The Most Famous Indian Actors In Hollywood

We bring you a list of the ten most famous Indian actors who have built careers in Hollywood – from Bollywood big names who’ve pursued parallel careers abroad, to actors from India who went straight to Hollywood fame and glory.

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Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka is among the most successful Bollywood stars to have pursued a career in Hollywood. Her debut as the lead character in TV show Quantico, which is currently on its second season, was well-received in the United States and in India. While filming for Quantico, the charismatic actress also played one of the lead roles in Bollywood blockbuster Bajirao Mastani, for which she won IIFA and Filmfare awards, among others. With a Hollywood movie premiere in Baywatch directed by Seth Gordon set for release in 2017, Priyanka has managed to juggle Hollywood and Bollywood like few others.

She’s only just making her Hollywood debut, but Deepika is one of the biggest Indian actresses to foray into Hollywood while her career in Bollywood is still at its peak. The queen of Bollywood at the moment – in terms of popularity, box office success and pay – is starring opposite Vin Diesel in action flick XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage, set to be released early next year.

Irrfan Khan

This actor from Jaipur is a favorite at home and abroad. With almost just as many appearances in Bollywood and Hollywood releases, the actor has set many benchmarks. His latest Hollywood release includes Inferno, which is based on The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown’s latest bestseller, and directed by Academy Award winning director Ron Howard. Other recent Hollywood movies include Life of Pi and The Amazing Spider-Man.

Aishwarya Rai

This former Miss World is one of the most recognizable Indian figures around the world today. Aishwarya Rai has acted in a decent number of Hollywood films, including Bride & Prejudice, The Mistress of Spices, The Pink Panther 2 and The Last Legion.

Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor is a household name in the Indian subcontinent, but his involvement in Hollywood has made him a familiar face globally. From the popular TV show 24 to Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Kapoor is rarely shy to try his hand in cinematic ventures abroad.

Anupam Kher

With roles in Bend It Like Beckham and Silver Linings Playbook, this Bollywood legend has become a familiar face to even those movie-goers abroad who haven’t indulged in Indian cinema yet. The eminent actor with a glorious career is slated to have yet another Hollywood movie released next year – The Big Slick – which will also be his 500th film!

Freida Pinto

Freida Pinto’s feature film debut with Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire shot her to fame internationally. While she never pursued a career in Bollywood, her Hollywood list is long and versatile, including Woody Allen’s You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, Rise of the Planet of Apes, and Immortals.

Naseeruddin Shah

Considered to be one of the finest among the country’s actors, Naseeruddin Shah has also graced a handful of Hollywood films. His filmography abroad includes The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The Great New Wonderful in addition to Indian-born American director Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding.

Om Puri

This powerful actor with an illustrious career has acted in films around the world including Pakistani and British films. The most known among his films abroad include the Academy Award-winning Gandhi by Richard Attenborough, Charlie Wilson’s War by Mike Nichols, City of Joy by Roland Joffé, Code 46 by Michael Winterbottom and popular British comedy East Is East by Damien O’Donnell. The most recent of his Hollywood endeavors is The Hundred-Foot Journey directed by Lasse Hallström.

Gulshan Grover

Dubbed the ‘bad man of Bollywood’ for his portrayals of notorious cinema villains, Gulshan Grover’s filmography abroad includes many titles, such as The Second Jungle Book, Prisoners of the Sun, Blind Ambition, and My Bollywood Bride.

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