Bollywood stars have only just started making serious inroads with American moviegoers, but as the reigning lights of the world's largest film industry, they enjoy considerably more recognition everywhere else. Here are five actors and five actresses who anyone getting an introduction to Bollywood cinema should know.

Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan hails from a filmmaking family -- his father is a producer, his late uncle was a producer and director, his nephew Imran is a rising star and his cousin is a director who gave him his first lead role, in 1988's "Qayamat Se Quayamat Tak," for which he won Filmfare's Best Male Debut Award. Despite his relatives' involvement in the industry, however, Khan's success is due not to nepotism but to his rousing charisma, which was never more fully on display than in 2001's Oscar-nominated "Lagaan," a rousing song-and-dance period epic in which the actor (who also produced) played a peasant who helps fight the oppression of his town's British commanding officer via a high-stakes game of cricket. One of the three Khans who dominated '90s Bollywood (alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan), his career has been marked by a mixture of commercial and offbeat endeavors, from blockbusters like "Dil" and "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar" to edgier fare like "Raakh," a dark, critically acclaimed 1989 film that will receive a 20th anniversary release later this year. The Muslim Khan made waves around the time of his debut when it was revealed that he had married non-Muslim Reena Dutta and kept it secret from his family and the public, though the ensuing mini-scandal did little to derail his professional ascent, which continues in various forms today, whether it be behind the camera, as with 2007's directing debut "Taare Zameen Par," or in front of it, in smashes like last year's "Memento"-inspired "Ghajini."

Amitabh Bachchan

One of Bollywood's all-time greats, Amitabh Bachchan rose to prominence in the '70s playing the archetypal "angry young man," a disaffected character modeled after those found in British '60s cinema and typified by working class roots, radical ideology and a cool disdain for oppressive social structures. Encouraged by his mother to explore a career in the performing arts, Bachchan won the first of his three National Film Awards -- India's equivalent to the Oscar -- for Best Newcomer in his 1969 debut "Saat Hindustani." With his baritone voice and imposing physical presence, Bachchan became Bollywood's premier action hero, a position he cemented with a superlative turn in 1975's record hit "Sholay," in which he played one of two thieves-turned-heroes on the trail of a dastardly bandit. The actor's enduring legacy is founded on a versatility that allowed him to effortlessly segue between action, romance (though he's never shared an on-screen kiss) and comedy, not to mention singing, as his rendition of "Mere Angene Mein, Tumhara Kya Kaam Hai" from 1981's "Lawaaris" was a decade-long hit. Two breaks from acting, for politics in the '80s and for business in the '90s, slightly dimmed his star. Yet during the past decade Bachchan -- whose son Abhishek is also a famous actor, and married to actress Aishwarya Rai -- experienced a resurgent comeback, aided in part (as alluded to in last year's "Slumdog Millionaire") by his gig as the original host of India's "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire."

Hrithik Roshan

Like Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan was born into an illustrious family of filmmakers -- his father is a director, and his grandfathers are a music director and producer/director, respectively -- and has made a name for himself as one of this decade's defining stars. With his debut film "Kahoo Naa…Pyaar Hai" (helmed by his dad), in which he played dual romantic roles, Roshan became an overnight sensation famous for his ripped physique, facial stubble and fashionable threads. A preeminent matinee idol equal parts Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, Roshan subsequently made a mint headlining the types of films that characterize American summer movie season, from 2003's "Koi Mil Gaya" (India's first true science-fiction epic), to its 2006 sequel "Krrish" (which stands as the industry's first superhero flick), to 2006's "Dhoom 2," a follow-up to a 2004 motorcycle-centric crime saga that featured Roshan as a master villain. Sporting wavy blonde locks, a five-'o'-clock shadow and a frequently unbuttoned shirt, Roshan's turn in "Dhoom 2" opposite Aishwarya Rai established him as the new leader of Bollywood cool. His mainstream popularity hasn't interfered with his critical success, as his most recent effort, 2008's historical drama "Jodhaa Akbar" (again opposite Rai), led to his fourth Best Actor Award from Filmfare.

