Star Positions 2023 - Female Leads

The box office has been back for two years now and now enough films have been released to get an idea of star positions post the pandemic. As far as female leads go Alia Bhatt is the undisputed number one being the main force driving for the success of Gangubai Kathiawadi Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani. She is probably the only female star who is a a box office draw and can carry a film alone. 

The box office numbers of films featuring Alia Bhatt have always been better in Mumbai city and Pune even when the content is more of a North type of film like 2 States or Raazi and this has continued with Gangubai Kathiawadi and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani so when a heroine has a few places always outperforming it really helps at the box office though it will tougher ahead as these two centres are very unpredictable at the moment.

There are probably three other female leads that can be called stars today and they are Deepika Padukone, Kiara Advani and Shraddha Kapoor. So the ranking today is as follows and its difficult to put someone in fifth place as either no one is able to make much of an impact or other female leads don't hold the same value as before.

1. Alia Bhatt

2. Deepika Padukone

3. Kiara Advani

4. Shraddha Kapoor

There was a time when Deepika Padukone was well clear of the field but there were not many films towards the end of the last decade just before the pandemic and the attempts to succeed in films where the female lead is the driver did not work like Finding Fanny and Chhapaak. The last named was a huge downer just before the pandemic but Pathaan came post the pandemic and it probably undid some of the Chhapaak damage which was a mistake of epic proportions for a heroine like Deepika Padukone.. 

Kiara Advani had made huge strides just before the pandemic with films like Kabir Singh and Good Newwz and even in the pandemic had a blockbuster song Burj Khalifa and Laxmii (2020) which is probably still the only genuine HIT to be premiered on digital. The run continues post the pandemic and at the moment is that quintessential Hindi film heroine who fits well into all genres and is also able to pair up with most the leading male stars. In popularity with the youth she could actually be ahead of Deepika Padukone at this point of time.

Shraddha Kapoor is the fourth genuine female star today and actually should probably being doing better but there are so few films and this just not the case over the last few years but even now post pandemic it will be only two releases in around four years with Tu Jhooti Main Makkaar and Stree 2.  The popularity is there but films have to come to prove this.

After these four it would probably be names like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Disha Patani. Katrina Kaif had Tiger 3 which did well and that is the zone she fits into well but there are very few films made like that. But the issue its difficult to slot her into that so called female content film zone unless its action genre but those films are also very less if any.

Kareena Kapoor has had Lal Singh Chadda and a television film but has face value and the talent still to work at the box office given the right film but obviously too many television films will dilute the equity as far as theatrical value is concerned which will only make box office success harder especially in a female led film.

Kriti Sanon was on a upward curve before the pandemic hit and just behind Alia Bhatt and Kiara Advani as far as the girls who made an entry in the last decade were concerned but post pandemic the audience has not been that kind with major duds and now its about whether this trend can reverse with the right films.

Disha Patani is similar to Shraddha Kapoor with so little work. There is some credit to go to her for the initial of Ek Villain 2 so there is some popularity there but again you need back to back films to reach that genuine star status.  

Generally there is dearth of popular heroines for the youth hero / heroine film as Alia maybe has become too big for this zone, Deepika will not pair well with the younger actors while Shraddha hardly does films leaving Kiara but with her run at the box office she will probably have the choice of the bigger films and there are four female stars who actually make a difference.

This makes it even more difficult to make that medium budget comedy./ action / love story as the younger male stars have not hit huge heights at the box office so you need a pairing with a popular heroine to make it a package to get that initial audience out but those heroines are limited in supply.

Kiara Advani had made huge strides just before the pandemic with films like Kabir Singh and Good Newwz and even in the pandemic had a huge blockbuster song Burj Khalifa and Laxmii (20200 which is probably still the only genuine HIT to be premiered on digital. The run continues post the pandemic and at the moment is that quintessential Hindi film heroine who will fits well into all genres and is also able to pair up with most the leading male stars. In popularity with the youth she could actually be ahead of Deepika Padukone at this point of time.

Shraddha Kapoor is the fourth genuine female  star today and actually should probably being doing better but there are so few films and this just not the case over the last few years but even now post pandemic it will be only two releases in around four years with Tu Jhooti Main Makkaar and Stree 2.  The popularity is there but films have to come to prove this.