Undoubtedly, breaking into Bollywood is a difficult task. Not everyone gets a huge break and a chance to star opposite a superstar on screen. Several actors and actresses begin their career in the South Indian film industry before moving up the Bollywood success ladder. Without any assistance, few actresses have achieved success in Bollywood. Among their trade secrets is the fact that they came to the Hindi film industry via South Indian cinema.
These are some of the most well-known female actors from Bollywood who began their acting careers in South Indian films.
Taapsee Pannu
The actress began her career in South Indian cinema and is most known for her strong performances in socially conscious films like “Pink” and “Thappad.” Following her premiere in the Tamil film “Aadukalam,” Taapsee Pannu established a strong reputation for herself in the South Indian film industry. She made a strong name for herself in Bollywood following her breakthrough in the South.
Priyanka Chopra
Did you know that one of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Priyanka Chopra, started her career in the South Indian film industry? She has worked on several Hollywood productions. Her feature film debut was in the Tamil film “Thamizhan.” The Bollywood films “Bajirao Mastani,” “Barfi,” and “Mary Kon” are among her best.
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone played Aishwarya in the Kannada film of the same name before transforming into Shantipriya in “Om Shanti Om.” Despite making her big, blockbuster debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika’s battles to maintain stability in the industry are very inspirational. She currently has hits under her belt, including “Piku,” “Padmavat,” and “Bajirao Mastani.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
One of the most well-known figures in Bollywood, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, rose to fame upon her 1994 Miss World victory. She began her acting career in 1997, appearing in the Tamil film Iruvar. This further opened the route for her to make it big in the B-Town with successes like ‘Devdas’, ‘Dhoom 2’, ‘Raavan’, and ‘Jodha Akbar’.
Hema Malini
The South Indian film served as the launchpad for the career of the Bollywood heroine, who dominated the heyday of the Hindi cinema industry. “Idhu Sathiyam,” a Tamil film, marked the beginning of Dream Girl Hema Malini’s acting career. She then made her Bollywood debut in “Sapno Ka Saudagar,” which was followed by hits like “Baghban,” “Naseeb,” and “Sholay.”
