Amrita Rao (born 7 June) is an Indian film actress best known for her work in Hindi cinema. Rao made her acting debut in Ab Ke Baras (2002), for which she received a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Female Debut in 2003. She went on to star in a number of blockbuster films, including the romantic dramas Ishq Vishk (2003), Main Hoon Na (2004), Vivah (2006), and the comic thriller Masti (2004), becoming known as "Bollywood's quintessential girl-next-door." She has received two Stardust Awards and one IIFA Award.
With the film Athidhi (2007), she made her Telugu film debut. She earned a Stardust Award for Best Actress for her performance in the popular film Welcome to Sajjanpur in 2008. Following this, the majority of her films were commercial flops. She then starred in the award-winning film Jolly LLB (2013). She then acted in films such as Singh Saab the Great (2013), Satyagraha (2013), and Thackeray (2019).
Rao made an appearance as a judge on the reality show Perfect Bride in 2009. In 2016, she made her television debut with the show Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai. M. F. Husain referred to Amrita Rao as his second muse and dedicated numerous paintings to the actress's part in Vivah.
Early years
Rao has never made her birthday public. Her birthday was June 7, according to the Hindustan Times. Her family is a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin. Rao attended Canossa Girls School in Andheri, Mumbai, before enrolling at Sophia College in Mumbai to pursue a graduate degree in Psychology, but dropped out to pursue a modeling career. Preetika Rao, her younger sister, is also an actor.
Career Beginnings, Breakthrough, and Success (2002-2006)
Rao, along with her sister Preetika, performed in various advertisements during her undergraduate days before beginning her career as an actor. Her first public appearance was in Alisha Chinai's music video for Woh Pyar Mera.
Rao made her feature film debut as Anjali Thapar in Raj Kanwar's fantasy thriller Ab Ke Baras in 2002, with debutante Aarya Babbar. The film, which tells the narrative of a girl living in the United States (played by Rao) who has recurring visions of a parallel life in India, was financially unsuccessful. Rao went on to co-star with Ajay Devgn in the biographical period piece The Legend of Bhagat Singh. She plays Mannewali (Bhagat's fiancé) in the film, which tells the life of Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. The film failed poorly at the box office, grossing only 129 million dollars (US$2.7 million in 2002). As a college student, Rao appeared in the coming-of-age romantic film Ishq Vishk with Shahid Kapoor in May 2003, her first of multiple collaborations with him. The film was a box office triumph, proving to be a breakthrough for Rao. Both the film and Rao's performance earned positive reviews. Rao's performance earned her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award (2003) and the IIFA Award for Star Debut of the Year (2004).
Rao appeared in three films in 2004. Her first film of the year was Indra Kumar's adult comedy Masti, in which she starred alongside Vivek Oberoi. The film, which starred Ajay Devgn, Vivek Oberoi, Riteish Deshmukh, Aftab Shivdasani, Lara Dutta, Tara Sharma, and Genelia D'Souza, grossed around 34.14 crore (US$4.3 million) worldwide. The film earned favorable reviews from reviewers and performed well at the box office. Critics praised Rao's acting as the possessive wife. Rao then appeared as a supporting actress in Farah Khan's action comedy Main Hoon Na, opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Suniel Shetty, Sushmita Sen, and Zayed Khan. With over 84 crore (US$11 million) in revenue globally, the film became the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2004. Her performance as army officer's daughter Sanjana (Sanju) Bakshi won Rao her second Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Milan Luthria's action drama Deewar was her third and last release in 2004. Rao played Radhika, Akshaye Khanna's love interest, in a tiny role.
Rao appeared in the 2005 drama Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! with Shahid Kapoor. The film received mixed reviews from critics, however Rao received praise for her acting as a schoolteacher. That same year, Rao starred as Madhvi in the John Matthew Matthan play Shikhar. She then co-starred with Vivek Oberoi in the 2006 comedy Pyare Mohan, which was largely inspired on the 1989 American film See No Evil, Hear No Evil. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, with Rajeev Masand writing, "Amrita hit career lows, producing the low-fashion chemistry."
