The sudden flurry of’Top n.’ topics on MS made me want to contribute my share too. So here’s something that has been on mind all along, but only now has decided to come out in the form of a review. The most difficult question that came to my mind when I started to write this review was. How do I define beauty.
What is beauty? Does it lie only in the eyes of the beholder, or could there be any universally accepted definition of beauty.
My vocab companion, WordWeb gave me this definition - The qualities that give pleasure to the senses. Again, pleasure is a subjective word. So, here I go again to my WordWeb. It is now A fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience. This makes my job easier! So let me define beauty as that extra something that an actress has! Now, that extra, where? So here I list broadly the parameters where I would like to see that something extra!
Looks & facial expressions
Make-up
Style
Screen presence
Costume(or dressing sense)
Alright, we now come to the list of the Top 5 most beautiful women of Hindi Cinema -
Statutory Warning: I’m not talking about brains or emoting capabilities here!
Sridevi
My favourite of all times, who can forget her awesome screen presence in Chandni, Chaal Baaz, Mr. India, Lamhe and more! Especially, Chandni where you would just keep gaping at her beauty forgetting that there were some more people worth attention! Those big beautiful eyes that have a language of their own, the glance, the elegance in her attire. everything was simply breathtaking. But there’s one thing that I liked to be changed in her, if I’m given a chance. it’s definitely going to be that squeaky voice!
Rekha
The lady who has not failed to capture anyone’s heart! At one point, it seemed that the entire film industry was in love with her. Her make-up and her overwhelming screen presence made her soar heights that probably no other actress could. Umrao Jaan being my favourite, who can forget her magnetic allure in other wonderful films like Khoon Bhari Maang, Utsav, Silsila, etc. She’s 50 and still looking young! I can bet she can star opposite any of the actors of today and still steal the show!
Madhuri Dixit
The most striking aspect of Mrs. Nene is her girl-next-door looks. Believe it or not I watched ek-do-teen of Tezaab without knowing her name! After that I made sure I saw every Madhuri’s movie that was on TV! Her innocent smile just lights up my day. Her voice and her diction made her more appealing. She could just about fit into any type of role be it the innocent teenager in Abodh, the dutiful wife in Beta or the struggling middle class young lady in Parinda, she never felt out of place anywhere. She can convincingly convert herself from a glamorous doll to a girl-next-door with nothing but her costumes and make-up and still not lose even an iota of charisma! DTPH, Devdas, Mrityudand, HAHK, Tezaab, Khal Nayak, Ram Lakhan are some of the films that speak purely of her adaptability.
Vyjayanthi Mala
What to say of this gracious lady who could just about do anything with her sweet smile and her gracious style. Till date, I have not found anyone who is as graceful as her. She makes the toughest of dances look simple. Take Hoton mein aisi baat from Jewel Thief. I can never imagine anyone else doing this with the same grace and the same levels of emotions and yet make the audience get fully involved in the seriousness of the scene! Madhumati, Amrapali, Sangam, Devdas, the list of movies that spoke of her grace could go on endlessly!
Aishwarya Rai
So much has been said about Aish. I could just say one word about her - WOW! Everything about her is a beauty - her eyes, her hair, her smile and what not! She shines like a brilliant star in a night sky while other stars just twinkle in the distance. I can’t remember ever taking my eyes off the screen when she was there! She exudes charm and magnetism wherever she is. be it a simple campaign for eye-donation or a glamorous appearance for Nakshatra diamonds, or as a beauty who steals the hearts of men in her movies like Hum dil de chuke sanam or Devdas. Perhaps, she’s beauty personified?
Some close contenders to the top 5 were
Hemamalini
Dimple Kapadia
Waheeda Rehman
Nargis
Juhi Chawla
But I have never been hypnotized by these ladies as much as I was by the ones who actually made it to the top 5. but they definitely come in my top 10!
I strongly feel Indian cinema has produced some of the most beautiful women in the world! But ego, controversies and lack of good public behaviour have made some of them take the back-seat. Let us hope to see more beauties with brains!
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