1970’s Bollywood Beauties

DESIblitz looks at some of the hottest, beautiful and sexy female stars to hit the Bollywood screen in the 1970’s. Giving you a flavour of which women made their mark in the world’s largest film industry during that era.

The Bollywood industry in the early 1970’s produced many romantic and action films.  In the  mid-1970s, romance was swapped for more gritty and violent films about gangsters and bandits The music for films also saw the rise of playback singer Kishore Kumar and Music Director R.D. Burman.  The most biggest film of the era was Sholay, released in 1975, which made Rs. 157,50,00,000 at the box office.

We have compiled video clips and a gallery of some of the lovely stars for you to enjoy. So, let’s take a look at some of the starlets in more detail and learn more about them as the heroines of the 1970’s silver screen.

Hema Malini

Hema Malini is a name and actress that won the hearts of many for her beauty and acting ability. She acted in many films in the 1970’s and started with her debut in Sapnon Ka Saudagar in 1968, playing a young teen opposite the superstar Raj Kapoor. 1970’s films include, Johny Mera Naam (1970),  Andaz (1971),  Raja Jani (1972),  Jugnu (1973), Dost (1974),  Sanyasi (1975) and Trishul (1978). Her most famous role was as ‘Basanti’ in the massive blockbuster Sholay in 1975, playing opposite the famous Dharmendhra, who is her husband in real life.

Hema’s mother tongue is Tamil. She is a dedicated Bharatanatyam artiste, a classical dance of India. She won the Filmfare award for Best Actress 1973 for her lead role in Seeta Aur Geeta. She has acted and appeared in over 130 Bollywood films. She is known as the ‘Dream Girl’ by her fans.

Helen

Helen Jairag Richardson Khan, known as Helen, was a Bollywood dancer and actress that was born in London and had an Anglo-Indian (French) father and Burmese mother. She was best known for playing sultry vixens in Bollywood movies of the 1960s and 70s. She was famous for her performances in sexy dance sequences and cabaret numbers. The Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle frequently sang for Helen.  She appeared in many 1970’s films including, The Train (1970),  Caravan (1971),  Apradh (1972),  Dharkhan (1972),  Anamika (1973), Geeta Mera Naam (1974),  Sholay (1975), Bairaag (1976),  Khoon Pasina (1977), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977),  Don (1978),  Lahu Ke Do Rang (1979) and The Great Gambler (1979).

Helen won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Lahu Ke Do Rang  in 1979 and was given the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 for her contribition to Bollywood cinema.

Parveen Babi

Parveen Babi was born in Junagadh, India and went to school in Aurangabad and later attended St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad.   Babi was one of the most successful Bollywood actresses of the 1970’s known for her sensual and seductive looks, and lack of care for the norms of society. She made her debut in Charitira, in 1973 while still in college. Parveen did not marry but shared intimate relationships with married men including, director Mahesh Bhatt, actors Kabir Bedi, and Danny Denzongpa. She was the first Indian actress to have been featured on TIME magazine’s cover, in March 1977.

Babi’s 1970’s films included, Majboor (1974), 36 Ghante (1974), Trimurti (1974), Deewaar (1975), Kala Sona (1975),  Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Kaala Patthar (1979) and Suhaag (1979). In her most successful films, she was paired with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan.

Zeenat Aman

Zeenat Aman was born on November 19th, 1951 to a hindu mother and muslim father, Amanullah Khan, who was one of the writers for the classic films, Mughal-e-Azam and Pakeezah. In 1970 she won the Miss Asia Pacific title and was known for her sex appeal in Bollywood. She attended St. Xavier’s College, and went to Los Angeles for her education. Aman was well known for playing the the sultry woman looking on the unconventional side of life. Hulchul in 1971 was her first film.  Her 1970’s films included, Don (1978), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), Heeralal Pannalal (1978), Darling Darling (1978), Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) and Hare Raama Hare Krishna (1971).

Zeenat married twice, first to Sanjay Khan (Abbas) who damaged  her eye and then Mazhar Khan with whom she had two sons. She is well known for her daring role in Raj Kapoor’s 1978 film, Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

Neetu Singh

Wife of the famous Rishi Kapoor and mother of Ranbir Kapoor, Neetu Singh made her debut in the 1973 Bollywood film, Rikshawala, although she did work as a child actor. Neetu was born in New Dehli on July 8th 1958. Her dance number in the 1973 film, Yaadon Ki Baarat got her many roles subsequently. She was casted as the fun-loving daughter or the ‘optimistic’ or ‘lively’ girlfriend. This buxom star romanced on the screen with many stars but her love off and on screen was Rishi Kapoor. Neetu married him at 21 in 1979 and then decided not to pursue her acting career any further. Dismissing claims that wives of the famous Kapoor family did not act after marriage.

Neetu’s acted in over thirty-five 1970’s films. These included, Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Shatranj Ke Mohre (1974), Deewaar (1975), Aadalat (1976), Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Parvarish (1977), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Dharam Veer (1977) and Kaala Patthar (1979).

Here are some video clips of  these Bollywood Beauties from the 1970’s. Just browse the playlist and click on the clip you wish to watch.

Check out the photo gallery of the delightful Bollywood beauties from the 1970’s. Right-click the gallery and ‘Go Fullscreen’ for a bigger and richer view. To view a photo, click on a photo to zoom in and click again to return to gallery. Hit [Esc] to return to here. Enjoy!

There were many other wonderful actresses from this era including Jaya Bhaduri (Jaya Bachchan), Ranjeeta, Rakhee Gulzar, Smita Patil, Tanuja and Aruna Irani.