Women's Day 2024: Not just a 90s heroine

Karisma Kapoor, Sushmita Sen and Raveena Tandon

Actor Karisma Kapoor is currently gearing up for the release of her upcoming Netflix film 'Murder Mubarak'. The trailer of the unveiled film recently saw Karisma playing the intriguing role of an actress. At the trailer launch event, Kapoor, who delivered hit after hit in the '90s, said why she has been selective of her work. " "I do selective work out of choice. I like doing that and I am comfortable with that. I like to sail at my own pace. I am lucky and thankful that I am in a position where I can say 'yes' or 'no' to work," she said.

This is true of most 90s heroines who have made a glorious comeback to the screen with high-impact roles. Unlike in the 90s, the thought of the shelf life of a leading actress extending beyond 40 was almost unimaginable. However, with time that thought has changed not only within the industry but among the audience as well.

While the men who rose to fame in front of the camera in the 90s namely Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Saif Ali Khan continued to play lead actors in films well after their 40s, the heroines were gradually replaced with younger faces.

However, that all changed in the last couple of years as people were exposed to global content which largely contributed to changing viewing habits. Audiences were open to innovative and inventive stories and the boost of OTT platforms only encouraged this trend. This also led to the 90s heroine returning to celluloid in never-before-seen roles. They were no more the damsel in distress who needed a macho man to save them in every situation, instead, they became their saviours and their tale has been loved by the audience.

Sushmita Sen who entered the industry after being crowned Miss Universe was largely known for her glamorous roles in films like 'Biwi No.1', 'Kyon Ki...Main Jhooth Nahi Bolta' among others made a sparkling comeback with the web series 'Aarya'. She plays the titular role in the revenge drama looking badass. Amid this, she also played the role of a transgender in the web series 'Taali' making heads turn with her immaculate performance.

Raveena Tandon, on the other hand, also followed suit and broke her 90s image with some spectacular performances in shows like 'Aranyak' and 'Karmma Calling'. She was also seen in the pan-India film 'KGF 2' playing a headstrong woman. In the 90s, Raveena was featured in several romantic and comedy films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Dulhe Raja, Andaz Apna Apna, and many more. She was noted for her looks and dancing skills. While the actress looks like she has hardly aged, her onscreen choices also reflects her growth as an actor.

Kajol is yet another actress who has completely reinvented herself by taking up challenging and distinct roles. The actress who shone in the 90s with films like 'Baazigar', 'DDLJ', 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Ishq' now takes up roles that allow her to portray her versatility.

While Bhagyashree walked into our hearts with her delicate performance as Suman in 'Maine Pyar Kiya', she transformed herself with her comeback decades later. She surprised all with her villain act in the recently released film 'Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video'.

While Madhuri Dixit has always set standards with her acting and dance skills in the 80s and 90s, the actress only got better and embraced challenging roles in the recent past.

Shilpa Shetty Kundra who also marked her debut in the 90s has been reinventing herself onscreen with different roles. Whether it is comedy, drama or action, the actress has left no stone unturned in her second round on the celluloid.