10 Bewitching Beauties: Dimple Kapadia, Hema Malini

When Dimple Kapadia made her comeback in 1993 with Saagar, it was described that the film was in many ways a paean to the actress’ incredible beauty. With her ravishing look, auburn hair, classical face, deep eyes, an aura of sensuality, it was clear that she was back for good. In fact, Kapadia was a stunner even at 13, that’s when film-maker Raj Kapoor spotted her and cast her in Bobby. Never mind, the knotted blouse and simple dresses that she wore in the film, the actress captivated the audience with her cream and peach complexion, luxurious hair and that desirable cleft in her chin! And the sparkle in her eyes is visible even today, 40 years on down the line.

Hema Malini

Lethal grace

Hema Malini

Hema Malini has always exhibited immense grace. With her almond shaped eyes, she ruled over Bollywood in the 70s and continues to make millions swoon over her. From the very beginning, when she started off alongside Raj Kapoor in Sapno Ka Saudagar, she was called the Dream Girl of Bollywood, and that is a tag that remains exclusively hers, even today. A trained Bharatnatyam dancer, her refined moves can give even the younger actresses a run for their money. She can pull off any look with breathtaking elegance, be it the diametrically opposite Seeta Aur Geeta or Basanti, the rustic talkative tangewaali in Sholay. She still exudes the same charm, be it as an actor or a politician.

Madhubala

Timeless beauty

Madhubala

While it may be unfair to compare her beauty with anybody else, Madhubala was referred to as the Marilyn Monroe of India. It was that her complexion was so clear that it was almost translucent and her smile was dazzling enough to light up a room. As the gorgeous courtesan, Anarkali dancing to Pyaar kiya toh darna kya in Mughal-E-Azam, she left a deep impact on cinegoers. Despite the ups and downs in her personal life, Madhubala glowed and sparkled. In fact her ethereal beauty will be remembered for generations to come.

Madhuri Dixit-Nene

The charmer

Madhuri Dixit-Nene

Her million dollar smile, sparkle in the eyes, dreamy expres- sions, childlike innocence and flawless, complexion radiate The beautiful Madhuri Dixit Nene has inspired M.F.Hussain, poets, and all far and wide. A great dancer, the lady stole millions of hearts with her sensuous moves. From her bold rustic look in Khalnayak to her completely dolled up attire in Dil Toh Pagal Hain, the actress has pulled off everything with astonishing ease. Remember her in Tezaab’s ek do teen number, her famous dhak dhak dance from Beta or her grand performance of Chandramukhi in Devdas.

Mumtaz

Fashion diva

Mumtaz

Her quaint pug nose, impish smile and the naughty look in her eyes is what gave Mumtaz the sexy tag! If from a junior artiste, the sultry actress became one of the top actresses it’s because of this intriguing combination of innocence and sexuality. Club it with the figure hugging sarees and kameezes and some bouffant and buns, hooped earrings and a come hither look and Mumtaz was a complete package. The actress was voted the second-most-popular beauty in the poll conducted as part of the celebrations of 100 years of Indian cinema.

Parveen Babi

Glamour girl

Parveen Babi

She was the original glamour girl of Bollywood, with beautiful long tresses, sensuous lips and and a perfect nose and in many ways changed what sexy could look like on screen. And all this worked in her favour as Parveen Babi possessed an alluring, mischievous sparkle in her eyes. One remembers the defiant and vigorous Anita of Deewar . She followed this with other successful films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Namak Halal , etc bringing her trademark boldness upfront.

Sadhana

The trendsetter

Sadhana

There’s a scene in the 1963 film Mere Mehboob where the then superstar Rajendra Kumar bumps into Sadhana for the first time and sees her dreamy eyes through her burqa. It is said to be one of the most remarkable scenes in Hindi films! In fact, actor Danny Denzongpa described that scene, where just the heroine’s eyes are visible, as “unforgettable.” If her expressive eyes were the most striking feature, Sadhana’s faint dimple and high cheek bones only added to her captivating beauty. The fringe that she wore to camouflage her high forehead added to her allure!

Sharmila Tagore

Iconic move

Sharmila Tagore

She was tagged the bold icon for being one of the first actresses to don a bikini on the Indian screen. Sharmila Tagore’s dimpled smile, almond shaped eyes, eyes accentuated by eye liner giving her an innocent wide eyed look captivated the audience. The Bengali beauty also had an alluring charm. Even when draped in a simple saree like she did in Amar Prem and Safar, Tagore managed to keep the audiences mesmerised. The actress was one of the few who could carry off both, Indian and western attire with equal flair!

Tina (Munim) Ambani

Classic beauty

Tina (Munim) Ambani

Tina Munim, a rare combination of innocence and sensuality, caught veteran actor Dev Anand’s eye and once she came on screen, she won hearts instantly! Beautiful eyes on a perfectly chiseled face and sharp features made her a classic beauty. Munim’s freshness, youthful sparkle added vitality to her characters. She simply hooked the audience with her innocent charm in films like Baaton Baaton Mein, Yeh Vaada Raha, Des Pardes, Lootmaar, Karz., etc. Though she gave up doing films long back, the actress eludes the same charm and grace even now!

Zeenat Aman

Bold and beautiful

Zeenat Aman

The original sex symbol of Bollywood, Zeenat Aman’s striking physique, cream and peach complexion, jet black hair and perfect features made her a striking beauty. With these European features, Aman could carry off any kind of western wear, be it long gowns or short dresses, with elan. Even her hippie look with long tresses and tinted glares in Hare Rama Hare Krishna, captivated the audience. Satyam Shivam Sundaram had her in one of the sexiest avatar while as Sunita in Yaadon Ki Baraat, she is remembered for strumming the guitar in the short white dress. Even though she has crossed her prime, the actress still looks as alluring as ever.