Rao plays the female protagonist in Sooraj R. Barjatya's 2006 love drama Vivah. The film featured two people's journey from engagement to marriage. Rao played Poonam, a conventionally raised young woman, in her fourth collaboration with Shahid Kapoor. Most critics gave the picture mixed reviews, but it went on to become one of the year's highest-grossing films and Rao's biggest commercial triumph to date. "Amrita Rao gets a new lease on life with Vivah," Taran Adarsh remarked. She looks the part and is fantastic throughout." Rao was nominated for Best Actress at the 13th Star Screen Awards.
Rao had a few successes and failures between 2007 and 2012. In the 2007 Telugu action film Athidhi, he co-starred with Mahesh Babu. Surender Reddy directed and co-wrote the film. She garnered mainly excellent reviews, with critics appreciating Rao and Mahesh Babu's chemistry. According to Rediff.com's Radhika Rajamani, "Amrita Rao, who makes her debut in Telugu films, makes a mark." "Amrita Rao is not only beautiful but also glamorous," said "Moviebuzz" on Sify. She has proven that she has the potential to be another Tollywood local girl. She emoted convincingly with histrionics suited for the Telugu screen."
Rao had two significant releases in 2008: the drama My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves, in which he co-starred with debutant Nikhil Dwivedi, and the comedy Welcome to Sajjanpur, directed by Shyam Benegal. My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves garnered mostly bad feedback and did poorly at the box office. Some critics appreciated Rao's performance as an orphan living a middle-class existence; OneIndia Entertainment stated, "Amrita Rao looks gorgeous, but her role isn't substantial enough." Rao played Kamala in Welcome to Sajjanpur, a lady desperate for connection with her husband Bansiram (Kunal Kapoor), a dockyard laborer in Mumbai. The film was a box office success, receiving excellent reviews from reviewers and earning $20 million (US$250,000), making it Rao's second-highest-grossing picture. According to the Hindustan Times, "Amrita Rao is sweetness personified." For her performance, she got the first Stardust Best Actress Award. Rao had a cameo appearance as Nirja Rathore in the courtroom drama Shaurya the same year.
Rao made her television debut as a judge on Perfect Bride in 2009. She shared the judging duties with Shekhar Suman and Malaika Arora. She then co-starred in the 2009 film Victory opposite Harman Baweja. The film struggled to compete with other films like as Raaz 2 and Dev.D and underperformed. Despite having a large budget, it barely grossed 1 crore (US$130,000) and was rated a failure by Boxoffice-India. That same year, Rao co-starred with Akshaye Khanna in Neeraj Vora's comedy-drama Short Kut: The Con is On, which was produced by Anil Kapoor. Rao plays Mansi, Akshaye's character's girlfriend, in the film. The film's critical reception and Rao's performance garnered unfavorable feedback: According to Shubhra Gupta of Indian Express, "everything is loud and plastic, and the actors all chant their lines at the top of their voices." According to The Times of India's Gaurav Malini, "Amrita Rao tries too hard to look hot but lacks oomph in every possible angle." Despite having made its budget back, it was considered a financial failure.
Love U...Mr. Kalakaar!, Rao's lone film in 2011, was her second collaboration with Rajshri Productions. The film received generally unfavorable reviews and was a commercial flop. However, critics applauded her performance as the daughter of a businessman. "Amrita Rao at best," commented Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India, "but the film is so predictable and so long that it loses impact." Rao later appeared in the comedy-drama Heyy Babyy (2007), the romantic-comedy Life Partner (2007), and the science fiction romance Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai (2010).
Career progression and latest work (2013-present)
Rao featured in the national award-winning courtroom comedy-drama Jolly LLB in 2013. She portrayed Sandhya, the girlfriend of Arshad Warsi's character. The film earned favorable reviews and was nominated for a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. Rao garnered middling acclaim for his short participation in the film. "Amrita Rao could have been avoided in the film entirely," said Mohar Basu of Koimoi. Despite her nice personality, she and her role add nothing to the film."
