11 Actresses Who Played Indira Gandhi On-Screen Effortlessly
Posted On: 20 Aug 2021 | Last Updated : 17 Jan 2024 | Views : 3.1k
Independent India’s only woman Prime Minister Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was not just an iconic politician leader but also one of the most powerful women in the world that history has witnessed. Mrs. Indira Gandhi took some bold decisions to change the face of India in the world resulting in our Bollywood directors making films on certain events that took place during her regime. Making films on Indira Gandhi and portraying a strong and well-known personality like her on-screen is never easy. Some of our Bollywood actresses did try to understand and play her character by getting under the skin of India’s only woman PM but how far they were successful or not is debatable. Let’s take a peekaboo into ten such seasoned Bollywood actresses who proved their mettle by portraying the powerful role of Mrs. Indira Gandhi on-screen with ease.
1. Suchitra Sen (Aandhi - 1975)
Talk about portraying Indira Gandhi on-screen and one name that comes straight away to mind is the late actress Suchitra Sen. Suchitra Sen enacted the role of Aarti Devi which resembled the look of India’s first woman PM Indira Gandhi in Gulzar’s critically acclaimed movie Aandhi. The film which was reportedly a semi-biographical of sorts portrayed the late leader’s political as well as estranged relationship with her husband Feroze Gandhi played by Sanjeev Kumar. The film had unforgettable music by R.D. Burman which continues to be a part of the playlist of many music lovers. The film released during India’s emergency was initially banned by the Congress party in 1975 but managed to get a re-release in 1977 after Congress lost the elections to Janata Party. To date, Suchitra Sen's performance is remembered among the top Bollywood heroines who played Indira Gandhi on screen.
2. Sarita Choudhury (Midnight’s Children - 2012)
New York-based Bengali-English actress Sarita Choudhury played Indira Gandhi in Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children which was based on Salman Rushdie’s best-selling book of the same name. Dressed in a sari with a few strands of grey hair running across her head indeed make audiences take notice of her. Playing the stern and menacing PM on-screen did come as a shock to many but to be honest Sarita Choudhury nailed it as Indira Gandhi, which will not be forgotten in a hurry for sure. The other cast of the movie included Shriya Saran, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Ronit Roy, Shahana Goswami, Rahul Bose, Seema Biswas, and Darsheel Safary.
3. Supriya Vinod (Indu Sarkar - 2017)
Supriya Vinod as Indira Gandhi was the only bright spot in director Madhur Bhandarkar’s political drama Indu Sarkar (2017) which was based on the events during the emergency period of India in 1975. Supriya Anand who made her acting debut in Kucch To Hai (2003) played the important role of Mrs. Indira Gandhi who was well accompanied by Neil Nitin Mukesh as the late Sanjay Gandhi. Subsequently, Supriya also played Indira Gandhi in the Telugu biopic NTR: Kathanayakudu (2019) and its sequel NTR: Mahanayakudu (2019) of the actor turned politician N.T. Ramarao who served as Chief Minister of the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh.
4. Avantika Akerkar (Thackeray - 2019)
Actress Avantika Akerkar also makes it to the list of Bollywood actresses who played Indira Gandhi on-screen. Though she made her acting debut in the Sonakshi Sinha starrer Noor in 2017 as a presenter, her uncanny resemblance to the late Indira Gandhi helped her bag the brief but all-important role in the Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Thackeray in 2019 and Kabir Khan's Ranveer Singh starrer sports biopic 83. Avantika was also seen playing the character of Mrs. Swarup in the web series Made in Heaven (2019).
5. Flora Jacob (Raid – 2018 / Thalaivi - 2021 / Pippa - 2023)
Flora Jacob, the lesser-known actress caught the attention of many cine-goers when she played the role of Indira Gandhi in Raj Kumar Gupta’s 2018 hit film Raid which starred Ajay Devgn and Ileana D’Cruz. Though her appearance was a brief one but important to the narration which was based on the early 80s events. Actress Flora Jacob will also be seen portraying the role of Indira Gandhi in Kangana Ranaut starrer Thalaivi, a biopic of the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa. The actress also played Indira Gandhi in the Prabhas and Pooja Hegde starrer Radhe Shyam and the war drama Pippa.
6. Kishori Shahane (PM Narendra Modi - 2019)
Actress Kishori Shahne who has acted in films like Pyar Ka Devta, Bomb Blast, Pyaar Mein Twist, Superstar, Mohenjo Daro, etc. portrayed the role of Indira Gandhi in the Omung Kumar directed biopic of Shri Narendra Modi, PM Narendra Modi in 2019. Kishori’s portrayal of Indira Gandhi didn’t go unnoticed despite Vivek Oberoi sharing the majority of the limelight playing the main protagonist. If one could recall, Kishori Shahane is married to director Deepak Balraj Vij.
7. Lara Dutta (Bell Bottom - 2021)
Lara Dutta playing the role of Indira Gandhi in Bell Bottom came as a surprise to many which in all probability might end up as the most memorable role in her entire acting career. Though during the release of Bell Bottom trailer, she was almost unrecognizable due to donning perfect prosthetics but her performance in the film after release was well appreciated by the audiences despite being an Akshay Kumar film. In one of her interviews, Lara Dutta did confess that playing Mrs. Gandhi was probably one of the biggest challenging roles she has ever played. In the future, there may be other actresses who'll play Mrs. Gandhi in films but Lara Dutta's performance will be rated among the top 10 Bollywood actresses who played Indira Gandhi on screen.
8. Navni Parihar (Bhuj: The Pride of India - 2021)
Popular actress Navni Parihar who has acted in films like Hulchul, Page 3, Corporate, Tanu Weds Manu, Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, etc. got the opportunity to play the role of Indira Gandhi in the Ajay Devgn starrer Bhuj: The Pride of India (2021). Though it was a minuscule role Navni did look graceful bearing a striking resemblance to the great leader. Her role was all the more important to the storyline which was based on the events that took place during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.
9. Kangana Ranaut (Emergency - 2023)
Actress Kangana Ranaut could well as be a part of the list of Bollywood actresses who played Indira Gandhi in films. Kangana Ranaut is all set to play the role of India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Emergency. The movie which is directed by Kangana and produced under her own banner, Manikarnika Films narrates the true events based on India's emergency period in 1975. Kangana Ranaut as Indira Gandhi on-screen is sure to raise a lot of eyebrows as well as controversies.
10. Fatima Sana Shaikh (Sam Bahadur - 2023)
Fatima Sana Shaikh is the latest entrant to the list of actresses who portrayed Indira Gandhi on screen. Fatima Sana Shaikh was seen playing a younger version of Indira Gandhi who was the Prime Minister during the Indo-Pak war of 1971 in Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur. Though Sam Bahadur was a biopic on India’s first field marshal, S.H.F.J. Manekshaw, Fatima Sana Shaikh had a few scenes involving her differences with Field Marshal Manekshaw during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, and managed to leave an impact.
11. Payal Nair (Main Atal Hoon - 2024)
Payal Nair as Indira Gandhi is the latest entrant to the list of actors who played Indira Gandhi on celluloid. Payal Nair made her debut in the Manoj Bajpayee starrer Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!! (2000) also appeared in films like Sorry Bhai!, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Chhapaak and Main Atal Hoon, etc. She is mostly remembered for her portrayal of Indira Gandhi in the Pankaj Tripathi starrer Main Atal Hoon which was a biopic on India’s 10th Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
