From Alia Bhatt To Shefali Shah, Best Indian Female Performers Of 2022

Brava, ladies!

Here we are, at the end of all things 2022. And what a year it has been, yes? As a greedy gobbler of films and web series, I found myself running out of time with all that I had on my watchlist. And what do you know, it’s still not finished! But of the stuff that I did manage to watch, I can without a doubt say, this year belonged to the performences, more than the films. And female performers stole the show without a doubt. Whether it was Alia Bhatt, who reigns as the queen of the box office this year with not just starring in blockbusters like RRR and Brahmāstra and even acing her debut as a producer, but proving the naysayers wrong with her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi. Or Shefali Shah, who seems to be the Darlings of anyone who needs a bankable actor, as she delivers one stellar performance after another. Or the surprise package that is Janhvi Kapoor who had two rather lowkey releases this year but earned praise for her performances in Good Luck Jerry and Mili.

This, by no means, is an exhaustive list. But here’s looking at some of the best female performers of 2022.

Shefali Shah – Human (Disney+ Hotstar), Jalsa (Prime Video), Delhi Crime 2 and Darlings (Netflix)

For me, Shefali Shah is the undisputed name on the top. What an incredible year this actor has had, with one solid performance after another. There’s something about Shah’s eyes, the way they emote and say much more than most actors can convey using full sentences.

What’s worth noting is that all of her characters have been mothers, but not the stereotypical characterisations we’re used to seeing of Indian mothers. They’re humans first, women second, and motherhood is merely a catalyst in some cases or a facet of their character, but not their entire personality.

Shefali Shah in Delhi Crime 2 would be my favourite pick, but it was such a delight to watch her as Shamshu in Darlings, that I just wouldn’t be able to pick one! I cannot wait to see what she does next in 2023.

Alia Bhatt – Gangubai Kathiawadi, Darlings (Netflix)

I’m still not over her agreeing to play the threadbare character of Sita in RRR. And I am still holding on to hope that her Isha has more to do (there’s a theory she’s not all goody-goody) than just look pretty as a button and scream ‘Shivaaaaaa!’ on cue in Brahmāstra parts 2 and 3.

And yes, the box office success of Gangubai Kathiawadi, and the love for her first production, Darlings, has to feel exhilarating. But as a fellow Piscean, I can assure you, nothing compares to the sweet victory of having proven those who doubted you wrong. When the first rushes of Gangubai Kathiawadi came out, almost every second person thought Alia Bhatt was a miscast. But Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s conviction, and Alia Bhatt’s hard work came through. One of my favourite performances of the year, Alia’s Gangubai is a game-changer for her and for Bollywood too, having earned big at the Box Office in a year that has not been so great for even the biggest male stars.

Sakshi Tanwar – Mai (Netflix)

I remember putting on Mai on the day I was packing up my room in the week I was shifting homes. I didn’t go in with lofty expectations, but I remember being unable to pause and finishing the entire season the same day, along with my packing. Mai turned out to be a decent, engaging watch, even if a bit lost towards the end. However, Sakshi Tanwar’s brilliant performance was unwavering. I’d seen a glimpse of this potential in the 2021 short by Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Ghar Ki Murgi, in which Sakshi starred.

But with Mai, she exploded as the grieving but determined mother trying to uncover the truth about her daughter’s death. Her character wasn’t a supermom, and things did go wrong with her, leaving you, the audience, constantly biting your nails and hoping she emerges out of every threat unscathed.

With 2023, I hope to see more of her, but my hopes for her include characters and genres she hasn’t explored before. I’d love to see her play a grey character. Or basically anything other than a mother and housewife.

Deepika Padukone – Gehraiyaan (Prime Video)

I liked Gehraiyaan. Somewhere between the betrayal that we all felt because of the hype generated pre-release, and the divisive discourse that followed after its release, is where I find myself defending this film to everyone. I actually liked the genre-shifting twist in the end as well, and if anything, it was my second favourite thing about this Shakun Batra film. The first was the generational trauma it explored through Naseeruddin Shah’s and Deepika Padukone’s father-daughter relationship.

