Dimple Kapadia is a celebrated Indian actress known for her work in Hindi cinema across mainstream, parallel, and contemporary films. She made a spectacular debut at just 16 with Bobby (1973), which made her an overnight star. After taking a break from acting following her marriage, she returned to cinema in the 1980s and built a highly respected career through both commercial and critically acclaimed performances.
Her notable films include Bobby, Saagar, Ram Lakhan, Kaash, Drishti, Lekin..., Rudaali, Gardish, Krantiveer, Dil Chahta Hai, Being Cyrus, Luck by Chance, Dabangg, Cocktail, Finding Fanny, Tenet, Pathaan, and Murder Mubarak.
Dimple Kapadia was born as Dimple Chunnibhai Kapadia on 8 June 1957 in Bombay, India (now Mumbai, Maharashtra). She grew up in a Gujarati-speaking family and developed an interest in acting at a young age.
Filmmaker Raj Kapoor discovered her when she was a teenager and cast her opposite his son Rishi Kapoor in Bobby. Released in 1973, the film became a major commercial success and established Dimple as one of the most popular young actresses of the era. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance.
Shortly before the release of Bobby, Dimple married superstar Rajesh Khanna and temporarily left the film industry. The couple had two daughters, Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. Dimple and Rajesh Khanna separated in 1982, after which she returned to acting.
Her comeback film was Saagar (1985), in which she starred alongside Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan. Her performance earned her another Filmfare Award for Best Actress, confirming her successful return to mainstream cinema.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Dimple increasingly chose challenging and unconventional roles. Her performances in Kaash (1987), Drishti (1990), Lekin... (1991), and Rudaali (1993) received considerable critical acclaim. For Rudaali, she won the National Film Award for Best Actress for portraying Shanichari, a woman who works as a professional mourner.
She continued to appear in both mainstream and character-driven films. Her later notable performances include Dil Chahta Hai, Being Cyrus, Luck by Chance, Dabangg, Cocktail, and Finding Fanny. She also appeared in the international film Tenet (2020) and the Hindi action film Pathaan (2023).
Dimple has also worked in streaming productions, including the series Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo (2023) and the film Murder Mubarak (2024). Her awards record includes a National Film Award, multiple Filmfare honours, and other national and international recognitions.