She made her lead debut with Dil Deke Dekho (1959) and went onto establish herself as a leading actress in the 1960s and 1970 with films including — Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Bharosa (1963), Ziddi (1964), Mere Sanam (1965), Teesri Manzil (1966), Love in Tokyo (1966), Do Badan (1966), Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966), Upkar (1967), Kanyadaan (1968), Shikar (1968), Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969), Sajan (1969), Chirag (1969), Kati Patang (1970), Aan Milo Sajna (1970), Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Caravan (1971), Samadhi (1972), Heera (1973), Udhar Ka Sindur (1976), Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) and Kaalia (1981).

[7][8][9][10][11] Her mother enrolled her in Indian classical dance classes at an early age and she learned from many teachers, including Pandit Bansilal Bharati.

Famous film director Bimal Roy saw her dance at a stage function and cast her at the age of ten in Maa (1952) and then repeated her in Baap Beti (1954).

[13] When she was 16, she decided to try acting again, and to make her debut as a heroine, but she was rejected from Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959) in favour of actress Ameeta, because the filmmaker claimed she was not star material.

Precisely 8 days later, film producer Subodh Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her as the heroine in Dil Deke Dekho (1959), opposite Shammi Kapoor, which made her a huge star.

[15] Parekh was primarily known as a glamour girl/dancer/tomboy in most of her films, until director Raj Khosla gave her a serious image by casting her in tragedienne roles in three of her favourite films; Do Badan (1966), Chirag (1969), which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978), which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Director Shakti Samanta gave her more dramatic roles in her other favourite films, Pagla Kahin Ka (1970) and Kati Patang (1970); the lattermost earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

[17] As a leading heroine, she formed popular onscreen pairings with actors including Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna.

She formed a production company, Akruti, and produced serials like Palash ke Phool, Baaje Payal, Kora Kagaz and a comedy, Dal Mein Kaala.

She held the post from 1998 to 2001 for which she received no salary, but plenty of controversy for censoring films and for not giving clearance to Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth.

[33] Farhana Farook of Filmfare said that "she's undeniably distinct from her peers" and noted, "Asha Parekh has gone way beyond the paradigm of stardom and its engulfing halo.

"[36] The Statesman noted, "Parekh earned the epithet of Bollywood's "jubilee girl" with her string of hits in the Hindi film industry's golden era.

"[37] Arushi Jain of The Indian Express noted, "Parekh was associated with adjectives like effervescent, fashionista, cheerful, dancer and glamour girl.

[44] In 2016, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, said that Parekh had approached him at his Mumbai residence, climbing 12 floors of steps, to recommend her name for the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award.