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The list of the best Bollywood actresses of 2024 is something Kangana Ranaut would reject outright (please scroll down). So, do we need her approval on something like this? I would like that since I miss her in Bollywood. But who am I to say anything to Ranaut? She would rather climb the political ladder and not my list.
On a serious note, I have graver issues with Triptii Dimri – an erstwhile regular in my year-enders – for giving big hits that did nothing to her monumental talent. Oh, the line sounds like someone asked me to compliment her without complimenting her. Alia Bhatt gave us Jigra, and I know her standards are not so low to consider a good performance in a very ‘meh’ screenplay worthy of anything. Deepika Padukone was pleasant in an all-male Air Force saga, Fighter. It exited my memory in less than a day. Jyothika was passable in two successful films with substantial roles for her. Realism is not her strongest suit, and I would prefer to watch her in an ‘Aasai Aasai Eppozhuthu’ any day. Her colleague from Tamil cinema, Priyamani, was impressive in Maidaan. The women in Sharmaji Ki Beti put together a decent show as an ensemble. Ditto for the female cast of Khel Khel Mein who were way better than their male screen partners.
So, who came out tops this year? Below is the list of the 10 best Bollywood actresses of 2024, ranked in reverse order:
10. Tabu (Crew)
A female buddy film is a rare occurrence in Bollywood. Tabu’s Geeta might not require the seasoned actor to do any heavy lifting, but she owns the part in a way only she could have. As a flight supervisor at Kohinoor Airlines, Tabu oscillates between being a bundle of nerves and a hoot and a half.
9. Anjini Dhawan (Binny And Family)
In her debut role, Anjini Dhawan delivers a convincing performance as a teenager in London caught in a conflict of values with her grandparents. What stands out is her uninhibited approach, even alongside a veteran actor like Pankaj Kapur. Binny And Family is bound to draw more eyeballs once the film hits the streaming channels.
8. Kriti Sanon (Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya)
“Theek hai….” It is half-comical and half-eerie when SIFRA (a humanoid robot essayed by Kriti Sanon) repeatedly says it. The film warns us of a dangerous future that awaits humanity. The love story is hard to digest, but it is impossible to ignore the actor’s efforts in portraying a machine. SIFRA’s unique facial flexes, robotic dialogue delivery, and climactic breakdown (literal and figurative) lend Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya humor and novelty.
7. Vidya Balan (Do Aur Do Pyaar)
There’s nothing left for Vidya Balan to prove. In Do Aur Do Pyaar, Vidya’s Kavya is a woman driven by a need for physical expressions of love in all her relationships. It’s a well-balanced role that fits her perfectly, and she brings warmth and maturity to the interpretation of the part. Balan’s authentic presence ensures Kavya doesn’t fall into the cliché of a stereotypical bad wife.
6. Bhumi Pednekar (Bhakshak)
She is an actor who would elevate pretty much anything she is in. In Netflix’s Bhakshak, inspired by a harrowing real-life incident, Bhumi Pednekar’s Vaishali embodies characteristics we associate with a male hero. She delivers an authentic performance as a journalist determined to secure justice for a group of young girls. While she echoes the character’s demands to a T, the pure passion on display merits her a place on the list of the best Bollywood actresses of 2024.
5. Katrina Kaif (Merry Christmas)
It is easy to write off Katrina Kaif as just a pretty face. Then you realize that she has been in the business – that too in the top league – for 22 years. Aside from the actor’s commendable feat of staying relevant for so long, Merry Christmas sees her in great form. It is not the smiling, gyrating version of Kaif we have grown up admiring. As a mysterious woman named Maria, she quietly slays the naysayers who ever alleged that she can’t act. Atta girl!
4. Nitanshi Goel (Laapataa Ladies)
One of 2024’s breakout stars among the female brigade came in Kiran Rao’s widely loved satire, Laapataa Ladies. In Laapataa Ladies, the girls make it difficult to judge who is better. With eyes that glitter as she looks at the real world for the first time, Nitanshi Goel makes Phool a picture of innocence. If her scenes with her screen husband (Sparsh Srivastava) would warm the cockles of your heart, Phool’s interactions with Manjumai (Chhaya Kadam) are inspiring irrespective of gender, class, and age.
3. Pratibha Ranta (Laapataa Ladies)
If Kiran Rao’s film had a moralistic anchor, it has to be Jaya – a character that debutante Pratibha Ranta essays with utmost confidence. The best part of casting an actor of Ranta’s caliber is that the character’s rebellion, at no point, feels manufactured or cosmetic. Without taking any names, let me tell you how refreshing it is to see rooted performers who do not need a diction coach for basic proficiency in Hindi. Ranta, with a delightful performance, tells us that she was all set to fly – right from day one.
2. Parineeti Chopra (Amar Singh Chamkila)
The actor famously turned down a full-length, dialogue-heavy role in Animal to star in Amar Singh Chamkila, and I can’t thank her enough for it. With Imtiaz Ali at the helm of affairs, Parineeti Chopra glowed like an iridescent lamp as Amarjot. I have always been a fan of her husky vocals which I have expressed repeatedly in my articles and tweets. Now, imagine a film where she gets to sing Chamkila’s songs under A.R. Rahman’s expert guidance. Beyond her singing, Chopra’s performance was nuanced to perfection. Her quiet demeanor perfectly balanced her commanding stage presence, and her chemistry with Diljit Dosanjh radiated a level of comfort that you rarely see between actors.
1. Ananya Panday (CTRL)
Three years ago, if I were to name Ananya Panday in an acting list, the entire internet community and their dogs would have scoffed at me. Mind you, I only had good words for Panday in her debut film (reviewed here). Despite facing brutal social media slander, she kept honing her craft. In Vikramaditya Motwane’s CTRL, a film exploring the perils of social media, the spirited actor delivers a compelling performance with zero false notes. I could keep showering her with praise, but I don’t need to. Ananya Panday has earned the top spot on this list titled ‘The Best Bollywood Actresses of 2024’, and she is in the movies to have a blast.
P.S.: Kani Kusruti and Preeti Panigrahy are not included in the list because Girls Will Be Girls is not a typical Bollywood film, as its primary language is Indian English. The same applies to Kareena Kapoor Khan in The Buckingham Murders – a film in Punjabi and English.
Actresses I missed in the film format: Manisha Koirala, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kangana Ranaut, Swara Bhasker and Konkona Sen Sharma
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