Top 5 Underrated Bollywood Actresses

Every film industry always has these few brilliant actors/actresses that who end up never getting the kind of recognition they deserve. They are talented but somehow they either get type-casted or ignored and forgotten. On these similar lines, below we are listing our choice of the top 5 underrated Bollywood actresses.

1. Shefali Shah

Why don’t we see this brilliant actress enough? Is it because she got typecast too soon in mommy roles or is it because she chose to do fewer films? We don’t know the answer but we think we deserve to see more of this powerhouse of talent. We saw her first in Satya and she was so brilliant in that small role she had. Most people remember her from Hasratein where she gained popularity. Then she did Monsoon Wedding where she played a victim of child molestation and she was brilliant again. She overshadowed all the other actors in the movie and there were some really talented actors. 

She went missing from the scene after that and then finally we got a chance to see her in Dil Dhadakne Do where she showed us that even with a side role, she can steal the limelight from the main actors. And finally, we were so happy to see her in a series like Delhi Crime. It did complete justice to her talent. Her performance as The Officer in charge of the Nirbhaya rape case reminded us what an exceptional actress she is. We then saw the short film Juice and she was so brilliant in those 15 minutes especially the last scene where she said so much only with her eyes. We really hope we get to see more of her because it would be a shame for such a talented actress to go unnoticed. We have started watching Once Again and hope to see more of her in the future. An actress like you deserves much more.

2. Tillotama Shome

We had seen her first in Monsoon Wedding as the maid Nancy and her love story was the sweetest in the film. After that, for the longest time, we didn’t see her much anywhere and had forgotten about her. But then I watched Nayantara’s Necklace (Short Film) and her performance reminded us of what a talented actress she is. Then in Hindi Medium, she stood out with her performance even in that small role. She showed us how she can convincingly play a glamorous role also. 

Then with another string of roles in movies like Death in the Gunj, Angrezi Medium, and Chintu Ka Birthday she showed us what a powerful actress she is. Lastly, I would like to mention her performance in “Sir” where she plays a housemaid who falls in love with her boss and tries to fulfill her dreams. She shows us what a powerhouse of talent she is. We really wish her talents are not ignored and we get to see her in more versatile roles.

3. Shahana Goswami 

We first saw her in Rock On. She was so good in it and I remember all the movie critics especially mentioning her in spite of big actors like Farhan Akhtar and Arjun Rampal. She had a limited role but she left an impact with her role. Her transformation in the role from a carefree teenager to a frustrated wife was memorable. 

We remember watching her in Firaaq after that and she was excellent there too. But then she just vanished. We don’t remember seeing her anywhere. We were really happy to see her in Tu Mera Sunday Hai and A Suitable Boy. Recently saw her in Bombay Begums and she gives another noteworthy performance as a successful corporate woman struggling with her personal life. She does complete justice to her roles and we really want to see her in more important roles. Bollywood should not ignore talents like her.

4. Swara Bhaskar

She is another talented actress in Bollywood. But unfortunately, she has become more known for her tweets than her talents in acting. When we first saw her in Tanu weds Manu, we instantly knew that she is immensely talented. She captivated both the audience and critics alike. In a string of box office success, she was again amazing in Raanjhanaa as the childhood friend of the protagonist. 

However, what really brought up her name in this list are her lead role performances in Nil Battey Sannata and Anaarkali of Aarah. Her performance in Nil Battey Sannata as the high-school drop-out, household maid and single mother of a sulky girl has to be one of the best performances we have seen in recent times. In Anaarkali of Aarah she takes up another very challenging role and delivers. Her specialty always has been that she plays every character with complete authenticity. She is definitely one of the actresses to look out for in the future of Bollywood.

5. Amruta Subhash

Incidentally, we first noticed her in a Marathi movie - Killa, where she plays a widower who is struggling to balance her job and personal life with her only child. Then, fortunately, she stepped into Bollywood and we noticed her in Gully Boy. She put out such a powerful performance as Ranveer Singh’s mother who is struggling to save her marriage and support her sons. Her performance stood out and she was awarded a Filmfare for it. Although we have no respect for any awards in India but it makes us happy if a deserving candidate receives any award. 

We then saw her in Sacred Games Season 2 and she left an impact even with her limited role. Then came Choked where again she had a limited role but did complete justice to it. And recently saw her in the new Netflix show Bombay Begums and she is absolutely brilliant in it. She shines through with her performance and you simply can’t keep your eyes off her. In this short period in Bollywood she has shown her versatility from playing a demure mother to a regular middle-class housewife to a ruthless RAW agent and finally an ambitious bar dancer. We don’t believe she has been appreciated enough for her talent but we hope to see much more from her.