Dec 10 2015

Stars overnight: Big debuts in Bollywood

by   Shriram Iyengar

The stardust may have faded on some, but it does not take away from the magical shine of their debuts. Here are some actors who turned into overnight sensations.

1 Asha Parekh

Asha Parekh first appeared in a film as a 15-year-old in Asha, her full-fledged debut was in Nasir Hussein's 'Dil Deke Dekho'. With her coy looks and brilliant acting, Asha Parekh set a million hearts alight. She would go on to give many big hits like Kati Patang, Teesri Manzil, Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai. It would earn her the title 'Jubilee Girl' from producers.

2 Aamir Khan

From the first moment, the boy with the angelic face stepped in front of the camera singing 'Papa kehte hain' in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Aamir Khan was a sensation. Girls were swooning over his chocolate boy good looks while boys were picking at guitars trying to be like him. It was a sign of things to come. The boy went on to become part of the powerful 'triumvirate' of Khans to rule Bollywood in the 90s.

3 Ayushmann Khurrana

As the brash, testosterone filled Delhi brat, Ayusshman Khurana splashed onto the Bollywood screens. The funny, charming Delhi boy wowed his way into fan hearts with his portrayal of the confused kidult in 'Vicky Donor'. It might have been a small film, but it helped Ayusshman make a big impression.

4 Deepika Padukone

Her debut was everything an aspiring heroine in Bollywood dreams of. Starring opposite King Khan in one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, Om Shanti Om, Deepika Padukone stood her ground and emerged triumphant.

5 Dimple Kapadia

Raj Kapoor visualised her as the second coming of Nargis. As the short skirted Bobby, Dimple was a teenage sensation. Young boys wanted to date her, young girls wanted to be her. The doe-eyed beauty had men of all ages clamouring for her attention. But it took a superstar in Rajesh Khanna to walk away with this dreamgirl.

6 Hrithik Roshan

Perfectly chiselled muscles and the face of a Greek god, Hrithik Roshan's film debut in 'Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai' was nothing short of a mania. With his cool dance moves and stylish looks, Hrithik soon became a sensation.

7 Kumar Gaurav

The son of Rajendra 'Jubilee' Kumar made his film debut with the biggest blockbuster of the 80s, Love Story. Sadly, Kumar Gaurav could never scale the heights of stardom that he acquired with his film debut ever again.

8 Rakhee

Rakhee was another actress who became a sensation with her first movie. The shy Bengali girl with big eyes proved to be the big draw of 'Sharmilee' which also starred the third of the Kapoor scions, Shashi. The film proved to be a turning point in Shashi Kapoor's career and put Rakhi into the list of most beautiful women in Indian cinema.

9 Ranveer Singh

The playful, flirty and spirited Delhi boy shook the ground beneath Bollywood with his performance in 'Band Baaja Baraat'. The film catapulted Ranveer to the A-list along with his co-star Anushka Sharma.

10 Sunny Deol

You could not expect anything less than smouldering anger from the son of Dharmendra. Sunny Deol's debut 'Betaab' saw him oozing raw machismo as the rebellious young man taking on the world for his love. It would mark the arrival of the 'Angry Young Man' of the 90s.

11 Sanjay Dutt

The grace of Nargis and the regal handsomeness of Sunil Dutt metamorphosed into the young Sanjay Dutt. Making his debut in the aptly named 'Rocky', Sanju Baba would go on to become a teenage sensation. His life and films since can only be described as mercurial.

12 Kareena Kapoor

It is difficult to stay away from the camera when you are born into the illustrious Kapoor khandaan. Kareena turned actress with JP Dutta's wonderful tale of love 'Refugee'. The film also marked the debut of another star child, Abhishek Bachchan. But the audiences were wowed by the beauty and the prowess of the Kapoor girl.

13 Vivek Oberoi

As the brutally effective and rowdy Chandu in Ram Gopal Varma's 'Company', Vivek Oberoi made critics sit up and take notes. His grizzled mug and attitude soon earned him a huge fan following and lead roles in films like Shootout at Lokhandwala and Masti.

14 Vidya Balan

With her graceful looks and otherworldly charm, Vidya Balan personified the mischievous, but powerful Lolita in Pradeep Sarkar's 'Parineeta'. She would soon wow critics and fans alike with powerful performances in films like Ishqiya, The Dirty Picture and Kahaani.

15 Sonakshi Sinha

You can't choose a better debut film than one opposite Salman Khan. The daughter of Shotgun Sinha, Sonakshi was just as fiery and expressive in her first film, 'Dabanng', that raked in Rs 300 crores.