Bollywood is considered as a dreamland as it is one of those industries where if you get success, you will be famous overnight. Every year, many young aspirants flock into Mumbai a.k.a. Bombay to try their luck in Bollywood.
While a lot of them fail drastically, a few others triumph to the next level. However, success isn’t a onetime thing but a series. A hit film or two isn’t enough to thrive in Bollywood and every Bollywood actor or actress often wait for that one Career-defining film which would place them among the legends of this industry.
Look at any big star in Bollywood and you will observe that there is always that one film that changed the course of their career. Today, we will talk about such top actors and their career-changing films.
And, the rest is history. He played the character of a psychopathic, obsessive lover so brilliantly that even after 2 decades, his performance is still fresh in our minds, especially the way he says, I Love You Kkkkiran!
The film also helped him make his entry to the Chopra camp and earned him the lead role in the biggest romantic blockbuster films of all time, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge, Darr is one of the Best Films of Yash Chopra.
There’s no denying that Baahubali is an epic saga that took Indian cinema to a whole new level. While Prabhas was already a big star in Telugu film industry, he was never considered at par with the likes of Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Nagarjuna, or NTR Jr in terms of popularity.
However, Baahubali changed it all. Today, Prabhas has become a huge name among the mass not only across India but the entire world. Many Bollywood filmmakers including the likes of Karan Johar are trying to cast him in their next venture.
Banking on his current popularity and the huge success of Baahubali 1 & 2, it is just a matter of some time that we would see him making his debut in Bollywood soon.
Even at the age of 75, he looks energetic and keeps challenging both the established as well as upcoming league of superstars in this generation. However, not many of you may know the fact that before becoming a superstar, Amitabh Bachchan struggled in his career.
A total of first 13 films were a disaster at box office. His ultimate break came when he got the lead in 1973 film Zanjeer which also earned him the title of Angry Young Man. There was no turning back for the star after Zanjeer. Back to back hits throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s made him the true Shahenshah of Bollywood.
As every other actor, the old age and the new league of stars pulled him back as he was no longer fitting the role of a young man or a lead in a film. While he tried a lot of different things but none of it worked until Mohabbatein.
Mohabbatein came as the 2nd breakthrough film in his career when he realized that he can’t play a younger role but could justify an older character as the lead. Since Mohabbatein, he starred in several hit films like Baghban, Black, Khakee, Paa, and Piku.
He was one of those actors who got his breakthrough film very early in his career. He played the iconic Gabbar Singh in 1975 blockbuster film Sholay which happened to be his 2nd film. Almost every character in the film became immortal in Bollywood history but Gabbar Singh earned popularity of a whole new level, Dialogues of Sholay are still very Famous.
Since Sholay, there was no turning back for Amjad Khan. Even though he couldn’t produce yet another brilliant performance as Gabbar Singh in his career, he did exceptionally well as he was a part of some great blockbuster films the late 70s and throughout 80s.
Hell broke loose when he decided to get out of that image. He started working on his physique and transformed his image from romantic hero to actor hero. While the transformation helped him become the style bhai but didn’t fare him well in terms of career.
Every now and then, he gave some hits like Tere Naam but he was often struggling whether to go for romance or action genre. The breakthrough came in the form of 2010 film Wanted. The film suited his persona and he gave back to back hits.
Among these hits, some films even went on to become blockbusters and even broke records at box office. Today, he is at the top of the list of most bankable actors in Bollywood.
Also Read: All hit Dialogues of Salman Khan
Then came 2001 comedy film Hera Pheri. The film went on to become a cult classic in Bollywood. Akshay Kumar was able to get out of the action hero image and established himself as a complete actor.
After Hera Pheri, he started delivering a series of hits among few flops. Today, he is one of the most promising actors in Bollywood and one of the most bankable actors in Indian cinema.
Her film career didn’t get to a blazing start as Khan’s but she found a bit of success in both regional and Bollywood cinema. The real breakthrough for Vidya Balan came when she made the boldest move of her career and decided to play Silk a Bollywood Biopic Drama film based on the life of Silk Smitha, The Dirty Picture.
The film won her many accolades and even a Filmfare as well as a National award for her performance. Next year, she delivered another spectacular performance in the 2012 film Kahaani, where she plays a pregnant woman searching for her husband.
Both these films placed Vidya Balan in the elite league of actresses such as Smita Patil, Rekha, Hema Malini, and Sri Devi. She was no more just a glamour element in the movie but an important part.
She was slowly submerging herself into the category of actresses who were nothing but the glamour quotient in the films. However, fate had some other plans and she got the lead role in Queen at a perfect time in her career.
