Bollywood has come a long way, and its leading lady, even further. The term heroine or actress no longer evokes the image of a chiffon-clad ethereal beauty swaying her sari in sub-zero temperatures, which was memorialised by director Yash Chopra in his 1989 Sridevi-starrer Chandni. As it should be, the Hindi cinema heroine has evolved with the times.Irrespective of her beginnings – a rich brat (Shanaya in Student of the Year) or a small-town girl (Sweety in Bareilly ki Barfi) – she is ambitious; at par, if not better, than the hero; and is human enough to need a pheran while dancing amid snow-clad mountains (Rani in Rocky Rani ki Prem Kahaani).Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt can, in some ways, be credited for having redefined and, to a certain extent, cement this new image of the leading lady, who is as much of a crowd-puller as her male counterpart.As they inch closer to becoming seasoned professionals, the baton has been passed on to the rising stars, two of them in particular: Ananya Panday and Triptii Dimri. Both have dominated our screens – big and small – over the last one year with projects such as Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Animal, Call Me Bae and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, establishing themselves as Bollywood’s new ‘it’ girls, but their career trajectories – be it their backgrounds or their choice of directors and films – have been diametrically opposite.Yet, the audiences and the box office like them both, leading one to wonder what Bollywood’s leading lady really looks like, and if there is a success formula to land the coveted title.Same Same, but DifferentBoth Triptii and Ananya debuted a year apart, but with different outcomes. While Ananya delivered a box-office superhit in Student of the Year 2 (2019), Triptii’s Laila Majnu (2018) was a colossal flop. More than half-a-decade later, both seem to have found common ground: that of being Bollywood’s most sought-after actors.Coming from Bollywood privilege – her father Chunky Panday was a well-known star in the late 80’s and 90’s – Ananya was launched by the illustrious Dharma Productions. But, her quintessential nepo-kid launch, gave her only that much of a boost.Unlike SOTY 2’s 2012 predecessor that gave the industry its brightest gem in Alia Bhatt, neither the film nor Ananya made the cut with cinema enthusiasts or critics. Lukewarm films such as Pati Patni Aur Woh and Khaali Peeli were followed by the mega debacle of Liger, which only amplified the criticism that dismissed her as yet another nepo-baby.On the other hand, Triptii, hailing from a small town in Uttarakhand, was still struggling to get seen. She had a blink-and-you-miss appearance as an extra in Mom (2017), and was one of the many forgettable actors in the ensemble cast of the 2017 comedy, Poster Boys. Ironically, she didn’t even make it to the film’s poster.So, when she landed the role of Laila in Imtiaz Ali’s Laila Majnu, an epic retelling of the star-crossed lovers set in the Kashmir valley, it was a dream come true. “She had the understanding of what it was to be an Indian girl who lives in a small town, and being from the hills herself, she was perfect for the role. What I appreciate about her is that she is relatable, and not one to get lost in the race as just another horse. She is talented no doubt, but also hard working and connected to her roots,” says Imtiaz.Although, that wasn’t what the audience was looking for, at least at the time. The film sank without a trace. Triptii recollects memories of going to the empty theatres to watch the film as the sole audience for days on end: “The failure of Laila Majnu hit hard, with no work calls for nearly two years.”But, as actor Kartik Aaryan once noted in an interview, “For an outsider, every film could well be their first.” In some ways, Triptii debuted again, this time with Anvitaa Dutt’s fablesque supernatural thriller Bulbbul (2020).Playing the eponymous Bulbbul, the child bride who strikes at the putrid core of patriarchy, Triptii packed a punch. Anvitaa recollects having auditioned 72 girls for the part. Triptii was the final audition, and the only choice: “I liked the authenticity and truth in her eyes. She was like clear glass; like clay just surrendering to the character. At that time, she was doing fashion catalogues for a portal to be able to pay her rent, and there was a hunger and earnestness to do good work.”The director again cast her in the psychodrama Qala two years later. Triptii sparkled in the titular role of a disturbed singer and composer on the path of self-destruction. Anvitaa calls the actor a gift. “She gave me the perfect Bulbbul and Qala. These films allowed her to showcase her talent, and find her footing in the industry.”But, both success and failure leave you asking for more. If Ananya was looking for that one film that would let her talent shine, Triptii wanted to go beyond her “art film actor” image and become mainstream. Both got what they wanted.
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