Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress is presented by Filmfare in its annual Filmfare Awards, to the actress who, in the opinion of the independent panel of movie critics, portrays her character with incredible finesse and displays exceptional caliber in performing the role, in a Hindi film of the preceding year. The critics" choice in acting performance was introduced in 1991 as Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, one common special award for performance by either sex. In 1998, it was officially segregated into two categories to acknowledge performances by both male and female actors separately. The critics" awards are awarded without prior nomination for a performance.

Prominent Records in Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress
Versatile actress Tabu holds the record for maximum wins in the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, with a total of 4 awards. She is followed by Manisha Koirala who has 3 wins. They are also the only ones to win this award consecutively; Manisha Koirala in 1996 and 1997 & Tabu in 2000 and 2001. Actresses Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor Khan have won the award twice. Rani Mukerji is the first and only actress to date to have won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress in the same year, in 2006 for her widely acclaimed performance of a woman suffering deafblindness, in the film "Black".

Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress at 61st Filmfare Awards
In the 61st edition of Filmfare Awards held in January 2016, the critics" panel honoured actress Kangana Ranaut with the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, for her pitch perfect double role performance in the film "Tanu Weds Manu Returns".

List of Winners of Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress
The following lists highlight the winners of Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress (erstwhile Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance), from its inception in 1991 to 2016.

Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress