The real stars of Bollywood

There was an article once in a foreign publication saying Johnny Depp is one of the most underrated actors of his time. We are talking about the actor of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Ed Wood, Donnie Brasco and From Hell, which was truly exceptional.

 

Depp eventually turned the tide in his favour. And how!

In theory, playing a roguish pirate would never lead to an Oscar nomination. In reality, it did. His comic turn as Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was so inspiring that the Academy had to reconsider their options.

That's Hollywood!

Coming to Hindi films, in recent times, even the most regular performance by an actor seems to get hyped as award-worthy.

 

Preity Zinta is a good actress. But her performance in Kal Ho Naa Ho wasn't anything extraordinary. Kareena Kapoor was average in Chameli. But after the young actress tom-tommed her streetwalker act to the skies, no one was left with anything to say.

Evidently, hype or hits make a good performance. Flops are not counted.

But what about those actors who give more than what they get? Here's taking a look at some of Hindi cinema's underrated performers.

Motilal: A natural. At a time when dramatic acting was at its peak, Motilal introduced the concept of spontaneity. For instance, his Chunnibabu in Devdas was any day more convincing than the lyrical Jackie Shroff of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's version. While everyone remembers Kundan Lal Saigal, no one really gives a thought to Motilal.

Balraj Sahni: Subtlety was his middle name. His gentle, compassionate voice conveyed myriad emotions realistically. When Sahni came on screen, it never seemed like he was acting. He always became the character he portrayed. The well-educated Sahni was as good as his peers -- Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand -- if not better. Take Do Bigha Zameen, Anuradha, Kabuliwallah, Haqeeqat, Seema and Garam Hawa.

Dharmendra: It is rather unfair that despite great performances in so many films (Satyakam, Anupama, Chupke Chupke, Sholay, Nauker Biwi Ka), Dharmendra never really got his due. Romance, comedy, action, drama -- the big-hearted Jat handled every genre effortlessly. Yet when it came to awards, he lagged far behind his contemporaries.

 

When he finally received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Filmfare, the man got really emotional. At the awards night, Dharmendra was at his candid best. He recalled how he had hoped he would win every year, but never did.

Shashi Kapoor: His suave sense of humour and infectious smile were the perfect foil for the angry young man Amitabh Bachchan (in Deewar, Trishul, Silsila, Kabhi Kabhie). While Big B enjoyed the limelight, Shashi Kapoor's graceful support was overlooked.

 

The youngest sibling of Raj and Shammi Kapoor entered films long before AB. He made an impact as the young Raj Kapoor in Awaara. Although he had great potential, Kapoor got stuck in the rut of fluffy chocolate hero roles. He played roles of substance late in his career (Junoon, Kalyug, Vijeyta, Utsav, Muhafiz).

Vinod Khanna: He began his career as an anti-hero (in Man Ka Meet). But his handsome face soon landed him the part of hero. Gulzar tapped his talent in films like Mere Apne, Achanak, Meera and Lekin.