Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty Kundra (born June 8, 1975) is an Indian film actress and model. Since making her debut in the film Baazigar (1993), she has appeared in nearly 40 Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films, her first leading role being in the 1994 film Aag. Her performances in Dhadkan (2000) and Rishtey (2002) were appreciated, while her portrayal of an AIDS patient in Phir Milenge (2004) won her many accolades. Her younger sister Shamita Shetty is also a Bollywood film actress.

After taking part in the British Celebrity Big Brother 5 reality TV series in 2007, Shetty was crowned the winner with 63% of the final vote, after an international racism controversy involving her and fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd. This was followed by a re-establishment of her status in the film industry in 2007 when she appeared in two successive movies, Life in a... Metro and Apne, with her performance in the former drawing positive reviews.

Shweta Menon

Shweta Menon is an Indian model, actress and television anchor. She has predominantly acted in Malayalam and Hindi language films, besides appearing in a number of Tamil productions. Actor Anoop Menon is her cousin.

Starting her career as an actress in Malayalam feature films in the early 1990s, she ventured into modeling and becoming noted, after participating and winning at several beauty pageants, which led to her debut in Bollywood. Following appearances in over 30 Hindi films, in which she generally conveyed a glamorous image, her acting career took a turn by the mid-2000s, with her returning to Malayalam cinema and accepting substantial roles. She received critical praise and several accolades including Kerala State Govt Award for Best Actress for her performance in Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009) and Salt N' Pepper (2011).

Shriya

Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has acted in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English and Kannada.

Saran was born in Dehradun and spent most of her childhood in Haridwar. In 2001, her dance master gave her the opportunity to appear in Renoo Nathan's debut music video "Thirakti Kyun Hawa", which brought Saran to become known by many Indian filmmakers.

Although Saran aspired to become a well known dancer and believed she could enter the field of cinema as such, she was rather offered a leading role. Thus, Saran made her film debut in 2001 with the Telugu film Ishtam, and had her first commercial success with Santhosham (2002). She subsequently appeared in several more Telugu films, while making in-roads in the Hindi and Tamil film industries. In 2007, Saran starred in Sivaji, the highest-grossing Tamil film at that time. She also gained critical acclaim for her role in the 2007 Bollywood film Awarapan. In 2008, Saran played the lead role in her first English film, the American-Indian co-production The Other End of the Line. Her following projects included popular films such as Kanthaswamy (2009) in Tamil, and Pokkiri Raja (2010) in Malayalam, her roles in which have established her as one of the leading actresses in the South Indian film industries. In 2012, she was cast in the British-Canadian film Midnight's Children under the direction of Deepa Mehta, based on Salman Rushdie's Booker Prize winning novel of the same name, for which she got international critical acclaim. She achieved further commercial success by starring in films such as Pavitra (2013) and Chandra (2013). In 2014, Shriya Saran starred in the critically acclaimed Telugu film Manam, which she received accolades for her performance.

Sonakshi Sinha

Sonakshi Sinha (born 2 June 1987) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi cinema. She made her debut in the Hindi film industry with 2010's Dabangg opposite Salman Khan, which went onto become the highest grossing Bollywood film of the year. Sinha received positive reviews for her performance, as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Post her debut, she went on to play the leading lady in some of Bollywood's biggest hits, including Rowdy Rathore (2012), Son of Sardaar (2012), Dabangg 2 (2012) and Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty (2014). Sinha received critical praise for her performance in Lootera (2013), for which she was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

Sushmita Sen

Sushmita Sen (born 19 November 1975) is an Indian film actress, model and beauty pageant title holder. She was crowned Miss Universe 1994 by outgoing title holder Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico at the 43rd edition of the Miss Universe Pageant held in Manila, Philippines, on 20 May 1994. She was the first Indian to win the crown.

After completing her reign, Sen went on to pursue Bollywood. She started her career with the Hindi film, Dastak. She rose to stardom with the Tamil musical Ratchagan opposite Nagarjuna; later, she attained commercial and critical recognition for her roles in Sirf Tum (1999) and the comedy Biwi No.1 (1999). The latter earned her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. She has also acted in commercially successful films such as Aankhen (2002), Main Hoon Na (2004) - her biggest commercial success so far - and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005). She received critical acclaim for her female-oriented roles in films such as Filhaal... (2002), Samay: When Time Strikes (2003), Chingaari (2005), Zindaggi Rocks (2006), Aag (2007) and others.

Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor (pronounced [so:n@m k@|pu:r]; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. The daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, she is cited in the media as one of the most fashionable Indian celebrities.

Kapoor began a career in film by assisting director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on his 2005 drama film Black. She made her acting debut in 2007 with Bhansali's romance film Saawariya opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Though unsuccessful at the box office, Kapoor's performance earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. She subsequently featured in the offbeat drama Delhi-6 (2009) and had her first commercial success with the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010). After a series of unsuccessful films, Kapoor garnered praise and several Best Actress nominations (including Filmfare) for portraying a leading role in the romantic drama Raanjhanaa (2013). She also featured briefly in the highly successful biographical sports film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).

Alongside her acting career, Kapoor supports numerous charities and causes, and is a celebrity endorser for brands and products.

Veena Malik

Pakistani actress, TV host and model who appears in Lollywood and Bollywood films.

Malik made her film debut in 2000 with Sajjad Gul's Tere Pyar Mein. In 2002, she starred in Akbar Khan's Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa and Sassi Punno and later played roles in female-centric films such as Koi Tujh Sa Kahan (2005), Mohabbatan Sachiyan (2007), Kyun Tum Se Itna Pyar Hai (2005), Kabhi Pyar Na Karna (2008) and Ishq Be Parwah (2008). In 2012, she was seen in Bollywood with a comedy film Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai. The following year, she appeared in the dramedy Zindagi 50-50, Supermodel and the Kannada film Dirty Picture: Silk Sakkath Maga which was a box office hit. She also appeared in 2014 horror film Mumbai 125 KM 3D.

In addition to acting in films, Malik is active in humanitarian work, has a number of endorsement deals and is regarded as one of the most promising contemporary actresses in Pakistan.

Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan (born 1 January 1978) is an Indian actress. She has established a successful career in Bollywood and is the recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award, five Filmfare Awards, and five Screen Awards, and was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2014. She is known for portraying strong female protagonists and has been acknowledged in the media for pioneering a change in the concept of a Hindi film heroine.

Vidya aspired to a career in film from a young age, and had her first acting role in the 1995 sitcom Hum Paanch. She pursued a master's degree in sociology from the University of Mumbai and simultaneously made several unsuccessful attempts to start a career in film. She subsequently featured in various television commercials and music videos, and in 2003 made her feature film debut as the protagonist of the independent Bengali drama Bhalo Theko. In 2005 Vidya garnered praise for her first Hindi film, the drama Parineeta, and followed it with a leading role in the highly successful 2006 comedy film Lage Raho Munna Bhai.

This initial success was followed by roles in the romantic comedies Heyy Babyy (2007) and Kismat Konnection (2008) which met with negative reviews. The year 2009 marked the beginning of the most successful period in Vidya's career as she portrayed five consecutive roles to wide critical acclaim in the 2009 drama Paa, the 2010 black comedy Ishqiya, the 2011 semi-biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica, the 2011 biopic The Dirty Picture, and the 2012 thriller Kahaani. These roles established her as a leading actress of Hindi cinema and earned her the tag of a "female hero".

Sneha Ullal

Sneha Ullal (born 1987) is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Tollywood and Bollywood films. She is best known for her role in the Telugu film Ullasamga Utsahamga and Simha.

Personal life and education

Sneha Ullal was born and brought up in Hyderabad, India to a Tulu-speaking father from Mangalore and a Sindhi mother. She studied at Indian School, Muscat and Indian School, Salalah in Oman. Later she moved to Mumbai with her mother and attended Durelo Convent High School and studied at Vartak College.

Soha Ali Khan

Soha Ali Khan (born Soha Ali Khan Pataudi on 4 October 1978) is a Bollywood actress best known for her role of Sonia in Rang De Basanti (2006) for which she won IIFA Awards for Best Supporting Actress and GIFA Awards for Best Supporting Actress. She is daughter of Mansoor Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore, a Bengali Indian film actress and a member of Bengal's Tagore family. She is the sister of Saif Ali Khan.