdas and Chokher Bali brought some respite to be followed by the failure of Kyun Ho Gaya Na, Kuch Na Kaho, Bride and Prejudice, Raincoat, and Shabd. By this time, Ash had become a Cannes regular as the face of L'oreal and was supposedly dating Vivek Oberoi. Ash's Kajraa Re in Bunty Aur Babli (and Umrao Jaan) kick-started her affair with Abhishek Bachchan. She also revamped her image with the oomphy song. After that, her marriage to Abhishek Bachchan, the thumping success of Dhoom 2, Guru, Jodhaa Akbar, and Sarkar Raj, and the international exposure of Provoked and Pink Pather 2 followed. Ash is clearly on a roll. The married actress is in a league of her own. Post the failure of Raavan, she will be seen in Action Replayy, Guzaarish, and Endhiran.

Shilpa Shetty: She is known for her business acumen, her fabulous figure, her marriage, her Big Brother win, and her sartorial sense but Shilpa was never really known as an actress. In her career, Phir Milenge and Metro are the only acclaimed and sensitive films she has done. Baazigar, Mein Khiladi Tu Anari, Dhadkan, Apne and Dus were hits. The rest of her resume is fraught with banal and horrific films such as Chor Machaye Shor, Fareb, Garv, Junoon, Badhai Ho Badhai, Rishtey, Hathyar, Himmat, Tarkieb, Khamosh, and the like. Among her upcoming films are The Desire with Chinese actor Xia Yu and The Man with Sunny Deol. They are complete but we do not know when they will release.