7. Sridevi

Yet another of our landmark actresses to hail from the South, Sridevi got her first big break with the Tamil smash hit, Moondru Mudichu -- also one of Rajnikanth's early successes. Then came several films with both Rajni and Kamal Haasan, the Tamil cinema megastars, besides making great inroads into Telugu cinema as well.

Then came Bollywood's turn. Her second film, Himmatwala, was a superhit, earning her the dubious nickname Thunder Thighs. But the Indian male was more than interested, as Sridevi became a sudden, immediate star. Critical favourite Sadma established her as a capable actress, and she went on to star in several hits, largely through the 1980s.

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Films like Mr India, Chandni and Lamhe show off her exquisite comic timing, her strength with emotions, her fierce and expressive eyes. Not to mention the fact that she was one of the best dancers in the biz.

She remains a great Bollywood influence ever since, with Shah Rukh Khan acting in the outlandish 1996 film Army, just for a shot at working with Sri.

Photo: Rakesh Shreshta

Don't Miss: Sridevi, now moving to television

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