Top 20 Self-Made Celebrities Of Bollywood

Everyone is not born with a silver spoon. Some set their goals, and struggle hard to achieve them. When it’s about the film industry, all we see is the glamor and aura of the celebs, but nobody knows what it took them to reach the peak. Here is a countdown of the stars that made their way to success.

1. Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan or also known as SRK is a prominent >> Read More...

Let’s start with the King of Bollywood. Everyone is aware of his achievements, but when we go back, we see that things were not that simple for this superstar. This Delhi based middle-class boy started his career from television with ‘ Fauji Fauji - Colonel Raj Kapoor was the director of thi >> Read More... ’ (1989) followed by ‘ Circus Circus is one of the most popular television seria >> Read More... ’ and ‘ Idiot The series is based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, >> Read More... ’ (1991). He made his Bollywood debut with ‘Deewana’ (1992) and won the Filmfare Award for the best debutant. The actor also has his own production house, Red Chillies Click to look into! >> Read More... . The rest is history.

2. Aamir Khan Aamir Khan or Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan is Bolly >> Read More...

Another Khan on the list is Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan. He appeared as a child artist in Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973). He then worked as an assistant director in a few movies and appeared in a lead role in a low-budget film, ‘Holi’ (1984). His first commercial hit was Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1989), after which his success journey continued. He started his production house, Aamir Khan Production and made his first movie, ‘Lagaan’ (2001), which was a blockbuster and officially entered the Oscars, although it could not win one.

3. Akshay Kumar Akshay Kumar was born on 9th September 1967 and hi >> Read More...

We all are aware of the hard work Khiladi Kumar puts in to make his movies a hit. But this actor too had his hardships before he made it to the A-list stars. After getting a black belt in Taekwondo, he learned martial arts in Bangkok, and also worked as a chef and a waiter there. He assisted a photographer, and then finally tried his luck in modeling, where he gained success and made his Bollywood debut in ‘Saugandh’ (1991).

4. Dilip Kumar Muhammad Yusuf Khan was born on the 11th of Decemb >> Read More...

This megastar was born in 1922 as Yousuf Khan Yousuf Khan is a famous Pakistani actor who was bo >> Read More... in a Muslim family. He moved to Pune in 1940, set up a sandwich stall in the army club, and left for Mumbai with his savings. There he joined Bombay Talkies Click to look into! >> Read More... to brush up his acting skills and changed his name to Dilip Kumar. Before entering Bollywood in 1944, he also worked as an assistant writer. He gained immense popularity in the 50s and became the first superstar of the industry.

5. Rajesh Khanna Born as Jatin Khanna on 29th December 1942, the ch >> Read More...

Jatin Khanna aka Rajesh Khanna was an adopted son. He had his interest in acting from quite a young age. He had participated in various theater acts in his school days. His first play was Andha Yug in 1962. He won the All India National Talent in 1965, after which he got his first break in Bollywood in ‘Aakhri Khat’ the following year. He changed his first name to Rajesh before entering into movies. ‘ Aradhana Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ proved to be the turning point of his career.

6. Dharmendra  Dharmendra Singh Deol was born on 8th December 19 >> Read More...

Dharmendra made his debut in 1960 with ‘Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere’. After its success, he worked in a supporting role in ‘Boy Friend’. His good looks made directors cast him mostly for romantic movies. He did his first action movie, Phool Aur Kaante Click to look into! >> Read More... in 1966, after which he became a versatile star. He got Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He tried his hand in production and launched his sons as well as his nephew. He judged the third season of India’s Got Talent, which was his beginning on television.

7. Govinda Govinda is a popular Bollywood star who is known f >> Read More...

He started his career in 1986 with ‘ Ilzaam Ilzaam (Accusation) is a Pakistani Urdu Television >> Read More... ’. He then showed his dance skills in his next movie ‘Street Dancer’ though he gained popularity in the 90s. He signed a few films with David Dhawan Born on 16th of August 1955, David Dhawan has alwa >> Read More... and established himself as a famous comic actor. He took a break from movies when his career faced a setback. He then made his comeback in 2005 with Bhagam Bhag followed by ‘ Partner Click to look into! >> Read More... ’, ‘Salaam-E-Ishq’.

8. Irrfan Khan Irrfan Khan is a noted Bollywood actor who started >> Read More...

He is one actor who has set his benchmark in the industry but is not a commercial star. He started his career with television and worked in some series like Bharat Ek Khoj Bharat Ek Khoj is a historical based Indian drama >> Read More... , Banegi Apni Baat Banegi Apni Baat is an Indian television drama ser >> Read More... . His first movie was Salaam Bombay in 1988. He made his Hollywood debut with A Mighty Heart in 2006. He won the National Award for Paan Singh Tomar Click to look into! >> Read More... in 2012.

9. John Abraham Like some of our sexy stars, John Abraham has had >> Read More...

He started from modeling. He was the winner of Gladrags Manhunt Contest in 1999. He then appeared in music videos with Pankaj Udas, and Babul Supriyo Born on 15th December 1970, Babul Supriyo is a tal >> Read More... . He debuted in Bollywood in 2003 in ‘ Jism Story coming soon... >> Read More... ’, which had mixed reviews. He came into limelight with his negative character in ‘ Dhoom Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ in 2004. He also showed his comedy skills in ‘ Dostana Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ in 2007.

