Jaya Bachchan (née Bhaduri; born 9 April 1948) stands as one of Indian cinema's most formidable actors and a parliamentarian known for her unwavering candour. Celebrated as one of the greatest performers in Hindi cinema, she has built a legacy defined by artistic integrity. Since 2004, she has served in the Rajya Sabha as a representative of the Samajwadi Party since 2004, consistently asserting her voice with a steadiness that commands attention—often holding her ground with a resolute calm that has become her hallmark. She enrolled at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, in the late 1960s, graduating with a gold medal. During her time there, she was surrounded by several contemporaries who would also go on to shape the landscape of Indian cinema. Among them was Danny Denzongpa, her classmate, whom she nicknamed Danny. Asrani—an alumnus of FTII's first batch who later returned as a faculty member—taught her and played a key role in securing her breakthrough role in Guddi. Shatrughan Sinha and Subhash Ghai were also part of the institute's vibrant community during that period. Although not from her exact batch, fellow gold medalist Shabana Azmi is regarded as a peer from that era; she has often acknowledged that Jaya's student film Suman inspired her to join the FTII. Over a career spanning more than five decades, she has shaped the landscape of both mainstream and parallel film movements, earning acclaim for a naturalistic, understated acting style that set her apart from her contemporaries. Beyond cinema, she has established herself as a consistent and influential political voice. Her contributions to the arts have been recognised with numerous honours, including the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian distinction. Her career began early, with her first screen appearance as a teenager in Satyajit Ray's Mahanagar (1963). She emerged fully onto the national stage with Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Guddi (1971), setting the tone for a body of work marked by emotional honesty.. Through films such as Uphaar (1971), Koshish (1972), and Kora Kagaz (1974), she brought a refreshing normalcy and quiet strength to her characters—an approach that distinguished her from the melodramatic trends of the time. Her collaborations with Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer (1973), Abhimaan (1973), Chupke Chupke (1975), Mili (1975), and Sholay (1975) showcased her ability to hold her own on screen, even alongside dominant personalities and intense narratives. Her performances in Abhimaan, Kora Kagaz, and Nauker (1979)—each earning her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress—remain enduring examples of her controlled yet powerful artistry. She is the recipient of ten Filmfare Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award for her services to cinema.