Her next film was Anil Sharma's action movie Singh Saab the Great. Rao co-starred with Sunny Deol as journalist Shikha Chaturvedi. The film received mostly negative reviews from critics, however Rao's performance received praise. "Amrita Rao plays a role that feels like something she has already done, all the emotional support," remarked Namrata Joshi of Outlook. Despite receiving mostly unfavorable reviews, the film grossed more than usual at the box office, grossing 29 crore (US$3.6 million). Later same year, she co-starred in Prakash Jha's political drama Satyagraha with Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, and Manoj Bajpai. Rao portrayed Sumitra, Amitabh Bachchan's character's daughter-in-law. Resham Sengar of Zee News commended Rao in particular, writing, "Ms. Rao has the sweetly cherubic looks." In the most of the emotional situations, she is convincing. But, once again, her range of acting is confined to mouthing a few key sentences." The film earned negative reviews from reviewers and failed to generate a profit at the box office. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film earned more than 60 crore (US$7.5 million) at the Indian box office.
Rao made her television debut in 2016 as the elder sister Kalyani Gaikwad in &TV's Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai. Three generations of two sisters whose lives center on music were shown in the story. Deepti Naval played her character's younger self.
After a five-year hiatus, Rao returned to the big screen in Abhijit Panse's Thackeray, a biography on right-wing pro-Marathi leader Balasaheb Thackeray. Rao portrayed Meena Thackeray, Balasaheb Thackeray's wife. Critics gave both the film and Rao mixed to unfavorable reviews. According to Reuters' Shilpa Jamkhandikar, "Amrita Rao, who plays Thackeray's wife, has the cosmetic role of providing endless cups of tea to visitors and gazing dotingly at her husband."
Personal life and public perception
Rao married Anmol, a radio jockey, after seven years of courting on May 15, 2016 in Mumbai. On November 1, 2020, she gave birth to a son named Veer. Rao has been in a number of hit films and is often referred to as "Bollywood's quintessential girl-next-door." She was placed 24th on the Times Most Desirable Women List in 2009 and 23rd in 2011. M. F. Husain declared Amrita Rao his second muse 11 years after painting Madhuri Dixit and dedicating many works to the actress's part in Vivah (2006).
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Ab Ke Baras | Anjali Thapar/Nandini | |
| The Legend of Bhagat Singh | Mannewali | Special appearance | |
| 2003 | Ishq Vishk | Payal Mehra | |
| 2004 | Masti | Aanchal Mehta | |
| Main Hoon Na | Sanjana "Sanju" Bakshi | ||
| Deewaar | Radhika | ||
| 2005 | Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! | Piya | |
| Shikhar | Madhavi | ||
| 2006 | Pyare Mohan | Priya | |
| Vivah | Poonam Mishra Bajpayee | ||
| 2007 | Heyy Babyy | Herself | Special appearance in song "Heyy Babyy" |
| Athidhi | Amrita | Telugu film | |
| 2008 | My Name is Anthony Gonsalves | Riya Singh | |
| Shaurya | Neerja Rathore | ||
| Welcome to Sajjanpur | Kamla Kumbharan | ||
| 2009 | Victory | Nandini "Nandu" | |
| Short Kut | Mansi | ||
| Life Partner | Anjali Kumar Oberoi | Special appearance | |
| 2010 | Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai | Tia | Special appearance |
| 2011 | Love U...Mr. Kalakaar! | Ritu | |
| 2013 | Jolly LLB | Sandhya | |
| Singh Saab the Great | Shikha Chaturvedi | ||
| Satyagraha | Sumitra Anand | ||
| 2014 | Sulemani Keeda | Herself | Special appearance |
| 2019 | Thackeray | Meena Tai Thackeray |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Perfect Bride | Judge |
| 2016 | Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai | Kalyani Gaikwad |
| Year | Title | Singer(s) | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Woh Pyar Mera | Alisha Chinoy | Tips Music |
| 2008 | Chalte Chalte Phir | Jal Band | Cornetto Icecream |
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Filmfare Awards | Best Female Debut | Ab Ke Baras | Nominated |
