It is inarguable that Sridevi was the greatest female star India will ever see. Dominating every major industry simultaneously, and making it look easy. But there are other female stars too! Let’s pick our favorites.
I think I have to pick between old school, older school, and present day.
Old school, KAJOL! All the way. Just so fresh and bright and alive onscreen, irresistible. I know her performances could be uneven, but when she was good, she was very VERY good. So far as I am concerned, the 90s were allllllllllllll Kajol.
Older school, Jayaji!!!! She’s all dignified and stuff now, but back in the day she was bright and funny and silly and happy and delightful. I could watch her for days.
Present day, Anushka!!!! I’m torn between her and Taapsee and Vidya, but ultimately, ANUSHKA!!!! She was good from her first film, and she has slowly been growing in acting ability and depth of performance. To the point where I now go “it’s an Anushka movie? Then I have to watch it!”
dontcallitbollywood 
Old school: Madhuri. I don’t like the present day Madhuri in movies, but love her in 90′ movies.
Present: Deepika. So beautiful and elegant. 100% movie star.
Present 2: Sanya Malhotra
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Yes! Madhuri and the 90s just meshed together.
Deepika, 100% star. and yet, I won’t watch a movie just for her
Sanya, I actually will watch just for her! Partly because she is so good, partly because she has a great script sense.
On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 9:08 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I also won’t watch a movie only for Deepika (in fact I haven’t seen Bajrao, Mastani and Chhaapak) but if I think about the one actress I consider queen now, it’s her.
I wish Sanya gets a strong, fun movie with many dance scenes so she can show all her talent. The girl is too good and I love her, but again I won’t watch a movie only for her e.g I haven’t finished Pagglait.
The only “first day first show” actress who has my all devotion is Sai Pallavi. I’m ready to watch any movie for her, horror, war movie whatever, even this stinky NGK.
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Rani Mukherjee is 2000s for me !! I can watch a movie just for her. Great screen presence.
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Oh good, I was hoping someone would pick Rani! She is my runner up to Kajol.
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Older school: Sharmila Tagore! She can do any role from Bengali art house to goofy 60s rom-com with Shammi and deep serious romance with Rajesh Khanna.
Old School: Madhuri in the 90s is just impossible to beat.
Present Day: Deepika Padukone. If she is in a movie I will go see it.
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Oooo, Sharmilaji! Agree. She does so much that is fun, and you just smile when you se her.
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The list of stars who I will see anything if their name is on the ballot is extensive for me. Top are probably Alia and Anushka, with Alia edging out a bit. Used to be Deepika but probably not so much anymore.
Old school, I have to agree with Kajol. She’s so magnetic.
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Yes! MAgnetic! It’s not even that she acts well or poorly, it’s that you can’t look away from her.
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If I’m defining star as someone who makes me automatically watch a movie, I don’t think anyone qualifies because even Shahrukh can’t get me to watch his entire filmography! Bearing that in mind-
Older: Agree with Kirre on Sharmila
90s: Madhuri and Juhi
00s: Rani
Current: I was going to say no one but you got me thinking with Anushka. I’m not going back to watch everything she’s in, but I’m probably going to watch whatever she comes out with next. Same with Katrina. I think it’s all about where they are and what choices they’re making now that influences me.
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Ooh this is fun. I am defining a star as someone who has that “x” factor. It could be magnetism, range, something that draws me to their movies. I agree with what most of the people have already said so I will focus on some other especially older actresses that are favorites of mine.
As for older actresses, I agree with Kirre and Kainaat. 100% Sharmila. I will watch a movie if she is in it. Something about her is just alluring and captivating. In that same era, I would also pick Hema Malini. If she is in a movie, I will watch it. She has this magnetism that draws you to her.
Slightly, younger than Sharmila and Hema, would be Rekha and Zeenat Aman. Rekha could do anything from comedy to action and the hype around her movies was always here. There are movies of Rekha that I can watch over and over again! Zeenat (and Parveen Babi) transformed standards of beauty and sexual freedom with their roles. I remember the first time I saw Zeenat, I had never seen anyone like her. I still will wear just about anything she wore in her movies.
Agree with everyone that 90s were all about Madhuri and Juhi. For 2000s I am going to go with someone who I think is a star for the history books: Kareena. She owned all of her roles, oscillated perfectly between commercial and artsy, and continues to be a star 2 decades later. I am pretty sure I have seen every single one of her movies and will likely continue to do so. She can still command roles, play the love interest of actors and friend to actresses younger than her, and still be the main attraction of the movie.
I agree with the others that Deepika and Katrina are probably the recent stars for me. I will watch a movie just for them. I love Anushka, but to me, she falls in the same category as Jaya Bachchan. I think of them as great actors, very dignified individuals, who command respect. I will likely try to watch a movie if Anushka has produced it. But they are both more serious actors than stars for me. For example, I am still never going to watch Pari because it is just too scary for me. There are some of Jaya’s movies that I have to be in the right headspace for because they are gut wrenching and I know I will get pulled into her performance and it will affect me for days.
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Rekha, Zeenat, Parveen -yes! I totally skipped their generation in my answer. Kareena-absolutely a star, right from her first film and will be all her acting life. I wanted to mention her, but then I thought about the whole spate of movies she did with Tushar, Fardeen, Bobby and the like which I’ve never seen and never want to see! The only reason I didn’t mention Deepika is because I’ve not seen her Bhansali collabs, but otherwise I’m always happy to see her. That’s so true about Jaya, her roles really pull at you emotionally, which is not always pleasant.
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Thank you! Your reasoning makes complete sense to me. Kareena especially is just astounding to me. I have seen her movies against Tushar, Fardeen, Bobby and it doesn’t matter if she stars against super stars or not so successful actors, her star power doesn’t change! Just thinking of her last few movies, she played 1. a supporting role opposite Irfaan Khan in a non mainstream movie, Angrezi Medium; 2. an older couple trying to get pregnant in a very commercial movie opposite with Akshay as the love interest; and 3. a 20 something woman navigating life and love opposite Sonam and Swara in Veere. She is definitely one of the ultimate stars!
And Deepika is the only one that can make a Bhansali movie remotely tolerable to me. I generally can’t stand Bhansali, but I can watch scenes from Ram Leela over and over again because she is just so darn charismatic in it! You can’t watch that movie and not have a girl crush on her.
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90s era Juhi is my queen. Just love how smart and funny she is, but she can carry big roles and turn on the feels. And she’s just fun to watch, still is.
For now I would say Sai, like Angie, and Mahira. To me they both have that unconventional thing going on, not a perfect Aishwarya face but fascinating and expressive, I don’t want to look away. I will see anything they’re in that doesn’t break my heart.
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Rani, always. You don’t forget your closet key. I just love her eyes and her voice. Nobody does “secretly hurting” like Rani does. I’m not the type to watch anyone’s entire filmography, but Rani is the only one that has ever got me to watch a movie just for her.
In terms of eye candy there’s also Zeenat, who always features heavily on the plus side of the decision to watch a particular film.
And since you asked about favorite “stars”, I think I won’t count Vidya. Yes, she is definitely a star by now, and yes, I definitely admire her as an actor and am partial towards her movies. But I think I’m a little more objective about her, a little less “star-struck”.
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Yaaaay, some more Rani love! I wish she would do more “secret hurting” parts now. She seems to have decided the only way to be a female star is to be all strong and untouchable like a man. She’s still great in stuff like Mardaani, but I want her to be a little more weak and tortured and hurting sometimes.
On Sat, Aug 14, 2021 at 5:36 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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