10 Anarkalis


                                                              

After finding 10 Gabbar Singhs (the blog 10 Actors who could have played Gabbar Singh was well appreciated), I decided to find 10 Anarkalis. Mughal-e-Azam was a milestone in Hindi cinema and Madhubala as Anarkali was phenomenal, just like Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh. Both were iconic roles and both cannot be imagined without the artistes who played them. Yet, here are my 10 best bets for the Anarkali role. They are in no particular order but if a gun is put at my head and I am asked to choose only one, then I’ll put my money on Madhuri Dixit.  

Suraiya: Thick lips, high cheekbones, and a lopsided smile, just about makes her an ideal choice for the Anarkali role.

Aishwarya Rai: She’ll add oodles of glamour. Rai as Anarkali will sear the screen.

Madhuri Dixit: Safest bet amongst all the picks. Oomph, style, talent, screen presence, what more can one want?  

Rekha: She played Umrao Jaan with aplomb. She could have played Anarkali with aplomb.

Hema Malini: The least preferred amongst the other Anarkalis. But the Dream Girl has it in her to deliver a solid performance – her only problem is her diction.    

Nalini Jaywant: In the 40’s she was the Queen. Great looks, good actress. Would have done justice to this role.

Naseem Banu: The dark horse. She’s the joker in the pack.  First female superstar. Mother of Saira Banu. Mother-in-law of Dilip Kumar   – not too great an actress, but her unusual beautiful looks and soulful eyes could create magic.     

Deepika Padukone: Of the modern actresses, only she can play Anarkali. Imagine Sanjay Leela Bhansali directing her in this role.   

Waheeda Rehman: She is the chaudvin ka chaand. Elegant and versatile, she would have done this role in a style of her own.        

Tabu: She can play any role. The most underused actress in Bollywood. Loads and loads of talent.

So, once again, I have put my head on the block. It took me some time to think of these names but in the end, I managed to do it just like I was able to find the 10 alternatives to Amjad Khan for the Gabbar Singh role.



-          NZ

26.8.2019

BN: 108 


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