Bollywood always hypnotises us with its charm and magic. In the era when the 'nepotism vs outsiders' debate is refusing to die down, Bollywood has a plethora of great actors. However, not everyone or every talent sees the light of success in this cut-throat world of competition. Some have been wronged, some have become a victim of gangs and nepotism and some others have simply got the chance to prove themselves. Despite their unbelievably terrific performances, these actors remain underulitised.
Be it Ishq Vishk, Fida, 36 China Town, or Jab We Met, Kaminey, Haider, Udta Punjab or recently-released web series Farzi, Shahid Kapoor has always made sure that he brings something new to the big screen.
She is not fair-skinned or size zero as Bollywood demands its actresses to be. She doesn't fit into the standards that the industry has set, yet she is a powerhouse performer who weaves magic onscreen and aces every role to perfection. Be it the role of Aisha in Wake Up Sid or Bharti Mandal in Ajeeb Daastaans, she has always proved that her acting skills are par excellence.
Emraan Hashmi was a rage back then in the early 2000s, especially after the release of Asshiq Banaya Aapne. He had a cult following. Emraan picked up roles that mainstream heroes were skeptical about and made kissing scenes acceptable in Bollywood. He is a kickass actor who hasn't been given good opportunities in a long time. He will next be seen in Selfiee along with Akshay Kumar.
Even Salman Khan agrees that he is underrated. "Emraan Hashmi is the most underrated actor and now he should get his due. He has given hit after hit. He is damn good as an actor. I really like him," Salman said during the music launch of Ishkq In Paris.
Did you know Ronit Roy bagged a Hollywood movie without an audition - simply on merit? He was offered the 2012 movie Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who is the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director. However, he couldn't do the film because of Karan Johar's Student Of The Year and he is still upset about it. From movies like Jaane Tere Naam to Udaan, Boss, 2 States, Kaabil and Ugly to TV shows like Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Ssshhhh...Koi Hai among others, he has proved his talent with every role that has come his way.
"I can't say that I am underrated, but I am underutilised for sure as an actor. I know that I am capable of doing so much as a performer. I have so much to offer. I have more potential than what the audience has seen in the films that I have done so far. Or maybe my fans who like my work believe that I am versatile as an actor. But that is not how the filmmakers and casting directors are seeing me," he was quoted as saying by IANS.
In his first film Iqbal, he had no dialogues yet he made a mark in the industry. After Iqbal, he did some great films like Dor, Bombay To Bangkok, Welcome to Sajjanpur, Golmaal Returns, Aage Se Right, Golmaal 3, Housefull 2 and Golmaal Again, and got typecast into comedy roles. Shreyas is one of the most underestimated actors in Bollywood.
Remember Style and XCuse me? Sharman Joshi is unarguably one of the best comedy actors in tinsel town. With films like Golmaal, 3 Idiots, and Dhol, he has made a cult fan following yet he remains to be one of the underutilised and underestimated Bollywood actors. He surely deserves more opportunities.
Abhay Deol who recently called Anurag Kashyap a liar and a toxic person is undoubtedly one of the supremely talented actors who lacks recognition and opportunities. He once again proved his mettle in Trial By Fire, a web series. He has done some great movies but his performance always gets overshadowed by the film's box office collection. From Dev D to Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, from Aisha to Socha Na Tha, all his films made us fall in love with him.
From complex roles like Margarita with a Straw to the role of a troubled girl Chanda in Dev D and ditzy roles like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Kalki Koechlin has pulled off every character with sheer brilliance. She has been away from mainstream Bollywood films for quite some time now.
From working as a house help, security guard, and salesman, Amit Sadh has taken up odd jobs before making it big in the industry. However, Bollywood still hasn't utilised him to his full potential. Did you know he earned Rs 900 as a security guard and that he wanted to quit the industry after Sushant Singh Rajput's death?
Randeep Hooda isn't really an underrated actor, he has often been praised for each of his performances. From Jannat 2 to Kick, from Highway to Sarbjit, he has given stellar performances but Bollywood hasn't recognised his potential to the fullest.
Another underused actor of Bollywood, Jim Sarbh who made his presence felt and audience laud his performance in Padmaavat, despite having lesser screen time than Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor hasn't got his due yet.
Tillotama Shome has won the hearts of fans with her stellar performances. The Monsoon Wedding actress has won many awards too including Best Actor Award at UK Asian Film Festival for her film Raahgir - The Wayfarers which was released in 2019. However, we still don't see in Bollywood films so often. Some of her notable works include films like A Death in the Gunj, Sir, Chintu Ka Birthday, Angrezi Medium and Delhi Crime among others.
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