1

Rani Mukerji
Act II

Rani Mukerji was unstoppable in 2005 with the biggest and the best in her kitty. Her dream run began, in fact, in 2004 and her filmography for the last two years says it all for her—Yuva (2004), Hum Tum (2004), Veer-Zaara, (2004) Black (2005), Bunty Aur Babli (2005), Paheli (2005),
Mangal Pandey (2005). On to 2006

2

Aishwarya Rai
Full steam ahead

Kajrare has done for her what two years of a combination of indifferent and unsuccessful movies couldn’t. The new, sizzling Aishwarya Rai has sent temperatures soaring in the industry and the speculation about her role in Dhoom 2 has only added to her allure. However, all that steam has perhaps clouded the fact that Aishwarya has grown considerably as an actress and gained international experience as well. Her next crop of movies should show the difference

Preity Zinta
A winner every year

Fact is, she’s been delivering consistently at the box-office. And she maintained the status quo with Salaam Namaste in 2005. Preity Zinta may have made her career playing chirpy 20-somethings but this actress has managed her career so well she could give some of the men a lesson or two there. One film at a time, one winner every year for the last three years and Preity Zinta looks like she’s going to swing it in 2006 as well with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Jaaneman coming up.

Kareena Kapoor
My luck’s gotta change

Her hide-and-seek game with success continued. She started off on a decent note with Bewafaa but matters got worse with the dual disasters of Kyon Ki and Dosti. But since when did flops halt Kareena Kapoor in her determined tracks? She just signs a few more movies and marches on. As she did in 2005. She’s picked up Farhan Akhtar’s Don, Abbas-Mustan’s 36 China Town and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Othello among others, she’s game for rising hemlines and plunging necklines, she’s pulling out all the stops. My luck’s gotta change some time, she believes.

6

Priyanka Chopra
Ramping it up

Her mantra has been simple from day one: Focus on the banners and the roles, the money can wait. And she’s known to slash her price if the role means more to her. Her score card last year read: One hit (Waqt) two so-so movies (Bluffmaster and Barsaat) and one flop (Karam). And Priyanka Chopra is ramping it up. She’s nipping at the heels of the Big Three of the big league and she’s got her foot on the accelerator.

7

Bipasha Basu
Seductress reborn

She was on the verge of being written off, she was sliding fast. Just in time, Bipasha Basu shrugged off the extra kilos and claimed she’d learnt to love herself all over again. So did everyone else as No Entry proved that no one can play the seductress better than her. She’s willing to try different hues too. Even though Apaharan did nothing for her, Corporate and Dhoom 2 should help her recover a lot of lost ground.

8

Sushmita Sen
Yes, there’s Hollywood too

She didn’t exactly have a mind-blowing repertoire to show for this year. She had a hit (Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya), an average earner (Bewafaa) and a flop (Main Aisa Hi Hoon). But Ms Sen maintains an unperturbed run—as she always has. Maybe it’s because her persona shines through even the most humdrum movie. Or perhaps it’s because she is part of a Hollywood project and far from going ballistic over it, she’s treated it like any other. But then, Sush has always taken life in her stylish stride

9

Mallika Sherawat
Will she (gasp!) button up?

The high priestess of oomph and outrageousness, Mallika Sherawat could write a book on the art of self-marketing and what are the bets it will prove to be a bestseller? 2005 was very eventful, bordering on disastrous for the feisty Jat, the ups and downs of which were mirrored in the rise and fall of her neckline at Cannes. But now it looks like Mallika is all set to button up and bust her booby trap. Darna Zaroori Hai, Shaadi Se Pehle and Pyar Ke Side Effects will show if she can.

10

Vidya Balan
Wild card entry

In a world of airbrushed beauty, Vidya Balan tiptoed in quietly through the frames of the period piece Parineeta. Her healthy dose of talent and demure old-world allure has charmed viewers and directors alike. Vidhu Vinod Chopra, for one, has cast her in two more of his projects—Eklavya and Munnabhai Meets Mahtama. Nikhil Advani has penciled her in for Salaam-e-Ishq. And her ‘take home to mama’ quality has propelled her into this Top Ten in just her first year.