Her second movie was the highly-anticipated Tamil film, En Swasa Katre opposite Arvind Swamy, one of the most successful actors at that time. The film was a musical hit, rendered by A. R. Rahman, and a good grosser at the box-office. She then played a cameo in Prashanth's Jodi as a prospective bride. She received positive reviews for her role and decided to pursue a career in Bollywood: Her first Hindi movie was Ek Tha Dil Ek Thi Dhadkan (1997), directed by Shah Rukh Sultan, and yet to be released.

Koppikar appeared in minor roles in Fiza (2000), Pyaar Ishq aur Mohabbat and Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya (2001). In 2002, she appeared in Ram Gopal Varmas Company as an Item girl in the song Khallas!. The number created her nickname Khallas-girl and caused her breakthrough. In 2003 she won 'Most Exciting New Face' for Khallas at the Stardust Awards.

In Dil Ka Rishta she played opposite Aishwarya Rai and Arjun Rampal and for her negative role in Qayamat: City Under Threat (2003), she received a nomination for Filmfare Best Villian Award. In the movie Girlfriend (2004), she played a woman involved in a lesbian relationship. For the role she built up her body to display some impressive muscles and performed her own stunts and fight scenes. In D (2004), she again worked with Ram Gopal Varma in the prequel of his movie Company.

In 2005 she played Arshad Warsi's girlfriend in the Salman Khan starrer Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya?. In the same year she appeared opposite Anupam Kher and Tusshar Kapoor in the comedy Kyaa Kool Hai Hum. For her role as policewoman Urmila Martodkar she received three award nominations for best comedy. A special appearance, playing casino owner Sonia Chang, in 36 China Town preceded her biggest release to date, in 2006, in Farhan Akhtar's Don cast alongside Shahrukh Khan as Don's girlfriend, Anita. Her role was expanded to one bigger than that in the original 1978 version with Amitabh Bachchan. At the start of 2007 she replaced Perizaad Zorabian in a minor role in Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq opposite Sohail Khan. This was her third appearance with Khan, having worked with him in Krishna Cottage (2004) and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya.

She will feature as the female lead in Ram Gopal Varma's Shabri (2007), a movie about a woman who is set to become Mumbai's first underworld lord. Koppikar's make-up was so convincing that security and producers wouldn't let her enter the set, as they didn't recognize her.

Koppikar has two films under production in 2007 in which she has replaced actresses withdrawing from the roles. Bipasha Basu was replaced in Darling, directed by Ram Gopal Varma and co-starring Fardeen Khan and Esha Deol. And Celina Jaitley was replaced in Atil Agnihotri's Hello, co-starring Sohail Khan. After a three year wait Haseena Smart Sexy and Dangerous was finally released with Ishaa in the title role.

Movies

2008      Har Pall             Filming
2007     Mujhe Rang De           Announced
2007     Hello           Releasing October, 2007
2007     Darling     Ashwini     Announced
2007     Raakh           Announced
2007     Shabri     Shabri     Post-Production
2007     Gahraee     Nishi     Post-Production
2007     Haseena - Smart, Sexy, Dangerous     Haseena      
2007     Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love     Phoolwati      
2006     Don - The Chase Begins Again     Anita      
2006     Darna Zaroori Hai           Appears in a Darna Mana Hai film clip
2006     36 China Town     Sonia Chang      
2005     Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya?     Vicky's Girlfriend      
2005     D     Gunjan      
2005     Kyaa Kool Hai Hum     Urmila Martodkar      
2004     Inteqam: The Perfect Game     Avantika Suryavansh/Pinky      
2004     Ek Se Badhkar Ek     Tracy/Shalini Mathur      
2004     Girlfriend     Tanya      
2004     Hum Tum     Diana Fernandez     Special Appearance
2004     Krishna Cottage     Disha      
2004     Rudraksh     Lali      
2003     LOC Kargil     Santho      
2003     Darna Mana Hai     Abhilasha      
2003     Qayamat: City Under Threat     Laila      
2003     Dil Ka Rishta     Anita      
2003     Pinjar     Rajjo      
2002     Kaante           Item number (Song 'Ishq Samundar')
2002     Company           Item number (Song 'Khallas!')
2001     Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya     Anjali      
2001     Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat     Rubaina      
2001     Rahul           Item number (Song 'Piya Ki Jogan')
2001     Narassima     Vanmathi     Tamil
2001     Prematho Raa     Shweta     Telugu
2000     Fiza     Gitanjali     Hindi
2000     O Nanna Nalle     Rangu     Kannada
2000     Nuvvu Vasthavani           Kannada
2000     Hoo Anthiya Uhoo Anthiya           Kannada
2000     Surya Vamsha     Padma     Kannada
1999     Nenjinile     Isha     Tamil
1999     Chandralekha     Lekha     Telugu
1999     Jodi     Revathi     Tamil
1998     En Swaasa Katrae     Madhu     Tamil
1998     Kaadhal Kavidai     Jothi     Tamil