Bollywood has its share of powerful, influential and strong women on-screen, but there’s no dearth of these women-of-substance off-screen either. On International Women’s Day, Koimoi.com brings you some of the Bollywood ladies who show you that marriage and children are no full-stop to their incredible careers:

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Aishwarya Rai may have left her architecture for modelling, but she did go on to win the Miss World pageant later. The light-eyed Aishwarya made it big in Bollywood without the shadow of a godfather in Bollywood. Her mesmerizing dance sequences in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Taal proved that the gal had more to her than just pretty looks. From bagging meaty roles in films, the beauty went on to join the first family of Bollywood by tying the knot to Abhishek Bachchan. But there has been no stopping her even after marriage. Ash continues acting in movies with the same grace and beauty in films like Robot and Pink Panther 2 post-marriage. Little wonder that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be honoured by Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa at the second Vishwa Kannada Sammelan on 11th March.

Kajol
The chirpy actress was the toast of Bollywood with her unmatched dynamism that she lent to her characters. Kajol could be the romantic Simran in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge or the tom-boy Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai; not surprising that she is the fourth generation in a family of actors. Kajol went on to act in Fanaa, My Name Is Khan and We Are Family after her marriage to Ajay Devgan and the birth of her children Nysa   and Yug. Now that’s a powerhouse!

Malaika Arora Khan
Former MTV VJ Malaika rose from the small screen and sizzled her way to the silver screen by dancing on a train with Shah Rukh Khan! How many Bollywood stars can write that on their resume? Malaika can do item dance after item dance but no one can guess that the curvaceous babe is the mother of seven year old Arhaan with dashing hubby Arbaaz by her side. Malaika can give the young blood in Bollywood a run for their money with one thumka, and you just need to see Munni Badnaam Hui in Dabangg to believe that!

Madhuri Dixit
The pin-up girl of the ‘90s had everyone eating out of her hand with her dhak dhak moves. Her unforgettable jodis with Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, coupled with her inimitable grace still puts her up there with the heartthrobs of Bollywood. Though Madhuri Dixit disappeared after her marriage, the mother of two is back as Mrs. Madhuri Dixit-Nene and the eye balls are back on her.

Farah Khan
Women directors in Bollywood are rare, and those who churn hit after hit, even more so. After making the biggest stars in tinsel town dance to her tune (literally!), Farah moved on to make movies the way she loved them: 100% filmy. Three movies, Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om and Tees Maar Khan, with three kids, Farah is a whiz on and off camera. And though critics may pan her grandeur and the lack of “sophistication” in her films, Farah is laughing all the way to the bank.

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