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There have been thousands of stars in Bollywood who debuted, but they were released from the light with time. And while some of the top actresses made it big and gained household name status, many ended up falling off fans’ radar pretty quickly—only for movie lovers to wonder why they suddenly disappeared from their view. Here, we reveal the stories of 10 Bollywood actresses who went missing from films and try to figure out what just made them fade away.
Ayesha Takia
Ayesha Wadhawan won the hearts of her fans for a sweet role in films like Taarzan: The Wonder Car (2004) and Wanted (2009), where she starred alongside Salman Khan. Admired for her girl-next-door charm, Ayesha rose to fame overnight. But she opted to quit acting post-marriage (to restaurateur Farhan Azmi) in 2009 when they had a baby. Ayesha has made headlines over the years with her social media posts as well as activism, yet she is still away from Bollywood.
Asin Thottumkal
Asin, who rose to fame after starring in Ghajini (2008), was one of the top actresses working across Bollywood and South Indian cinema. Though she completely stopped making films in 2016 post her marriage with businessman Rahul Sharma to concentrate on personal life and family. She has kept a low profile since and is living her life away from the glamour.
Preity Zinta
In her films like Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer Zaara (22004) and Koi mil gaya (22003) Preity was positioned as one of Bollywood’s sweethearts, who won our hearts with that dimpled smile. With not so much happening in terms of appearances on the big screen, she concentrated more on her IPL team, Kings XI Punjab, and other business opportunities. While she occasionally makes an appearance at events, sharing her film career has certainly taken a step back.
Rimi Sen
Rimi Sen, who went missing from films after delivering hits like Hungama (2003) and Dhoom (2004). Even though she was part of well-received movies, the actor said that it pained her to be offered roles. The actor, who took a break from films to concentrate on other endeavors, re-entered the industry only recently.
Minissha Lamba
Minissha Lamba was famous for films such as Yahaan (2005) and Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008). Her career looked really promising in the starting phase, but it went down with flops. After a brief and hopeless return to the limelight through Big Boss, she was never able to recreate her magic on the silver screen. She now lives away and has been slinking to parts in computerized ventures.
Esha Deol
Esha Deol: Daughter of Bollywood legends Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Esha started her career with bright films like Dhoom (2004) and Kaal (2005)But she couldn’t maintain her momentum and, by the late ’00s, had left acting behind. Esha enjoyed a small stint before returning and now lives with her family life along with a few digital projects as well.
Gayatri Joshi
When she paired off with Shah Rukh Khan in Swades (2004), Gayatri Joshi showed promise as a new face. In spite of a grand debut, Gayatri preferred to keep away from the public eye after she tied down with businessman Vikas Oberoi. She has since retired from films and is now living the life of a housewife with her family.
Shamita Shetty
Shamita Shetty had a hit debut with Mohabbatein in 2000 but failed to make as much of an impact later on. Following a string of less notable appearances, she had since retired from acting. Though she was part of reality shows like Bigg Boss and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, her work in films is on hold.
Tanushree Dutta
She gained fame with films such as Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005) but later disappeared from Bollywood. In 2018, she grabbed national headlines with her accusations against one of the biggest names in Bollywood, Nana Patekar, following which the #MeToo movement found a new lease of life in India. Even though she has hinted at a return, Tanushree has been missing from the film world for most of her life.
Celina Jaitly
Celina Jaitly had taken a backseat from Bollywood post her marriage and having kids, after films like No Entry (2005) and Golmaal Returns (2008). Celina is now settled in Austria with her family, and although she sometimes works for organizations like the United Nations, Celina has bid adieu to films.
