Sharmila started her career with the legendary Satyajit Ray but it was Samantha who gave her a footing in Bollywood. She established herself in popular Hindi cinema with Samanta's Kashmir Ki Kali. Samanta again cast her in ‘An Evening in Paris’. This film marked the first appearance of an Indian actress in a bikini which shocked Indian audiences and set off a new trend. Samanta later teamed up Tagore for super-hit movies such as Aradhana, Amar Prem and Amanush. This duo, often teaming up with Rajesh Khanna or Shammi Kapoor, changed the face of romance in Bollywood.