10. Vidya Balan Vidya Balan is an award winning Bollywood actress >> Read More...

She is one of the strongest and finest actresses in the industry today. But it was after facing many difficulties that she made her place. Vidya played Radhika in the famous comedy series Hum Paanch. She then started with Malayali movies, but after successive failures shifted to Tamil films. When the story repeated there, she made her debut in Bollywood with ‘ Parineeta Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ (2005) and is the only Bollywood actress who made her hat-trick in Filmfare for ‘ Paa Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ (2010), The Dirty Picture Click to look into! >> Read More... (2011) and ‘ Kahaani Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ (2012).

11. Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit is not just known as the also a smil >> Read More...

She mesmerizes everyone whenever she is on-screen. She made her debut with ‘Abodh’ (1984), but it took her five years to taste stardom. After nine back to back flops, ‘Tezaab’ (1989) was her first blockbuster. She owned the industry in the 90s and won four Filmfare Awards. She quit acting after marriage in 1999. She made her comeback with Aaja Nachle Click to look into! >> Read More... in 2007 and continued her charm. She judged four consecutive seasons of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa Story soon >> Read More... .

12. Rekha Rekha is probably among the most renowned and well >> Read More...

Rekha, who came from South India to try her luck in Bollywood made her debut with Sawan Bhadon in 1970, after doing a Kannada movie, was a commercial hit and Rekha gained fame overnight. She then did some hit movies and won the National Film Award for Umrao Jaan Click to look into! >> Read More... in 1981. She is a Winner of three Filmfare Awards.

13. Priyanka Chopra Born on 18 July 1982, Priyanka Chopra is an establ >> Read More...

Former Miss World did a Tamil movie in 2002 before she made her Bollywood debut with Hero: Love Story Of A Spy in 2004, where she was the second lead. She did another movie as a lead (‘Andaaz’), for which she won the Filmfare Award for best debut. She won everyone’s heart with her performance in ‘ Fashion Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ (2007). She started working as a singer when she signed a contract with Universal Music Group in 2011. She made her international debut with the series ‘ Quantico Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ in 2015.

14. Preity Zinta Preity, also known as Preity Zinta is a famous Act >> Read More...

This army girl did not want a career in the films. She got a chance when she had accompanied a friend for auditions. Her debut movie was Dil Se (1998), for which she won the best debut award. She gave some hits between 2002 and 2007 and also did Rituparno Ghosh’s English movie, The Last Lear Click to look into! >> Read More... . She owned a cricket team in IPL, Kings XI Punjab.

15. Remo Dsouza Remo D’Souza, who is primarily an Indian dancer cu >> Read More...

Though he is not an actor, he deserves his place on the countdown because this man struggled and is a celebrity now. Inspired by Michael Jackson Story soon >> Read More... , he excelled in hip-hop style and started his career in 1995 as a choreographer with Bollywood Dreams. After gaining popularity, he became a director in 2011 and directed hit movies like ‘ ABCD Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ and its sequel. He judged many dance shows like Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, DID, Dance+. He is often known as Remo Sir.

16. Kangana Ranaut Kangana Ranaut is known in Bollywood, for her trem >> Read More...

Kangana has done a handful of movies but has established herself as a leading actress of the industry. She made her debut with Mahesh Bhatt Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt created a niche for himself >> Read More... ’s ‘ Gangster Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ in 2004, for which she won the best debut award. Her second movie Fashion got her the National Award for best supporting actress. Though her career faced some setbacks, she emerged strongly with Tanu Weds Manu Click to look into! >> Read More... Returns in 2015, and she got the National Film Award for best actress.

17. Deepika Padukone Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress and model. S >> Read More...

She belonged to a sports background and continued with it, but in 2004, she shifted her focus to modeling. She started with a Kannada movie, followed by Himesh Reshammiya Intro: Himesh Reshammiya got his stardom after win >> Read More... ’s Tera Suroor. She made her Bollywood debut in 2007 with Om Shanti Om Click to look into! >> Read More... , after her previous project with Farah Khan Farah Khan is an Indian film actress, producer, di >> Read More... was dropped, which made her a superstar overnight, and the rest is history. She is currently doing a Hollywood Project with Vin Diesel “Salute Mi Familia” this could be his infamous fra >> Read More... .

18. Ranveer Singh Ranveer Singh Bhavnani is an Indian movie actor wh >> Read More...

He aspired to becoming an actor from his childhood. He opted for acting as a minor subject during his graduation. When he returned to India, he started working as a copywriter for a couple of years. In 2010, he made his debut with Band Baaja Baaraat Click to look into! >> Read More... , which was a commercial hit, and he won the best debut award. He rose to fame from his period movie, ‘ Lootera Click to look into! >> Read More... ’ (2013). He was the winner of the Filmfare Award for best actor for Bajirao Mastani Click to look into! >> Read More... in 2016.

19. Sidharth Malhotra Sidharth Malhotra is an Indian actor who was born >> Read More...

This Punjabi boy started as a model. After pursuing modeling for four years, he quit and decided to go for acting. His first movie shelved due to some reasons, after which he worked as an assistant director in My Name Is Khan in 2010. He started his Bollywood career with Student Of The Year in 2012, for which he won the Stardust Best Debutant Award. He even endorsed famous brands like Coca-Cola and American Swan.

20. Anushka Sharma Born in an army family to Col. AjayKumar and Ashim >> Read More...

The last one to enter the countdown is the army brat, Anushka Sharma. She was another one who did not aspire to become an actor. She started with modeling and endorsed a few brands before she debuted for Aditya Chopra Aditya Chopra is an Indian film director, scriptwr >> Read More... ’s production Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in 2007. Almost a forgotten star, she suddenly got her fame back from Band Baaja Baaraat. With love controversies surrounding her, she almost became an A-list star by the time she did Jab Tak Hai Jaan in 2012.