2018 belonged to Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Taapsee Pannu and Anushka Sharma

The Queen arrived at the box office and how! While Padmavaat faced opposition from certain groups, who not only oppose the release of the film but also threatened its lead heroine. Deepika, however, proved her mettle when she refused to bow down to any threat that came her way. Her courage paid off when the film was welcomed at the box office and also went on to break records. This was one of the few times when the lead actress took home a bigger pay cheque. She showed great restraint and didn’t go on a signing spree. Instead, the actress, who ended the year on a personal high with her marriage to Ranveer Singh, will be working with Meghna Gulzar for her next based on the life of an acid-attack survivor.

Alia Bhatt marched right ahead of the actresses from her generation with the Meghna Gulzar directorial. Based on the book Calling Sehmat, the film saw the transformation of a young girl into a secret agent. Showing great maturity in her performance, the Highway actress proved that she can carry a film on her shoulders. Her future projects will see her share screen space with boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor in Bramhastra and Ranveer Singh in Gully Boys. She also headlines the cast of Kalank, which features Varun Dhawan, Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit Nene among others.

There’s never been any doubt about Tabu’s acting credentials, and as the unpredictable Simi in AndhaDhun, she knocked it out of the park yet again. The gripping narrative helped the film find a place among the top grossers this year. Tabu, meanwhile, has been consistently striking a balance between commercial cinema and out-of-the-box content. While last year, she was part of the ensemble cast of Golmaal Returns, this year, she delivered a knockout performance in this Sriram Raghavan directorial. Her next is De De Pyaar De, which will see her team up again with her Drishyam co-star, Ajay Devgn.

Four years after her outing Mardaani, Rani Mukerji returned to the big screen with Hichki. Here, she played a woman whose passion is teaching, but suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome. This was the actress’ return to showbiz after the birth of daughter Adira. Besides acclaim from the critics, the film went on to do great business not just at the Indian box office but also in China. During the promotional rounds, Rani spoke about the need for women to get back to work post childbirth. And looks like she is practising what she preached. The Saathiya actress has now announced Mardaani 2, which will see her reprise the role as the tough cop, Shivani Shivaji Rao.

Though Kareena signed Veere Di Wedding in 2016, she began shooting for it in 2017 after Taimur’s birth. The film saw an all-female cast also including Sonam K Ahuja, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania at its centre. Based around the wedding of one of the four, the film explored the ups and downs in their personal lives. While many were sceptical about its appeal at the ticket window, the film proved its worth by raking in moolah for its makers. While Bebo is yet to sign her next, she has been doing her duties as the brand endorser of some beauty brands and is now an RJ, too, with a show of her own.

Taapsee had a great year at the movies. Her consistent performances have made filmmakers take notice of the Southern import. Whether it was sharing screen space with a veteran like Rishi Kapoor or her contemporary Vicky Kaushal, Taapsee did it with aplomb. In Soorma, she essayed the role of Harpreet, who parts ways with Diljit’s character Sandeep Singh, after the latter’s accident. While her character in Mulk saw her playing the stoic lawyer Aarti, who stands by her father-in-law (played by Kapoor), in Manmarziyaan, she played the free-spirited, rebellious Rumi. The actress displayed her acting chops in movies that were widely different from each other.

While Pataakha didn’t do much for Sanya, Badhaai Ho proved to be just the boost the Dangal girl’s career needed. Besides being a certified hit, the fact that Sanya could hold her own in a film that didn’t really revolve around her character finds her on this list. To maintain a balance when the focus is not on you is the mark of a good actor and Sanya displayed that in this movie. 

Though Anushka Sharma also starred in Sanju and Zero, it’s Pari and Sui Dhaga: Made in India that she won praises for. A far cry from the run-of-the-mill roles or genres, the actress stepped out of her comfort zone for both the characters. While Pari saw her in a paranormal setting, Sui Dhaga had her essaying the docile Mamta, who shows great strength of character while supporting her husband in his endeavours to make clothes in India. Pari was produced by her banner, which is now also looking at creating content for the digital space.

Kajol has had no dearth of offers. However, she has been extremely selective about the movies she has given a nod to. This year, the Dilwale actress starred in husband Ajay Devgn’s production Helicopter Eela, which saw her playing an overprotective mother. From displaying her acting skills to grooving on the reprised version of Ruk Ruk Ruk, she showed once again why she is hailed as a natural performer.

Besides her work, Kajol has also won notices for her fashion choices, which is something that she has admitted to be enjoying a lot. This year also saw Madame Tussauds creating a wax version of her. Her next movie will see her in a special appearance alongside husband Ajay in the latter’s ambitious project Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior.