Indian Film Actresses 8- Bollywood and More

Here we are at my eighth Hub about the women of Indian cinema.
This time we have a UN Goodwill Ambassador, former Femina Miss India Universe, former Miss Universe (that's all one person mind you), actresses, dancers, models and one or two bona fide Bollywood legends.
And of course besides Bollywood, we have actresses from Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam and Kannada cinema as well.

Indian actress, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, former Femina Miss India Universe and former Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta was born on April 16, 1978 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Lara started out in modeling, going on to win Femina Miss India Universe and Miss Universe in 2000, the same year that Priyanka Chopra won Miss World and Dia Mirza won Miss Asia Pacific, giving India a "hat trick".
Although Lara actually appeared in the 2002 Tamil film Arasatchi, it wasn't released until 2004, making the 2003 film Andaaz her acting debut.
For Andaaz, Lara and Priyanka Chopra both won the Filmfare Best Debut Award.
She has gone on to appear in over twenty films, with three set for release in 2010.

In December 2010, Lara released a yoga DVD.

Telugu film actress and a Kuchipudi dancer Laya made her acting debut in the 1992 film Bhadram Koduko.
She went on to appear in 40 Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films before marrying a doctor in Hyderabad and moving to the US.
Laya won the Nandi Award for Best Actress for the 2000 film Manoharam, and the 2001 film Preminchu.
She appeared in the 2004 Telugu film Vijayendra Varama with Tabu, the 2003 Telugu film Missamma with Bhoomika Chawla and the 2001 Kannada film Maduve Agona Baa with Shilpa Shetty.

Lisa Ray was born on April 4th, 1972 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
She was born and raised in Canada and moved to India later, when a talent scout saw her in a crowd while her family was on vacation in India.
Lisa was 16 at the time.
She did some modeling in India, returned to Canada, then went back to India.
Lisa made her acting debut in the 1994 film Hanste Khelte, and has gone on to appear in over twenty films.
You may recognize Lisa from her appearance in the USA TV series Psych.
She appeared in the episode Bollywood Homicide as Sita.
Lisa was diagnosed with Multiple myeloma in 2009 and is currently undergoing treatment.

Madhavi Latha has only appeared in four Telugu films so far.
Nachavule (2008), Shh (2009), Snehithuda (2009) and Tholi Pata (2010).

Along with Nargis and Meena Kumari, Madhubala was one of the biggest stars in early Indian cinema.
She was even so popular, that in the early 50s, she started showing up in American magazines.
That was no small feat back then.
Her popularity grew to the point that legendary filmmaker Frank Capra went to Mumbai hoping to meet with Madhubala.
But her father, Ataullah Khan, was not very keen on the idea of his daughter getting mixed up with Hollywood, so he nixed the idea.
Imagine what might have been though....
Madhubala on the silver screen with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson or Glenn Ford.

When you talk about Bollywood legends, you have to include Madhuri Dixit.
She is the perfect storm of talent, beauty and class.
Madhuri was born on May 15, 1967 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
She made her debut in the 1984 film Abodh. and has gone on to appear in almost seventy films.
Madhuri has won the Filmfare Best Actress Award four times, the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award once and been nominated for Filmfare Best Actress Award nine times.
She's won the Star Screen Award for Best Actress three times and for Best Supporting Actress once.
And that's not counting all the other awards, honors and recognitions she has received.

Malaika Arora Khan (sometimes just Malaika Arora) was born on August 23rd, 1973 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
She is a very popular model, actress, television personality and MTV VJ (back when MTV India started its operations).
Her sister is another Bollywood actress, Amrita Arora.
Malaika made her acting debut in the 1993 film, Aaja Meri Jaan, and has gone on to appear in twelve films.
In addition to films, she has appeared on the dance, reality-television series Nach Baliye, Zara Nachke Dikha and the Star Plus reality show, Lux Perfect Bride.
She has three films scheduled for 2010 release, Helloo India, House Full and Prem Kaa Game.

Malavika was born Shweta Konnur on July 19th, 1979.
She made her acting debut in the 1999 Tamil movie Unnai Thedi and has gone on to appear in almost forty movies.
Malavika married Sumesh Menon in March 2007, and on November 25th 2008, she gave birth to a baby boy.

I have said before that Mallika Sherawat is like India's Angelina Jolie.
People either love her or hate her.
Mallika was born Reema Lamba on October 24th, 1976 in Rohtak, Haryana, India.
She made her acting debut in the 2002 Bollywood  film Jeena Sirf Merre Liye under her real name, and has gone on to appear in almost twenty films.
Mallika has gotten world-wide attention by appearing in the 2005 Hong Kong fantasy-adventure film, The Myth along side Jackie Chan.
She has also generated a lot of buzz with her USA/India co-production, Hissss, directed by Jennifer Chambers Lynch (the daughter of David Lynch).
Mallika is currently in the US on a working visa recommended by Jackie Chan.
Next up for her is the political romantic comedy Love, Barack with Avatar co-star Laz Alonso.