Bollywood Icons Take Hollywood By Storm

From the streets of Mumbai to the film sets of Hollywood, many Indian stars have managed to break through internationally thanks to brilliant performances. Casting Indian actors in their films is no longer about filling a slot to ensure “inclusivity”; Rather, actors are courted today to add value and attract a global audience with their acting skills. From Sabu Dastgir, the first Indian actor to work in Hollywood in the 1938 film Drum, to Amrish Puri's famous Mola Ram in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Tabu's casting as Sister Francesca in Dune : Prophecy, Indian actors make the world stand up and watch their talent.

Irfan Khan
OG of the second generation of actors who have carved a niche for themselves in Hollywood with their stellar acting skills, Irfan has captivated audiences with multiple roles throughout his acting career. Irfan's foray was marked by his debut in the British production The Warrior (2001) – the film won the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film. This was followed by key roles in the film adaptation of Namesake (2006), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), The Amazing Spider Man (2012). The actor was the “older” Pi in the film Life of Pi (2012) and park owner in Jurassic World (2015).

Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya, considered one of the most beautiful women in the world and Miss World 1994, played the pivotal role of Lalita Bakshi in her first Hollywood film, Bride and Prejudice (2004), an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice . The following year, she played the lead role in Mistress of Spices (2005), followed by commendable performances in films like Provoked (2006), The Last Legion (2007) and The Pink Panther 2 (2009). Her latest work in Hollywood was as the Hindi voice actor for Angelina Jolie's character in Disney's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.

Taboo
Before Dune: Prophecy, the prequel series to the Dune films that premiered this month, Tabu had already established herself as an acting prowess in the West with her heartbreaking performance in The Namesake (2006). She even appeared in (2012), again in the role of the main role's mother. And of course, there was her turn as Saaeda Bai in A Suitable Boy, the British television drama series based on the novel of the same name by Vikram Seth.

Ali Fazal
Ali's first steps in Hollywood came with an appearance in Fast and Furious 7. The actor later gained critical recognition for his work as Abdul Karim, who forms a close friendship with Queen Victoria in the film Victoria and Abdul (2017); the film is based on the book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant by Shrabani Basu. In Death on the Nile (2022), he plays the role of Andrew Katchadourian, the educated and talented cousin of Linnet Ridgeway. His last Hollywood release was Kandahar (2023).

Anil Kapoor
Jhakaas Kapoor, who made his debut in the Hindi film industry with Hamare Tumhare (1979), has been around for several decades now and is a favorite of several generations. But he became a 'world-wide' household name for his work in the Academy Award-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire (2008), as the boisterous host Prem Kumar. He was also recognized for his portrayal of Brij Nath in the fourth installment of Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

Deepika Padukone
The Guinness World Record holder for the highest-earning Bollywood actress, Deepika sealed a deal in Hollywood to star opposite Vin Diesel in the franchise film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (2017). She was one of the first Bollywood actresses of her generation to land a leading role in an international film. Deepika's stint in Bollywood began after she caught the eye of director Farah Khan during a modeling gig, which landed her the lead role in the mega-hit Om Shanti Om.

Alia Bhatt
The Bollywood icon became a global icon with her Hollywood debut in Heart of Stone (2023). The actress played the role of Keya Dhawan, a technician, in the Netflix film directed by Gal Gadot. However, despite rumors of additional offers, the actress, who has been winning hearts since her debut with Student of the Year (2014), is in no mood to go to the US like Priyanka Chopra, has- she declared in an interview.

Randeep Hooda
Randeep made his Bollywood debut with the film Monsoon Wedding, where he played the role of an NRI. His Hollywood debut came with the action thriller Extraction (2020), directed by Thor star Chris Hemsworth. Randeep played the role of Saju Rav, a former para lieutenant colonel who is the security chief of an Indian drug lord. Randeep said he auditioned for the role.

Priyanka Chopra
The former Miss World found success and was one of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood before focusing on music (remember her song with Bryan Adams). And then came Baywatch (2017) where she played the central role of Victoria Leeds, the fiery antagonist. PC became a media darling after her marriage to singer/actor Nick Jonas. She also played the lead role in Is'n't It Romantic? (2019) and Matrix Resurrections (2021). She also headlined the Prime Video series Citadel (2023) alongside Richard Madden.

Huma Qureshi
The talented actress made her Hollywood debut with Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead (2021), a zombie apocalypse film. It may be a brief role, but for Huma, it doesn't matter as long as the role adds substance to the film's plot. His role in the film marks a turning point in the plot.
— Compiled by Rahi Jani