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Bollywood is a notoriously hard place to make a breakthrough and create a name for yourself. While some achieve star status through sheer hard work, others are granted the all-important access by being lucky enough to be born in the right families or have important connections. Following is a list of Indian actors/actresses that made a name through will, determination and of course an abundance of talent.
RANVEER SINGH
2018 was certainly Ranveer Singh’s year. The actor emerged as one of the top stars in Bollywood delivering hits like Simmba and Padmaavat and he started 2019 with a bang in Zoya Akhtars critically acclaimed Gully Boy, The actor known for his over the top dressing and exuberant energy has been dogged with a rumor that he got his break in B-town after his father paid a huge sum of money to producer, Aditya Chopra. Singh has always denied this rumor claiming that he owes his success to his own hard work and struggle.
PRIYANKA CHOPRA
From a beauty pageant winner to one of the few B town actresses to make a name in Hollywood, Chopra has managed to create a unique brand and niche for herself and she did it all while being an outsider. The actor has spoken about her initial struggles in the Indian film industry. "After winning the Miss World title, the first couple of years in Bollywood were horrible. I was 18 and didn't know which film was right or wrong. There was a time when none of my films was starting. I was very close to quitting. But then by God's grace, Andaaz happened."
DEEPIKA PADUKONE
Currently the highest-paid actress in India, Padukone is the recipient of several awards, including three Filmfare Awards. In 2018, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018. As a teenager, she played badminton but left her career in the sport to become a fashion model and got her big break in Bollywood in the SRK starrer and Farah Khan directorial Om Shanti Om. Padukone soon proved that she was more than just a pretty face by delivering powerful performances in movies like Cocktail, Ram Leela and Piku.
KANGANA RANAUT
The outspoken and controversial Kangana Ranaut made her bones in Bollywood with films like Gangster, Tanu Weds Manu, Queen among others. Hailing from a small town, Ranaut has often candidly spoken about the hardships she faced as the ultimate outsider.
SHAHID KAPOOR
Cited in the media as one of the most attractive Indian celebrities, Shahid Kapoor has maintained his popularity despite a fluctuating career trajectory and is the recipient of several awards, including three Filmfare Awards. Kapoor appeared as a background dancer in a few films of the 90s, and was later featured in music videos and television commercials. He made his film debut in 2003 with a leading role in the rom-com Ishq Vishk, a sleeper hit for which he won a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.
In sharp contrast there are those who while being talented had it easy in the big bad world of the land of dreams. Following is a list of people, who to put it bluntly got a much needed leg up in the Indian film industry.
ALIA BHATT
There is no doubt Alia Bhatt is a fine actress, however her entry in Bollywood was a lot smoother than most thanks to her being the daughter of famous producer Mahesh Bhatt. Alia was launched by none other than the kingmaker himself, Karan Johar in the film, Student Of The Year, along with Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan.
VARUN DHAWAN
The son of renowned film director David Dhawan, Varun also made his acting debut in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year, opposite Alia Bhatt. Since then, Varum has proved that he can act with roles in critically acclaimed films like Badlapur and October.
JANHVI KAPOOR
Eldest daughter of the late Bollywood diva Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, made her debut in Indian film industry in the Dharma Production 2018 film Dhadak .The film was moderately successful and Kapoor was praised for her performance. She will next be seen playing an Indian air force pilot, who became the first woman to fly in a war zone.
SARA ALI KHAN
Daughter of Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan and granddaughter of Sharmila Tagore, Sara Ali Khan, as a Columbia graduate possesses both looks and brains. She made her debut in 2018 in the love story Kedarnath. Shortly afterwards, she was seen opposite Ranveer Singh in the huge box office hit SImmba.