Pick up any 10 films releasing in a particular month and most of them would be dominated by male actors. In such a scenario when even a leading lady finds it difficult to find a breathing place for a performance, it is quite a tough task to make a mark as a supporting actress. 2006 was no different with only a handful of females managing to be a cut above the rest when it came to supporting roles. But those who did, they impressed!
1. Konkana Sen - Omkara
What a fine actress Konkana Sen has turned out to be! An year where she had number of releases, she impressed most as Langda Tyagi's wife! And no, she wasn't one of those gaon-ki-naari or a suppressed lot. She also wasn't one of those torch bearing women liberation association member. She was just like one of those urban women who knew how to keep issues at bay, run household chores, keep your husband happy through his stomach or the part below [as she proudly tells Kareena Kapoor while training her on marital hood], know about your sexual desires and even kill your own husband when principals dominate over blind love!
2. Kirron Kher - Fanaa, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
She may not have done anything different from what she has done before in 'Hum Tum' or 'Veer Zaara'. But well, who was complaining? As a mother who knew what was right and what was not, she was at her intelligent best yet again in contemporary films like 'Fanaa' and KANK. Think of an intelligent urban woman soaked in traditions and love for her family and Kirron Kher is the first name that comes to mind. Wish there was more of her in 'Rang De Basanti' though!
3. Neha Dhupia - Chup Chup Ke
If only Kareena Kapoor would not have been a bigger name, got to appear in more dance numbers and met Shahid Kapoor in the end, Neha Dhupia may well have been the lead heroine of 'Chup Chup Ke'. She was the female with more dialogues, better scenes and an interesting part to play and did well in whatever she was asked to do by director Priyadarshan. She looked beautiful too which was an icing on the cake. From acting in a bit role in 'Garam Masala' to graduating to a supporting meatier role in 'Chup Chup Ke' - Would Priyadarshan be offering her something better next time around?
4. Bipasha Basu - Dhoom 2, Omkara
She may have played an inconsequential part in the first half of 'Dhoom 2' but was a delight to watch in the second half where she got to play a dumb blonde! She was hot in 2 piece bikini and equally cute as an Indian based in Brazil who struggled with her Hindi but knew how to treat her guests with 'butter naans', 'butter paneer' and 'butter chicken'! It was a new facet of Bipasha Basu that one saw on big screen and no one complained. Her other notable act was as 'Billo Chamanbahar' where her solitary 'beedi' was good enough reason for people to watch the film again.
5. Isha Kopikar - Don
Her role may have been cut to size to accommodate two Shahrukh Khans, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani and others but she showed what she was capable of (yet again) in 3-4 odd scenes where she was present. The scene when Don [disguised as Vijay] meets her for the first time in their den and Isha just offers her a glass of water while saying nothing had enough power in it. Also, in the context of the film, she was the dominant character in the song 'Aaj Ki Raat' since Priyanka hardly knew what she was getting into. In the end, Isha got the 'don' and this is what eventually mattered!
6. Sandhya Mridul - Deadline
Can we have more of this talented actress please? Last year she was awesome in 'Page 3' and though her 'Deadline' met with a terrible response at the box office, those who saw the film only had good words to talks about Sandhya Mridul. As a small time theater actress who had to turn into a seductress cum kidnapper in the film as per the demand of the situation, she was tantalizingly sexy yet dangerous. The woman knows how to play her cards well, as demonstrated earlier in 'Saathiya', and one wishes more film makers take a notice of her acting prowess.
7. Achint Kaur - Corporate
"Can't you do a small compromise by sending your girlfriend to jail for the crime committed by my husband?" How many sisters would have the guts to say so to their brothers? Well Achint Kaur was gusty enough as she begged, pleaded, threatened and emotionally blackmailed her brother Kay Kay to do so in order to save the life of her husband [Rajat Kapoor]. As an upper class female for whom it was just her immediate family and the business empire that mattered, it showed the ugly side of high class society!
8. Masumi Makhija - Woh Lamhe
If there will be a horror film made soon, Masumi Makhija may well be the front runner for a led role! As a non-existent female who was Kangana Ranuat's mystery fear in 'Woh Lamhe', she was quite terrifying when she got into a hysteric act on screen. Coming out of nowhere at number of instances in the film, she showed that fear lurks not just in the night around secret alleys but even on open streets in broad daylight!
9. Simone Singh - Being Cyrus
From a coy female to a scheming lady - Simone Singh showed the complex side of her character in 'Being Cyrus'. As a woman who was the driving force behind all criminal acts of her younger brother in the film, she was admirable as the wife of a monster of a husband played by Boman Irani. She was taking a lot lying down in the film but the reasons for the same sent a shock wave when her real self was revealed in the end.
10. Taraana Raja - Pyaar Ke Side Effects
Taraana Raja? Well, who is that? Guess is that 999 out of 1000 readers won't be able to recollect the name. Now those of you who have watched, think of Rahul Bose's sister in the film who didn't really have many kind words to say about men! Does the character sound familiar? As an educated urban female who could just be your neighbor next door, she was quite good on screen as she nagged her husband over his likes and dislikes for home cooked meals!