Although she already impressed everyone with her acting in Tanu Weds Manu, Queen came out as her breakthrough film. It put her in the league of top actresses in Bollywood and she was no more a glamour doll in Bollywood. Post Queen, she excelled with Tanu Weds Manu Part 2 earning the title as Queen of Bollywood.
However, she also fell in the traps of the glamour world and chose films where she could display her glamour quotient more than her acting. Although she bagged a few hits and even her first Filmfare as Best Actress for Fashion, she was turning to just another beauty queen turned into an actress.
Well, then came Barfi! In the 2012 film Barfi, she played an autistic girl and for the first time in her career, she put acting before her looks. There was no turning for the former Miss World and she went on to become one of the finest actresses Bollywood has ever produced.
She even grabbed a lead role in US TV Series Quantico and also starred in the 2017 Hollywood film Baywatch.
Before Hum Tum, he was often seen playing a sidekick for other lead actors like Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, or Shah Rukh Khan. His career took a drastic turn after Hum Tum. He earned himself a new image and a stature as a lead actor who can deliver a blockbuster on his own.
Being the son of the veteran stunt director Veeru Devgn, it wasn’t a rocket science to believe that Ajay Devgn will also be an action hero. However, his acting talent was often overshadowed because of the similar action flicks he did. He was fading away slowly until he was cast in Zakhm, a drama film based on communal lines.
The film turned Devgn into a complete actor and he even won his first National Award. After Zakhm, he was offered challenging roles and helped him establish himself as one of the finest actors Bollywood has ever produced.
His breakthrough film is considered to be Khalnayak by many but he was jailed even before the release of this film and his career almost ended. His real breakthrough film has to be Vaastav: The Reality where he played the gangster Raghu Bhai.
There was no turning back for him after that. He became a better actor and got an image for himself in Bollywood finally. Later, he bagged the lead role in the National Award winning Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and reprises the same role in Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Both the films were received well among the mass for its social message.
His first film didn’t give him any recognition either but post-Baahubali, he became a known name among the cinema goers and the popularity can be witnessed when he was praised for his short role in Baby.
He also bagged a lead in the widely applauded The Ghazi Attack recently and went on to become a promising star in Bollywood.
After a while, he went through a rough patch in his career and needed a breakthrough film to get him back on track. Lagaan became that breakthrough film as the film was nominated for Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
After Lagaan, Aamir Khan struck a fine balance between creative and commercial cinema delivering the blockbuster and record-breaking films one after the other.
However, his real breakthrough came after the release of Gangs of Wasseypur Part II. His portrayal of Faizal Khan is considered to be one of the iconic performances in the Bollywood history. The film turned him from nobody to a superstar overnight.
Also Read: Best Bollywood Films with Open Endings
Over to you!
With so many different films releasing every year, Bollywood actors and actresses are always eying for that one breakthrough film that would define their career. If you know any such actors or actresses and their career-changing films, then let us know in the comments below.
Top Actors and Their Career Changing Films
Getting a big break in cinema is always tough for aspiring actors and actresses. Without any sort of filmy background, the whole process gets enough tougher. However, even if you get the break, the next big challenge is that one breakthrough film that would take you one level up from a struggling actor to a star. While most aspiring actors fail to reach that stature, a few of them leave a long-lasting impression on their breakthrough films. Here is a list of top breakthrough films that not only turned the actors into stars but also left a long lasting image in the minds of cinema fanatics.Shah Rukh Khan in Darr
Shah Rukh Khan didn’t stand out with his first film Deewana where he shared the screen with the great Rishi Kapoor. Although the film earned him recognition, he was still struggling to build an identity for himself. When none of the other Khans were interested in the negative role of Rahul in Yash Chopra’s Darr, it was Shah Rukh Khan who decided to go for it.
And, the rest is history. He played the character of a psychopathic, obsessive lover so brilliantly that even after 2 decades, his performance is still fresh in our minds, especially the way he says, I Love You Kkkkiran!
The film also helped him make his entry to the Chopra camp and earned him the lead role in the biggest romantic blockbuster films of all time, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge, Darr is one of the Best Films of Yash Chopra.
Prabhas in Baahubali
You might be wondering why I have included the Telugu star Prabhas in the list of Bollywood actors. Well, since Baahubali, Prabhas is no longer just a Telugu superstar.
There’s no denying that Baahubali is an epic saga that took Indian cinema to a whole new level. While Prabhas was already a big star in Telugu film industry, he was never considered at par with the likes of Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Nagarjuna, or NTR Jr in terms of popularity.
However, Baahubali changed it all. Today, Prabhas has become a huge name among the mass not only across India but the entire world. Many Bollywood filmmakers including the likes of Karan Johar are trying to cast him in their next venture.
Banking on his current popularity and the huge success of Baahubali 1 & 2, it is just a matter of some time that we would see him making his debut in Bollywood soon.
Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer and Mohabbatein
You only need that one breakthrough film to leave your mark in Bollywood but you will need at least 2 if you want to rule the industry for more than 5 decades. Yes, I am talking about the biggest superstar ever produced in Indian Cinema, none other than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan.
Even at the age of 75, he looks energetic and keeps challenging both the established as well as upcoming league of superstars in this generation. However, not many of you may know the fact that before becoming a superstar, Amitabh Bachchan struggled in his career.
A total of first 13 films were a disaster at box office. His ultimate break came when he got the lead in 1973 film Zanjeer which also earned him the title of Angry Young Man. There was no turning back for the star after Zanjeer. Back to back hits throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s made him the true Shahenshah of Bollywood.
As every other actor, the old age and the new league of stars pulled him back as he was no longer fitting the role of a young man or a lead in a film. While he tried a lot of different things but none of it worked until Mohabbatein.
Mohabbatein came as the 2nd breakthrough film in his career when he realized that he can’t play a younger role but could justify an older character as the lead. Since Mohabbatein, he starred in several hit films like Baghban, Black, Khakee, Paa, and Piku.
Amjad Khan in Sholay
One of the brilliant actors of all time, Amjad Khan is even today considered among the top character artists of Bollywood. He established himself as a character actor playing both positive and negative roles throughout the 70s and 80s.
He was one of those actors who got his breakthrough film very early in his career. He played the iconic Gabbar Singh in 1975 blockbuster film Sholay which happened to be his 2nd film. Almost every character in the film became immortal in Bollywood history but Gabbar Singh earned popularity of a whole new level, Dialogues of Sholay are still very Famous.
Since Sholay, there was no turning back for Amjad Khan. Even though he couldn’t produce yet another brilliant performance as Gabbar Singh in his career, he did exceptionally well as he was a part of some great blockbuster films the late 70s and throughout 80s.
Salman Khan in Wanted
Being the Son of the great scriptwriter Salim Khan, the entry of Salman Khan was quite easy. He also became the face of Rajshri Productions early in his career but you could feel something missing always. As his career progressed, he often played soft and young boy. Aggression hardly suited as we all adored him as the light-hearted Prem.
Hell broke loose when he decided to get out of that image. He started working on his physique and transformed his image from romantic hero to actor hero. While the transformation helped him become the style bhai but didn’t fare him well in terms of career.
Every now and then, he gave some hits like Tere Naam but he was often struggling whether to go for romance or action genre. The breakthrough came in the form of 2010 film Wanted. The film suited his persona and he gave back to back hits.
Among these hits, some films even went on to become blockbusters and even broke records at box office. Today, he is at the top of the list of most bankable actors in Bollywood.
Also Read: All hit Dialogues of Salman Khan
Akshay Kumar in Hera Pheri
Just like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar too wasn’t clear about his true calling. He started as an action hero but then as the trend of romantic films began, he tried his luck in that genre as well. However, things weren’t working in his favor too often.
Then came 2001 comedy film Hera Pheri. The film went on to become a cult classic in Bollywood. Akshay Kumar was able to get out of the action hero image and established himself as a complete actor.
After Hera Pheri, he started delivering a series of hits among few flops. Today, he is one of the most promising actors in Bollywood and one of the most bankable actors in Indian cinema.
Vidya Balan in The Dirty Picture
Remember the Hum Paanch girl back in the 90s? Yes, the Radhika of Hum Paanch has come a long way. We often talk about the success story of Shah Rukh Khan who started his career as a TV star. However, the similar success of Vidya Balan is often ignored.
Her film career didn’t get to a blazing start as Khan’s but she found a bit of success in both regional and Bollywood cinema. The real breakthrough for Vidya Balan came when she made the boldest move of her career and decided to play Silk a Bollywood Biopic Drama film based on the life of Silk Smitha, The Dirty Picture.
The film won her many accolades and even a Filmfare as well as a National award for her performance. Next year, she delivered another spectacular performance in the 2012 film Kahaani, where she plays a pregnant woman searching for her husband.
Both these films placed Vidya Balan in the elite league of actresses such as Smita Patil, Rekha, Hema Malini, and Sri Devi. She was no more just a glamour element in the movie but an important part.
Kangana Ranaut in Queen
Kangana Ranaut started off her career with a brilliant performance as a damsel in distress in Gangster. However, after her debut, she couldn’t grab a role as strong as her first film resulting in some disastrous choices.
She was slowly submerging herself into the category of actresses who were nothing but the glamour quotient in the films. However, fate had some other plans and she got the lead role in Queen at a perfect time in her career.
