Shetty started her career by modelling for Limca in 1991 at age 16, and made her film debut in 1993 at age 17 in Baazigar. Although she was a supporting actress alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, the film was a major success and earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.Her first leading role was in the film Aag in 1994, which was averagely received at the box office. She had a hit that same year with the film Main Khiladi Tu Anari opposite Akshay Kumar. This was followed by many films which were average to poor performers at the box office. 1997 was one of her busiest years yet, she appeared in six different films, beginning with the small Telugu language film Veedeva Dani Babu. Her first major Bollywood film of that year was the action thriller Auzaar. In 1998, she had one release, Pardesi Babu (co-starring Raveena Tandon and Govinda), for which she received critical acclaim and won best supporting actressIn 2000 Shetty received much acclaim for her role in Dhadkan which earned reasonable takings at the Indian box office.She received several nominations under the Best Actress category in different awards ceremonies, although she lost them to Karisma Kapoor. She would later go on to star with Kapoor in the film Rishtey (2002). Her performance as an eccentric fisherwoman was appreciated and she received a nomination under the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award category.2004 was also a good year for Shetty with the release of Garv opposite Salman Khan. She received much acclaim for her performance in Phir Milenge after a sensitive portrayal of a successful city high-flyer who contracts HIV via unprotected sex and becomes a social outcast as a result. This film earned Shetty a Filmfare Best Actress nomination, and also provided an impetus for her HIV-related charity work.
