How Bollywood’s leading actresses are choosing fewer films and building bigger empires

For decades, Indian cinema expected its leading actresses to remain constantly visible, moving from one big-screen release to the next. But according to Variety, that equation is changing.

Some of Bollywood’s biggest names, including Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif, are becoming increasingly selective about the projects they take on.

Their reduced output has also created space for a younger generation. Janhvi Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Rashmika Mandanna, Ananya Panday and Triptii Dimri, among others, are maintaining busier schedules as they work to expand their visibility and establish themselves in a fiercely competitive industry, Variety reported.

Priyanka was last seen in a Hindi film in The Sky Is Pink, while Anushka’s last major film appearance was in Zero. Katrina was most recently seen in Merry Christmas, while Kareena has balanced projects such as Jaane Jaan and Singham Again with other commitments.

The shift, however, is not necessarily about losing interest in cinema. Rather, priorities have changed.

For decades, actresses were expected to maintain relentless work schedules, often at the expense of their personal lives. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was among the stars who stepped away from the traditional pace of mainstream cinema while retaining her star power and public appeal.

Today, established actresses are increasingly following a similar path, choosing when — and how — they want to be seen.

Another factor behind the shift is the growing number of opportunities available to established stars outside film.

Many of these actresses have spent years building businesses and investments alongside their acting careers.

Katrina has turned her beauty venture into a significant business, while Deepika has expanded her interests through investments and entrepreneurial ventures. Alia Bhatt, meanwhile, has moved into the consumer space with her children’s clothing line.

The larger trend is clear: actresses are no longer simply endorsing products. They are becoming founders, investors and businesswomen in their own right.

The OTT shift

The definition of a successful project has also changed.

Theatrical blockbusters are no longer the only measure of relevance, while streaming platforms have opened the door to darker, more complex and unconventional roles.

Priyanka has expanded her international career with projects such as Citadel and The Bluff, while Kareena reached a new audience with the streaming thriller Jaane Jaan. Alia, too, has stepped outside the conventional Bollywood heroine mould with Darlings and her international debut, Heart of Stone.

Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia told Variety that audiences would still like to see more of these actresses on screen, but said the industry also needed to offer them stronger material.

“These are top billing actresses who are extremely popular, the audiences would love to see more of them on screen,” he said. “At the same time, their priorities might be elsewhere. Also, we need to write better roles that can inspire them.”

Filmmaker Suparn Verma also pointed out that OTT is no longer viewed as a step down for established actors. “Actresses are being paid as per status. It is not a step down in terms of money,” he said.

The problem may also lie in the kinds of films currently dominating the box office.

As large-scale action spectacles continue to gain ground, substantial female characters can be harder to find.

Filmmaker Mudassar Aziz was particularly critical of the trend, pointing to films such as Pushpa and Animal while arguing that the growing volume of such projects had led actresses to opt out.

“The less said about the female characters in those movies, the better,” he said, describing the change as a “tectonic shift” in audience preferences.

Exhibitor and distributor Akkshaye Rathie, meanwhile, told Variety that the decision ultimately comes down to personal choice.

Actresses such as Kareena and Aishwarya, he noted, had spent decades building their stardom, giving them the freedom to slow down while allowing younger actresses to take centre stage.

And perhaps that is the biggest change of all.

Films demand months of preparation, shooting and promotion for only a handful of releases each year. Outside cinema, however, a major celebrity can front dozens of brands, invest in companies and build businesses without spending every day on a film set. Add lucrative events, weddings and stage appearances, and the financial equation changes further.

Bollywood’s leading ladies are not necessarily stepping away from cinema. They are stepping into a different kind of power, where films are no longer the only measure of success, but one part of a much larger empire.