Salman Khan

Bollywood's "Bad Boy," Salman Khan has spent almost as much time in the pages of India's newspapers as he has in front of the cameras, thanks to a string of sensationalistic predicaments -- reckless driving; an arrest and (ongoing) court cases regarding his hunting endangered animals; a turbulent relationship with Aishwarya Rai that included claims that Khan harassed and threatened her after their break-up; and more than one fatwa issued against him. Khan's infamous, tabloid-y personal life has often overshadowed his professional accomplishments, yet notoriety is hardly the reason for his continued staying power. Beginning with 1989's romance "Maine Pyar Kiya," Khan -- the son of famed screenwriter Salim Khan -- became a bona fide leading-man heartthrob, a position aided in part by his dedication to physical fitness and related habit of removing his shirt on-screen. While his box office record has been spotty, successes such as "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun" and "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya" proved his appeal in both romances and comedies, and critically well-received works like the surrogate-birth issue film "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke" and the AIDS drama "Phir Milenge" demonstrated his aptitude for more serious fare. Plus, in a move that preceded that of ex-girlfriend Rai, Khan ventured outside Bollywood in 2006, starring opposite Ali Larter in the joint American-Indian co-production "Marigold."

Shar Rukh Khan

Often referred to as "King Khan" or just "SRK," Shah Rukh Khan began his career in late-'80s television serials before segueing into films -- and eventual Elvis-like stardom -- a few years later. Initially distinguishing himself from his peers by accepting, and thriving in, anti-hero roles in the films "Darr" and "Baazigar," SRK quickly became a critical and commercial superstar thanks to later parts that established him as something of a multicultural hybrid: a dashing Indian archetype tinged with a distinctly Western flavor. Unafraid to embrace challenges, as evidenced by his memorable turn in "Baazigar" -- in which he defied Bollywood custom by playing a man who kills his girlfriend, the story's heroine -- he transitioned from playing villains to headlining romances, most notably 1995's "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge," which 14 years after its debut continues to be exhibited in Mumbai theaters. SRK has made his mark through key collaborations with three directors, the renowned Yash Chopra (who previously had an important working relationship with Amitabh Bachchan), Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. His string of '90s hits helped sustain the Bollywood industry, and his continued success -- including thirteen Filmfare Awards (India's other prestigious filmic honors) -- has further turned him into an international icon whom Newsweek last year named as one the 50 most powerful people in the world.

Aishwarya Rai

The reigning queen of Bollywood cinema is also the first Indian actress to truly break through internationally, particularly in the United States. Born in Mangalore in 1973, Rai won Miss World in 1994, and began a modeling career afterwards that quickly segued into Bollywood stardom. Rai's debut and first success however, were both Tamil films ("Iruvar" and "Jeans"), which helped bring her to international attention before she had her Bollywood breakthrough with "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" in 1999. Rai married into the "first family" of Bollywood when she wedded Abishek Bachchan in 2007, though by that time she was far more famous than her husband. Having served as the first Indian actress on the Cannes jury in 2003, been profiled by "60 Minutes" in 2005 as "the most beautiful woman in the world" and landed both a L'Oreal contract and a spot as the first Indian to appear on David Letterman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKda79DSQH0), Rai has been by far the most influential and well-known actress to come out of Bollywood. Though her Bollywood career is still going strong, Rai has also appeared in several prominent English-speaking films, including "Bride and Prejudice" and, most recently, "The Pink Panther 2."

Kareena Kapoor

A descendent of the famous Kapoor Bollywood dynasty (her grandfather is Raj Kapoor, a frequent co-star of two of the women on this list), Kareena is considered to have entered the family trade relatively late, at the age of 20, in 2000. Her debut film, "Refugee," was a critical success, but she had a star-making box office hit with her second film, "Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai." Sharing the striking green eyes of her sister and fellow Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor, Kareena, or "Bebo," as she's known in the press, is renowned for her beauty, and early in her career wasn't getting the serious roles and credibility she wanted. In 2004 she chose to play a prostitute in "Chameli," largely with the hopes that the more "serious" character would help move into more challenging roles, ones inspired perhaps by her idol, Nargis. Having made roughly five films a year for the past nine years, Kapoor is working hard to maintain the Bollywood dominance of her family name.

