Suhana Khan is the new face of #NepotismRocks in the country this week. Her appearance on the cover of a leading Indian magazine has raised questions over her credibility to earn that sort of recognition. 

The daughter of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan though would be expected to follow into his footsteps. Ironically enough, the father is the flagbearer of the rare breed of self-made stars in the industry. 

And while there might not be many male actors in this category, there certainly are a number of leading women who have scripted their own success stories without any backing or godfathers/mothers in the glamour world. Here’s raising a toast to these superwomen! 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

She may now be a member of the Bachchan household after marrying Abhishek Bachchan, but Aishwarya Rai Bachchan began her career as a model. After winning the 1994 Miss World pageant, offers started pouring in for the light-eyed beauty and now, she has established herself as one of the most influential celebrities in India and across the globe.

Deepika Padukone

Everyone knows Deepika Padukone’s father, Prakash Padukone, has been one of India’s finest Badminton player. But did you know Deepika herself played the game at national level and was still trying to figure out what to do with her life until she landed in Bombay for some modeling assignments. She was featured in ads from which she garnered huge popularity and that’s how she landed a music video with Himesh Reshammiya. And then, the rest is history.

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra became a sensation after she became Miss World and dabbled into acting soon after. And now, after ruling the hearts of millions in Bollywood, she is creating waves worldwide with her meaty role in Quantico. Also, she recently won the People’s Choice Award for the second time in a row.

Anushka Sharma

She was an industry outsider but managed to make her debut in none other than a Yash Raj film opposite Shah Rukh Khan. And then, there was no looking back. She’s now a successful producer and along with husband Virat Kohli is one half of India’s leading power couple. 

 Kangana Ranaut

Hailing from a small town in Himachal Pradesh, Kangana’s Bollywood story is absolutely terrific. She  began her career with Anurag Basu’s Gangster which was produced by Mahesh Bhatt and gradually, with each performance, established herself as a superstar in the industry. More power to her!