Alia Bhatt to Kareena Kapoor: Actresses who played sex workers in films

Alia Bhatt plays the gritty madam of a brothel in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi’, which chronicles the life of Gangubai who was sold into prostitution but went on to become one of the most revered and powerful women in Mumbai by building ties with the underworld and working for the uplifting of women and orphans in the red light area of Kamathipura.

Alia Bhatt has blown fans away with the teaser of her upcoming film, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ where she plays one of the famous madams from the brothels of Kamathipura

Madhuri Dixit had played the role of a sex worker named Chandramukhi in the film Devdas. Her work in this film was much appreciated. Along with Madhuri, Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan were in the lead roles in this movie.

Kareena Kapoor Khan played the role of a woman who was sold off into the flesh trade as a young girl by her uncle in 'Chameli'. Kareena received a lot of appreciation for the role and also bagged a Filmfare award for the same. Bebo also played a sex worker in Aamir Khan-starrer 'Talaash'.

Rekha got her first National Film Award (for best actress) in director Muzaffar Ali’s Umraao Jaan. The pain and struggles of a courtesan’s life were perfectly reflected in her eyes when she lip-synced to Khayyam’s tunes in the movie.

Tabu was a part of the crime movie Chandni Bar along with Atul Kulkarni and Rajpal Yadav. Tabu portrayed the role of Mumtaz Ali Ansari who is an innocent rural woman whose family members are killed in riots. Circumstances force her to leave the village and migrate to Mumbai. Soon, she is also forced to work as a bar dancer and sex worker to make ends meet.