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Bollywood, as the Hindi film industry is colloquially called, is one of the biggest international movie industries in the world, stemming from a country with over 1.3 billion people. It is also home to some of the most famous actresses in the world. Their talent has propelled them to become internationally renowned figures, such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone.

However, there was a time in Bollywood when actresses were not allowed to perform in movies at all. In fact, in the earlier ages of Bollywood, the female roles were also played by men, such as in the first-ever Hindi feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913). There was a gradual entry of female actors into the industry in the 1920s. Since India is predominantly Hindu and Muslim, there were no female actors from the general Indian society as it was not considered to be a proper profession in their community. Where were these actresses coming from? In a surprising turn of events, these actresses were secretly Jewish, from the small community of Baghdadi Jews who had resettled in India. They used stage names that were more commonplace in India to be relatable to the larger Indian audience. They led the way for a lot of progress for female actresses in the industry, unbeknownst to the larger public. In this piece, we will explore the three most influential Jewish actresses who paved the way for female actresses in the industry.

Hosted by Eileen Shortall and written by Mirhan Tariq

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