Over the years, actors from Mehmood to Shammi Kapoor and from Amitabh Bachchan to Imran Khan have donned kohl, lipstick and women’s clothes to get sportingly into the drag act to generate laughs. While some look ghastly and will best try to forget their drag queen look, some actors such as Paintal and Aamir Khan and Shreyas Talpade have nailed the act time and again. And Riteish Deshmukh has, of course, made an art of it with his many appearances as a “woman” in his movies. Lets take a look at Bollywood’s 20 best drag acts over the years.
In the 1965 film Bhoot Bangla, directed by and starring Mehmood, alongside Tanuja, the talented comedian puts on a wig and attends a job interview dressed up as a woman. The fluttering eyelashes and doll act was hilarious in its contrast to Mehmood’s large frame and typical mannerisms.