Neerja may be a gamechanger for Sonam Kapoor; 8 other actresses whose lives were changed by 1 film

Sonam Kapoor has been basking in the success of her portrayal of PanAm hijack heroine, Neerja Bhanot. The minute the trailer released, critics began to hail Sonam's performance in the film as the role of a lifetime. Many claimed that the Ram Madhvani film would help establish Sonam as an actress of substance.

Despite her star-kid label, Sonam Kapoor has managed to hold on her own in the fiercely competitive Bollywood industry. She has also had a number of interesting projects to her credit. But it looks like Neerja will be the film that will help her shed the glamdoll tag she unknowingly garnered and change her fortunes for the better.

While Neerja may be a huge milestone in Sonam's career, she now finds herself on the list of Bollywood actresses whose careers were turned around by just one film. Take a look:

Kareena Kapoor - Jab We Met

Photo: a film still

The actress was a part of 26 films before she did Jab We Met opposite Shahid Kapoor in 2007. As the feisty, chatty Geet, Kareena went to bag the Filmfare award for the Best Actress for her performance in this Imtiaz Ali film.

Vidya Balan - The Dirty Picture

Photo: a film still

Vidya Balan became the darling of the critics with her solid performances in Parineeta, Paa and Ishqiya. However, with Ekta Kapoor's The Dirty Picture, Vidya raised the bar. And how. Not only did Vidya bag a number of awards for her performance, but the actress also used her role to help spread the message of gender equality and woman empowerment.

Priyanka Chopra - Fashion

Photo: a film still

With her powerful performance in Fashion, Priyanka established herself at the top of the list of talented contemporary Bollywood actresses. Eight years later, she hasn't budged from her top spot. Interestingly, in Fashion, Priyanka played a girl from a small town who took the industry by storm.

Deepika Padukone - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Photo: a film still

Despite making a dream Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om, Deepika went on to do a number of forgettable films. All that changed with Ayan Mukerji's Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. The actor who played a calm and ambitious Naina in the film has had a string of successes ever since. And there seems to be no looking back for the Piku actress.

Deepika's stellar performance in Cocktail did not make this list as the film had parallel leads.

Anushka Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat

Photo: a film still

After debuting with YRF's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma just couldn't be seen on screen for around two years. However, her portrayal of a bubbly Delhi girl in Band Baaja Baaraat made her the darling of the masses. The film also brought viewers a beloved onscreen pair in Ranveer-Anushka.

Alia Bhatt - Highway

Photo: a film still

The latest offering from the Bhatt household made waves for her potrayal of a peppy, glamorous student in the Karan Johar flick, Student Of The Year. However, it took Imtiaz Ali's Highway - a gritty film that dealt with a rarely-discussed subject - to help her establish herself as a versatile actress.

Sonakshi Sinha - Lootera

Photo: a film still

After a slew of colourful, damsel in distress roles, Sonakshi Sinha stunned audiences with her intense performance in Lootera - opposite a powerful Ranveer Singh. Both actors were lauded for the ease with which they seemed to essay complex roles with subtlety.

Kangana Ranaut - Queen

Photo: a film still

Kangana Ranaut made quite an impression with her angsty debut in Gangster. The actress has always been inclined towards unconventional roles - a gamble that paid off in the form of films like Fashion, Tanu Weds Manu and Shootout at Wadala. However, Kangana took over Bollywood overnight with the release of Vikas Bahl's Queen. The rest, as they say, is history.