Dimple Kapadia Birthday Special: Top 9 Iconic Roles That Defined Her Career

Her story started fifty-two years ago. A 16-year-old Dimple stepped into Bollywood with Bobby, acting opposite Rishi Kapoor in Raj Kapoor's hit film. That first movie showed everyone what kind of actress she would become - someone who picks tough roles and never plays it safe.

Dimple Kapadia Iconic Movies

Bobby (1973)

Bobby made Dimple Kapadia famous overnight. Dressed in a black miniskirt and white front-knot blouse with polka dots (which came to be known as Bobby prints), she floored the nation with her innocence and big expressive eyes, becoming the sweetheart of the '70s’.

The 1973 movie changed everything. Bobby showed young women in a new way, they could be strong, speak their minds, and make their own choices. Before this, Hindi films showed women very differently.

The movie made big money too. Bobby earned Rs 5.45 crores and became the biggest hit of 1973. Dimple became a star right away. The film changed how love stories were told in Hindi movies.

Dimple played Bobby J Braganza, acting with Rishi Kapoor in a love story about rich and poor families. The story was about Bobby and Raj, who came from different backgrounds, showing real problems in society while giving hope for change.

Saagar (1985)

After Bobby, Dimple took a break from movies. When she wanted to come back, things got tricky. She was supposed to return with Ramesh Sippy's Saagar, acting with Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan. But another film called Zakhmi Sher came out first in 1984 and flopped badly.

Luckily, Saagar came out in 1985 and was a big hit. The movie is about a restaurant owner and a rich man's son who fall in love but face many problems. Saagar became India's entry for the Oscars in 1985 and was the fifth biggest hit that year.

Rudaali (1993)

Rudaali showed how far Dimple would go to play hard roles. The story came from a short tale by writer Mahasweta Devi, and Gulzar wrote the script. Kalpana Lajmi directed the film, which was known for showing women's real problems.

Even though Rudaali was an art film, it had two big stars, Rakhee and Dimple. Rakhee plays Bhikhni, a woman who gets paid to cry at funerals for rich families who cannot show their own sadness. She stays with Shanichari, played by Dimple, whose sad life story we learn bit by bit.

Shanichari has a very hard life. She faces problems because she is a woman, comes from a low caste, and is poor. Her husband drinks too much, her son leaves her, and people in her village hate her.

This film was one of many where Dimple tried to prove she could really act, not just look pretty. "Everybody said you're beautiful, so you accepted it. But what about a good actress?" she said in a 2012 interview.

Antareen (1993)

This film shows Dimple in one of her most difficult roles. Based on a story by Manto called ‘Badshahat ka Khatma,’ director Mrinal Sen made a movie about lonely people, which he often did in his films.

Sen made ‘Antareen’ look beautiful while telling a strange story with hidden meanings. Dimple plays a woman whose lover has left her. She lives alone in a tall building with only her maid.

This woman feels very lonely and calls strangers on the phone every night. One day she calls a writer, and they start talking regularly, which makes both of them feel less alone. The writer, played by Anjan, lives by himself in an old house in Calcutta, trying to write a book.

Sen uses special film tricks where Dimple looks straight at the camera, making viewers feel uncomfortable. The camera work shows her worry and fear as her room seems to get smaller around her.

Don't Miss:Birthday Special: 5 Times Dimple Kapadia Proved She Has The Best Saree Collection Ever

Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

Dil Chahta Hai came out in 2001 and changed how movies showed friendship and love. The film is about three close friends dealing with relationships and growing up problems.

Dimple played Tara Jaiswal in this movie, showing she could act in modern films just as well as older ones. Her role proved that older actors could work well in movies made for young people without losing what made them special.

Tenet and Pathaan

Later in her career, Dimple started working in foreign films too. "The charisma and the poise that she has, and the depth of experience which was immediately apparent when I turned up in Mumbai with my video camera," Nolan told Twinkle Khanna about why he picked Dimple. In Tenet, she plays an arms dealer's wife who turns out to be dangerous.

She used the same strong acting style in Pathaan, where she plays a boss who runs a spy team from her office.

A Thursday (2022)

A Thursday came out in 2022 with actors like Yami Gautam, Neha Dhupia, and Atul Kulkarni. Dimple played Prime Minister Maya Rajguru, and people really liked how she played a political leader.

Luck By Chance (2009)

In Luck By Chance (2009), Dimple played another tough character. As Neena Walia, she was a pushy Bollywood mother trying to make her daughter a star. Dimple made this character feel real instead of just a mean mom joke.

As Dimple Kapadia turns 68 today, her career shows what happens when an actor cares more about good work than easy success.

Don't Miss:Happy Birthday Vicky Kaushal: Top 3 Movies That Prove He Is The OG Powerhouse Of Bollywood

Keep reading Herzindagi for more such stories.

Image Courtesy: IMDb