From Nushrratt Bharuccha to Tiger Shroff: Bollywood stars stuck in repetitive on-screen images

Nushrratt Bharuccha has candidly acknowledged that she was typecast early on in her career. After performing the role of Neha in the movie 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama,' she became a widely seen but limiting reference point, being recognized as the "nagging ex-girlfriend." While becoming recognizable also committed her to a limited stereotype. It took time, energy, and determination to break out of that stereotype and into varied material.

Tiger Shroff, meanwhile, is known for his chiseled body and high-octane action. Tiger often looks like he is 1 second away from putting a baddie through a brick wall, given his consistent throw-a-table-slam-the-guy demeanor. This macho character can occasionally come off as overcompensating. His character development seems to often rest heavily on physical development instead of emotional development. All of that being said, fans still clamor for his unrivalled action, but many also want him to show some range.

Similarly, John Abraham is usually the same rugged, stoic action hero in 'Satyameva Jayate,' 'Force,' and 'Attack.' Generally, Abraham's characters must lead with their physicality rather than their emotional insight. He can carry the heavy scenes in any film, but he rarely evokes more vulnerability than that which is suggested in the context of the story. This results in a consistent flow of on-screen behavior. Fans appreciate his action persona, but they would like to see him play a character with more depth.

Once Varun Dhawan garnered rave reviews for his work in 'Badlapur.' The film illustrated his capacity to take on darker, nuanced roles. Now, he seems more at home performing the Govinda-style slapstick entertainment he does more often than not. While those films continue to build his commercial popularity, they do not provide great acting opportunities. People still believe he has much greater depth to tap into.