RANKED: Performances Of Swara Bhaskar Which Prove That She Is A Rockstar In Every Role

With all her twitter chatter, trolls and of course the masturbation scene in Veere Di Wedding, it is often easy to forget that Swara Bhaskar is probably one of the top 5 finest actresses in Bollywood right now. Irrespective of the size of the role or the reach of the film, when she is on-screen you can be rest assured, that she is going to steal the limelight, sometimes even from veteran actors.

Whether its adding new twist to the stereotypical roles like‘heroine ki saheli’, a mother, a daughter or the one that the hero rejects, these are the 5 best performances of Swara Bhaskar which proves that she is a real rockstar, no matter how big or small the film or her role is.

Rank 5: Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Come to think of it, the role of the heroine’s best friend is one of the most stereotypical roles in Bollywood.  However, Swara took the challenge both in Tanu Weds Manu and Tanu Weds Manu Returns and taught us how even the most stereotypical roles can steal the limelight when done with integrity and determination. Payal is the friend we all want really. She is fiercely loyal to Tanu but does not hold back from giving her a reality check when needed. Also, finally this is one ‘heroine’s friend’ who has a life beyond the heroine and Swara managed to bring all these fresh perspectives in a role where her screen time was considerably limited.

Rank 4: Nil Battey Sannata

Whoever thought Swara was only meant for supporting roles, were proven wrong with this film. She played Chanda with a finesse that is so amazingly rare. As a single mother who works as a maid to put her adolescent daughter through school and then joins the school herself to settle her daughter’s wayward ideas about life and education was not an easy role. What really jumped out in this performance of Swara is how she never lets the character be pitiable and in doing so she serves a good dose of empowerment.

Rank 3: Listen...Amaya

It might not be one of her more popular roles,  but it is a gem nevertheless. Firstly, it would be difficult for any actor worth their salt to hold the fort in front of veterans like Farooq Sheikh and Dipti Naval, but Swara nails it and how. As a daughter trying to come to terms with her mother’s affair in late life, she gave a wonderfully measured performance that touched the hearts.

Rank 2: Raanjhnaa

Is there anything about Bindiya that we did not absolutely love? If we are talking about brackets, it could have been a role that anyone would notice, but every time Swara came on screen, she commanded respect and love. From her lived-in Varanasi accent and demeanor to light comic moments, she literally owned her role and gave us one of our favorite supporting characters ever.

Rank 1: Anarkali Of Aarah

There is simply no debate over the fact that Anarkali Of Aarah has been the career-best performance of Swara Bhaskar till now. Of course, praise must be reserved for the makers who chose to tell this amazing story of an exotic dancer from semi-urban India standing up against harassment, but ultimately it was Swara who proved that she is more than capable of pulling off a film all by herself. The balance between the fierceness and vulnerability that she brought to the character goes to prove her mettle as a performer.