Although she already impressed everyone with her acting in Tanu Weds Manu, Queen came out as her breakthrough film. It put her in the league of top actresses in Bollywood and she was no more a glamour doll in Bollywood. Post Queen, she excelled with Tanu Weds Manu Part 2 earning the title as Queen of Bollywood.
Priyanka Chopra in Barfi
Priyanka Chopra followed the footsteps of Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita to try her luck in Bollywood. She definitely got some acting talent besides her exceptional beauty, unlike the previous beauty queens. She displayed her acting prowess in the film Aitraaz where she played the main antagonist.
However, she also fell in the traps of the glamour world and chose films where she could display her glamour quotient more than her acting. Although she bagged a few hits and even her first Filmfare as Best Actress for Fashion, she was turning to just another beauty queen turned into an actress.
Well, then came Barfi! In the 2012 film Barfi, she played an autistic girl and for the first time in her career, she put acting before her looks. There was no turning for the former Miss World and she went on to become one of the finest actresses Bollywood has ever produced.
She even grabbed a lead role in US TV Series Quantico and also starred in the 2017 Hollywood film Baywatch.
Saif Ali Khan in Hum Tum
Saif Ali Khan’s true talent as an actor remained hidden until Hum Tum. If you look at his films prior to Hum Tum, you will simply see another wannabe long-haired hero trying his luck in Bollywood. Although the glimpse of his acting prowess was visible in Dil Chahta Hai, his true breakthrough film turned out to be Hum Tum.
Before Hum Tum, he was often seen playing a sidekick for other lead actors like Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, or Shah Rukh Khan. His career took a drastic turn after Hum Tum. He earned himself a new image and a stature as a lead actor who can deliver a blockbuster on his own.
Ajay Devgn in Zakhm
There were two genres that worked throughout the 90s; Action and Romance. While the romance genre made superstars out of the Khans, the likes of Ajay Devgn were busy establishing themselves as the next action hero.
Being the son of the veteran stunt director Veeru Devgn, it wasn’t a rocket science to believe that Ajay Devgn will also be an action hero. However, his acting talent was often overshadowed because of the similar action flicks he did. He was fading away slowly until he was cast in Zakhm, a drama film based on communal lines.
The film turned Devgn into a complete actor and he even won his first National Award. After Zakhm, he was offered challenging roles and helped him establish himself as one of the finest actors Bollywood has ever produced.
Sanjay Dutt in Vaastav: The Reality
The career of Sanjay Dutt had many ups and down. In the early years of his career, he was just recognized as the son of veteran Sunil Dutt and Nargis. He didn’t have the acting prowess or charm except for the legacy and a cute face.
His breakthrough film is considered to be Khalnayak by many but he was jailed even before the release of this film and his career almost ended. His real breakthrough film has to be Vaastav: The Reality where he played the gangster Raghu Bhai.
There was no turning back for him after that. He became a better actor and got an image for himself in Bollywood finally. Later, he bagged the lead role in the National Award winning Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and reprises the same role in Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Both the films were received well among the mass for its social message.
Rana Daggubati in Baahubali
If I have included Prabhas in this list, then Rana Daggubati definitely deserves a spot. Well, he has neither established himself in Telugu film industry like Prabhas nor he had a successful run in his debut Bollywood film.
His first film didn’t give him any recognition either but post-Baahubali, he became a known name among the cinema goers and the popularity can be witnessed when he was praised for his short role in Baby.
He also bagged a lead in the widely applauded The Ghazi Attack recently and went on to become a promising star in Bollywood.
Aamir in Lagaan
Well, you must be surprised to see the mention of Aamir Khan in the list. Aamir Khan started his career as a romantic hero and eventually transformed himself into a complete actor doing versatile roles. While he was successful in getting both critical appraise and box office success, he was experimenting too much.
After a while, he went through a rough patch in his career and needed a breakthrough film to get him back on track. Lagaan became that breakthrough film as the film was nominated for Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
After Lagaan, Aamir Khan struck a fine balance between creative and commercial cinema delivering the blockbuster and record-breaking films one after the other.
Nawazzuddin Siddique in Gangs of Wasseypur
Remember the small-time thug getting the 3rd degree in Sarfarosh? Yes, that’s how Nawazzuddin Siddique started his career. He didn’t have the looks or charm to become the next Bollywood star but he made his way through the industry slowly and steadily playing important character roles.
However, his real breakthrough came after the release of Gangs of Wasseypur Part II. His portrayal of Faizal Khan is considered to be one of the iconic performances in the Bollywood history. The film turned him from nobody to a superstar overnight.
Also Read: Best Bollywood Films with Open Endings
Over to you!
With so many different films releasing every year, Bollywood actors and actresses are always eying for that one breakthrough film that would define their career. If you know any such actors or actresses and their career-changing films, then let us know in the comments below.
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