OTT has been quite a boon to the film industry. Even post-pandemic, the shift from mainstream cinema to Online Streaming has given filmmakers a new chance to make films or shows that they feel passionately about without the worry of box-office. It has also been a great platform for experimenting with new or edgier concepts that the makers were scared about before. And in doing so we have been graced with jaw-dropping storylines, gritty action performances and, above all, a strong female presence.
Here's a list of 90’s actresses who have adopted fearless roles and turned tides through their impeccable acting skills on different OTT platforms:
Sushmita Sen
A crime thriller resting entirely on the lead actress, ‘Aarya’ shows us the best of Sushmita Sen yet. Set in Rajasthan, the show calls to the humanity within everyone which is a rare sight in a crime series. Sushmita Sen navigates the show taking you along with her as you feel her queries and qualms. The show also went on to a second season, and both have done phenomenally well.
Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit has been a constant name in the reality TV judging scene for the past many years, but she hasn’t been seen in a movie or a show of her own since ages. With ‘Fame Game’ on Netflix she made a stellar comeback. People were in absolute awe of her subtlety. She backed it up with another ‘Maja Ma’ recently on Amazon Prime Video. Both of these projects were so apt and suited her personality to the core.
Shilpa Shetty
Just like Madhuri Dixit, Shilpa Shetty too has been judging TV reality shows for quite long, but it was only recently that she decided to make a comeback to fiction. She made her return with the Disney+ Hotstar film ‘Hungama 2’. She then had a theatrical release, ‘Nikamma’ but the film did much better when it was released later on Netflix. She is set to be seen in the Rohit Shetty directed show ‘Indian Police Force’ soon.
Tisca Chopra
An actress of grit and grace, she has acted in over 45 movies. Her latest release happens to be one of the most trending dramas across streaming services. She features in ‘Dahan’ as the leading character – a disgraced IAS officer who finds herself in the thick of a special case. The show is shrouded in occultic and superstitious beliefs that cause mayhem. Tisca Chopra’s complex character of an IAS officer and a mother is so well portrayed that you cannot help but relate to her qualms.
Juhi Chawla
After a break of many years, the actress made a comeback with the OTT release ‘Hush Hush’ on Amazon Prime Video. The show is inspired by the Hollywood hit ‘Big Little Lies’. Chawla plays the role of a strong female protagonist and her character is pivotal to the flow of the story. There are reports that she has already signed another show which would be announced soon.
Ayesha Jhulka
Ayesha Jhulka also made her comeback to screens with the OTT show, ‘Hush Hush’. She is one of the pivotal characters in the show which showcased her acting prowess to the best of her abilities. In numerous interviews she has spoken up about how OTT is changing the way stories are shown, and she was super pumped up the be doing many more shows and films in this new digital era.
Kajol
Kajol has been doing a film on and off but she has been roped in for a massive OTT show, which promises to be huge for the actress. She will be seen in the lead role in the Indian adaptation of the popular Hollywood show, ‘The Good Wife’, on Disney+ Hotstar. The first look was released recently and people are expecting to be blown away by the show considering the original show was such a huge hit everywhere. She also made a great start on OTT with 'Tribhanga'.
Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt was one of the most gorgeous looking actresses from the 90s, but she left it all and moved behind the camera and turned director. After over two decades of being a director, she decided to make a comeback to acting. She was seen in 'Bombay Begums’ which became a swashbuckling hit on Netflix. The finesse with which Bhatt portrayed the character left all her fans in awe. She was recently seen in the film ‘Chup’ as well.
Raveena Tandon
Back with quite the bang, Raveena Tandon’s ‘Aranyak’ performance left the film industry's jaws on the floor. Raveena Tandon’s one of the best performances to date. The show portrays her as a policewoman who journeys through political ploys, personal agendas and myths that start off with an unsuspecting yet mysterious murder. Her sombre and taut performance is spine-chilling and keeps you at the edge of the seat throughout.
Karisma Kapoor
Karisma Kapoor was the first leading actor from the generation of the 90s to headline her own web series. She appeared in the AltBalaji and Zee5’s ‘Mentalhood’. The show was much loved by all and people were thrilled to see that Karisma Kapoor hadn’t lost the innocence that she used to bring out so well onscreen back in 90s.
Sonali Bendre
After moving away from films, Sonali Bendre became quite a popular name when it came to reality TV show judging, but tragedy struck when she had to leave all of it behind as she was diagnosed with cancer. She went to the US and got treated and came back victorious after a few years. She finally made her comeback to the front of the cameras recently with ‘The Broken News’ on Zee5. She was hugely appreciated for her role and the way she brought out the reality of today’s news journalism was fantastic.
