Happy birthday, Chitrangada: Titles that prove she's an underrated actor
Chitrangada Singh began her acting career in 2005 with Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, receiving critical acclaim for her performance. Her next project, Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow, also garnered a positive response from the critics. In almost two decades of her career, Singh remains one of the most underrated actors. On her 47th birthday, we take a look at some of her notable performances.
'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi'
Helmed by ace filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, the film featured Singh, Kay Kay Menon, and Shiney Ahuja in the lead roles. The socio-political-themed film is set in the backdrop of India's Emergency and revolves around three youngsters- Siddharth (Menon), Geeta (Singh), and Vikram (Ahuja). The movie was initially expected to release in 2003 but, eventually hit the theaters in 2005.
'Yeh Saali Zindagi'
Singh once again collaborated with Mishra for Yeh Saali Zindagi. Co-starring Irrfan Khan, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Arunoday Singh, the movie was a hit with the critics. Though it got a decent opening at the box office, the film still became a below-average grosser. However, it received critical acclaim and it was touted to be one of the best films by Mishra.
'Inkaar'
Singh has often been offered roles that portray her as a strong, independent, and fierce lady. The character of Maya Luthra in Inkaar was one of the many such characters. Starring Arjun Rampal and Singh as the protagonists, Inkaar revolves around sexual harassment in a corporate setup. Released in 2013, Mishra received a positive response for the direction from the critics.
'Bob Biswas'
Diya Annapurna Ghosh's directorial debut Bob Biswas featured Abhishek Bachchan in the titular role along with Singh as Mary Biswas. The film, which had a direct release on the OTT platform ZEE5 in December 2021, was a spin-off to Vidya Balan starrer Kahaani. It received three nominations at the 67th Filmfare Awards, including one for Bachchan in the Best Actor (Critics) category.
'Gaslight'
Singh was last seen in 2023's mystery thriller Gaslight, starring Vikrant Massey, Sara Ali Khan, and herself in the lead. It skipped a theatrical release and premiered directly on Disney+ Hotstar. Though the film wasn't received well by the audience or the critics alike, especially for its slow narration, the performance of Massey and Singh did bring them praise.
