Happy Birthday Bhumi Pednekar: 5 movies where the actor proved that she isn't your run-of-the-mill Bollywood diva

An actor for all seasons, Bhumi Pednekar turns 34 today. Always one to steer clear of out and out commercial trappings of Bollywood, Bhumi has carved a niche for herself, delivering stellar performances one after the other. Off-screen, the diva is fun, feisty and oh so glam, having undergone a massive physical transformation over the years. On her big day today, we revisit some of her movies that have won over our hearts...

Even if we jog our memory hard, we will struggle to think of an actor, who has put on weight and gone completely de glam for her debut Bollywood movie. Playing the overweight, yet educated, body positive Sandhya, Bhumi breathed life into her character as she gets married to Prem, a college dropout, but 'conservatively' considered better looking than her. Initially cold, Prem starts to warm upto his wife when he is forced to take part in a race, which involves Prem carrying Sandhya on his back. Co-starring Ayushmann Khurrana.

Based on the real-life characters of Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, aka 'shooter dadis', the movie starred Bhumi as Chandro and Taapsee Pannu as Prakashi. The story is about two women, who live in a patriarchal society and are in their 60s, accidentally discovering their shooting skills. With the help of an instructor, they participate in various competitions, much to the chagrin of their family members.

A shy boy Mudit, manages to woo Sugandha and the two decide to get married. However, before the wedding, their relationship undergoes a setback as they discover that Mudit has erectile dysfunction. Even though throwing light on a condition that many don't talk about in the open, the movie manages to brilliantly underplay it under the garb of comedy, making this an enjoyable, yet sensitive watch. Co-starring Ayushmann Khurrana.

Keshav falls in love with Jaya and gets married to her. However, Jaya, who is educated, is appalled to learn that there is no toilet in his house and women are still expected to visit the nearby farm to do their business, leaving them vulnerable to prying eyes and wild animals. After temporary fixes fail to solve Jaya's hassles, Keshav decides build a toilet in the house, even as his conservative, patriarchal family goes ballistic. Co-starring Akshay Kumar.

Set in the ravines of the Chambal valley, the film tells the tale of dacoits in 1975, who termed themselves Baaghis, the rebels. Bhumi plays the feisty Indumati Tomar, who rescues a girl called Sonchiriya a.k.a 'Lalli' who Indumati's family head had raped. As Indumati 's family runs behind her to murder her and Lalli, she reaches out to the Baaghis for help, eventually attracting more enemies on the way. Co-starring late Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana and others.