But I have a third, and that is Deepika Padukone’s nuanced performance. In most of her films, there’s lots of noise or scale or mainstream elements that distract or engorge her performances. And that’s great. But my favourite DP performances are in films that are quieter, more subtle in their language like Piku or Finding Fanny. In that sense, Gehraiyaan was a slow, late summer afternoon in the middle of the ocean, and Deepika’s character was like this small boat riding the waves.

Janhvi Kapoor – Mili (Netflix), Good Luck Jerry (Disney+ Hotstar)

I first boarded the ‘Janhvi Kapoor has potential’ flight when I watched Gunjan Saxena. And her two releases this year, Good Luck Jerry and Mili have reinforced this faith a little more.

She gets a mention on this list for sheer encouragement and because I will be watching her next few outings closely.

Huma Qureshi – Maharani 2 (SonyLIV), Monica O My Darling and Gangubai Kathiawadi (Netflix)

I love Huma Qureshi and I think she knows it because I say it quite often on social media. Even with just one song in Gangubai, and a powerful Alia scene happening in the background, Huma managed to leave me in awe of her.

Her Maharani is one of my favourite takes on a female Indian politician and we don’t have many of those. Huma as Monica Machado in Vasan Bala’s Monica O My Darling was sexy, capricious, and heartbreaking in her bravado that masked her pain.

Geetanjali Kulkarni – Unpaused Naya Safar (Prime Video), Gullak Season 3 (SonyLIV)

For me, Gullak is first and foremost Geetanjali’s character and while I love what the show is doing with her character, I am aware that it is working because she is a brilliant actor, making you root for her character every time.

In the short War Room, where she plays a Covid war room phone operator in a unique moral dilemma, she blew me away with what she could do with just her eyes and silences alone. So powerful!

 

Shriya Pilgaonkar – Guilty Minds (Prime Video), The Broken News (Zee5)

If you ask me, Shriya Pilgaonkar is one of the best actors to come out of the OTT space. She has this imposing presence (a theatre performer thing?) on screen that makes it difficult to look away, and really root for her character. I kinda miss her Sweety on Mirzapur! But speaking of surprises, I thoroughly enjoyed Guilty Minds and her chemistry with costar Varun Mitra, and in particular her performance in The Broken News as a news reporter. I would love to see this talented performer shift gears and try something she hasn’t done yet.

Sheeba Chadha – Sharmaji Namkeen, Badhaai Do , Doctor G, (All on Prime Video)

Yaar, my wish in 2023 is to meet Sheeba Chadha and give her a hug for all the amazing performances she has given in this year alone. She’s made me laugh (Sharmaji Namkeen) made me cry (Badhaai Do), made me empathise with her character even when they didn’t deserve it (Maja Ma), and cheer her when she slapped some sense into a hospital staffer in Doctor G.

If the onscreen Indian mother is undergoing a massive evolution, I am glad we’re getting Sheeba Chadha to play some memorable and beloved ones.

Masaba Gupta- Modern Love Mumbai (Prime Video), Masaba Masaba 2 (Netflix)

I want to conclude the list with a surprise. Designer Masaba Gupta can act, we know this from Season 1 of her eponymous show that’s part reality part fiction and about her life. But I loved that she didn’t just stay put in that comfy atelier her Netflix show made for her, and decided to try doing more. She brought the same natural, unpretentious, and real vibe to her character in the short I Love Thane (directed by Little Things’ Dhruv Sehgal), which was a part of the Modern Love Mumbai anthology on Prime Video. Masaba on screen always feels authentic, like it could be you up there. What’s more, she makes it feel effortless, as if the director just says, “Action!” and she continues being her real self, just on camera!

Vidya Balan Says It Is Ridiculous Bhansali Got More Credit For ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ Than Alia Bhatt