| Year |
Winner |
Film |
| 2006 |
Priyamani |
Paruthi Veeran (Tamil) |
| 2005 |
Sarika |
Parzania (English) |
| 2004 |
Tara |
Hasina (Kannada) |
| 2003 |
Meera Jasmine |
Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam (Malayalam) |
| 2002 |
Konkona Sen Sharma |
Mr & Mrs Iyer (English / Tamil) |
| 2001 |
Tabu & Shobhana |
Chandni Bar (Hindi) & Mitr - My Friend (English) |
| 2000 |
Raveena Tandon |
Daman (Hindi) |
| 1999 |
Kiron Kher |
Bariwali (Bengali) |
| 1998 |
Shabana Azmi |
Godmother (Hindi) |
| 1997 |
Indrani Halder & Rituparna Sengupta |
Dahan (Bengali) |
| 1996 |
Tabu |
Maachis (Hindi) |
| 1995 |
Seema Biswas |
Bandit Queen (Hindi) |
| 1994 |
Debashree Roy |
Unishre April (Bengali) |
| 1993 |
Shobhana |
Manichitra Thazhu (Malayalam) |
| 1992 |
Dimple Kapadia |
Rudaali (Hindi) |
| 1991 |
Moloya Goswami |
Firingoti (Assamese) |
| 1990 |
Vijayashanti |
Karthavyam (Telugu) |
| 1989 |
Shreelehka Mukherjee |
Parshuramer Kuthar (Bengali) |
| 1988 |
Archana |
Daasi (Telugu) |
| 1987 |
Archana |
Veedu (Telugu) |
| 1986 |
Monisha |
Nagakshathangal (Malayalam) |
| 1985 |
Suhasini |
Sindhu Bhairavi (Tamil) |
| 1984 |
Shabana Azmi |
Paar (Hindi) |
| 1983 |
Shabana Azmi |
Khandhar (Hindi) |
| 1982 |
Shabana Azmi |
Arth (Hindi)
|
| 1981 |
Rekha |
Umrao Jaan (Urdu) |
| 1980 |
Smita Patil |
Chakra (Hindi) |
| 1979 |
Shobha |
Pasi (Tamil) |
| 1978 |
Sharda |
Nimajjanam (Telugu) |
| 1977 |
Smita Patil |
Bhumika (Hindi) |
| 1976 |
Laxmi |
Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithergal (Tamil) |
| 1975 |
Sharmila Tagore |
Mausam (Hindi) |
| 1974 |
Shabana Azmi |
Ankur (Hindi) |
| 1973 |
Nandini |
Kaaddu (Kannada) |
