Her portrayal of strong, complex characters has earned her numerous awards, including the National Film Award for Best Actress and several Filmfare Awards.

Kahaani (2012) cemented her status as a "hero" in her own right. Playing a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband, she carried the entire suspense thriller without a male A-list superstar, proving that compelling storytelling trumps star-studded casts. Shaping Modern Media Content and Narratives