Katrina Kaif

Bollywood proper's biggest current star is technically not Indian at all: Katrina Kaif was born in Hong Kong and raised in Hawaii and England (her father is from Kashmir and her mother is British). While working as a model in England, Kaif was discovered by Bollywood director Kaizad Gustad, who cast her in his 2003 film "Boom." After the success of her debut, Kaif moved to Mumbai, where her acting career took off despite the fact that she didn't speak Hindi and was learning it on the fly. Though Kaif might seem an unlikely success within the tightly contained, almost incestuous Bollywood star system, it seems India was ready for a relative outsider; one of her biggest successes resulted from playing a British Indian "brat" in 2007's romantic comedy "Namastey London." At only 24 years old, Kaif has opened up Bollywood cinema to bi- and multiracial actresses and themes, and cemented her place in the tabloids with a lengthy, if never publicly acknowledged relationship with reigning Bollywood bad boy Salman Khan, who's almost 20 years her senior.

Nargis

Upon her death from pancreatic cancer at age 52 in 1981, Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi said of Nargis, "Her friendly, vivacious face will long continue to cheer our people." Over her almost 40-year career, beginning when she was just five years old and first dubbed "Baby Nargis," Nargis became one of the most recognized and loved actresses in India. Born to an actress and artist named Jaddanbai, Nargis rose to prominence during the height of India's black and white era, often playing a romantic lead opposite the actor Raj Kapoor, with whom it was alleged she was carrying on a passionate, doomed affair. Her roles often highlighted her enigmatic, somewhat tragic aura -- her specialty was women caught in impossible romantic situations -- and her most famous film, "Mother India," was released in 1958 to wide acclaim and high honors. Nargis met and fell in love with her co-star on the set of "Mother India," and married actor Sunil Dutt (who actually played her son in the film) and drastically scaled back her Bollywood career. Her legacy has only grown since her death, and she's looked back on fondly by Indian audiences as the kind of classic, versatile actress that doesn't really exist anymore. In 2000 she was chosen, along with fellow Bollywood titan Amitabh Bachchan, as India's "Best Artiste of the Millenium."

Madhubala

Often compared to American screen icon Marilyn Monroe, Delhi-born actress Madhubala's brief but blazing trajectory (both women died at age 36) helped to secure her spot in the Bollywood pantheon. Born Mumtaz Begum Jehan Dehlavi in 1933 to a poor father and grief-stricken mother (six of the actress' siblings died in childhood), she began her acting career at age nine (in a film called "Basant") soon after her father moved the family to Bombay. Five years later, in 1947, Madhubala changed her name and had her breakthrough role opposite Raj Kapoor in "Neel Kamal." Though only 14, she had graduated into adult roles, and began to cultivate a persona that was slightly risqué, provocative without being threatening. Her personal life was tumultuous and included an off-screen affair with one of Bollywood's first male stars, Dilip Kumar, before she married Kishore Kumar in 1958. The apex of Madhubala's career is undoubtedly "Mughal-e-Azam," a 1960 film that took nine years to make and held a box office record in India for 15 years. In it, Madhubala plays a dancer and courtesan opposite Dilip Kumar. Madhubala, like Monroe, expressed regret over not being considered for roles with more depth and dramatic range, though her fans disagreed, and word of her appeal made it all the way to the foothills of Hollywood: in 1952 Theatre Arts magazine wrote an article about Madhubala titled "The Biggest Star in the World (And She's Not in Beverley Hills)." Crossover stardom was not to be, however, due to both her conservative father's rejection of the idea and Madhubala's 1950 diagnosis of a serious heart defect. Although she kept acting throughout the decade, by the early 60s Madhubala was too weak to work regularly, and in 1969 she died of her ailment.