| 2004 | IIFA Awards | Star Debut of the Year – Female | Ishq Vishk | Won |
| Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Female | Won | ||
| 2005 | Filmfare Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Main Hoon Na | Nominated |
| 2007 | Screen Awards | Best Actress | Vivah | Won |
| 2009 | Stardust Awards | Best Actress | Welcome to Sajjanpur | Won |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Amrita Deepak Rao |
| Nickname | Ammu |
| Profession | Actress |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 163 cm in meters- 1.63 m in feet inches- 5’ 4” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 50 kg in pounds- 110 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 34-26-34 |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Bollywood Film: Ab Ke Baras (2002) Telugu Film: Athidhi (2007) Hindi TV: Perfect Bride (2009) |
| Award(s) | 2004 • International Indian Film Academy Award for Star Debut of the Year - Female for the film, Ishq Vishk (2003) • Stardust Award for Superstar of Tomorrow - Female for the film, Ishq Vishk (2003) • Sansui Award for Best Female Debut for the film, Ishq Vishk (2003) 2007 • GR8 Women Award for Young Achiever for the film, Vivah (2006) • Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the film, Vivah (2006) • Anandalok Award for Most Promising New Talent for the film, Vivah (2006) • Sports World Award for Jodi of the Year (along with Shahid Kapoor) for the film, Vivah (2006) 2009 Stardust Award for Best Actress for the film, Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008) 2012 Kolkata Kalakar Award for Best Actress Category (Bollywood) for the film, Love U...Mr. Kalakaar! (2011) 2017 ERTC Herald Global Award for among 50 Most Inspirational Women of Maharashtra |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | She never shared her actual date of birth with media. During a media interaction, she said, "I have been a very private person, so when it comes to my personal details, I like to keep it away from the public glare. I don’t celebrate my birthday with the media. So, whenever the media asked me about my age, I used to give those Shakuntala Devi type of answers, like never ask a woman her age and a man his wage. I have never disclosed the details." |
| Age | Not Known |
| Birthplace | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mangalore, Karnataka, India |
| School | Canossa Convent Girls' School, Mumbai |
| College/University | Sophia College for Women, Mumbai |
| Educational Qualification | College Dropout |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Saraswat Brahmin |
| Food Habit | Vegetarian |
| Hobbies | Reading Short Stories, and Singing |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Boyfriends | Anmol Sood (Radio Jockey) |
| Marriage Date | In an interview, she revealed that she tied the knot in a secret wedding in 2014. |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | Anmol Sood (Radio Jockey) |
| Children | Son- Veer Daughter- None Note: In April 2022, Amrita Rao and RJ Anmol revealed that they lost a baby via surrogacy. [3]Pinkvilla |
| Parents | Father- Deepak Rao (runs an advertising agency in Mumbai) Mother- Kanchan Rao |
| Siblings | Sister- Preetika Rao (Actress; Twin with Amrita Rao) |
| Favourite Things | |
| Food | Vegetable Stew, Corn Soup, Red Thai Curry, Curd Rice, and Chocolate Cake |
| Cuisine(s) | Italian, Mangalorean, and Thai |
| Drink (non-alcoholic) | Mocktail (Blue Driver) |
| Restaurant | Out of The Blue in Mumbai |
| Actor(s) | Aamir Khan, Govinda, and Salman Khan |
| Actress(es) | Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone |
| Film | Andaz Apna Apna (1994) |
| Film Director(s) | Sooraj Barjatya and Farah Khan |
| Singer(s) | Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar |
| Song(s) | • Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya by Mohammed Rafi • Aap Yun Hi Agar Humse Milte Rahe by Mohammed Rafi • Abhi Na Jaao Chhodkar Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin by Mohammed Rafi • Tum Mujhe Yun Bhula Na Paoge by Mohammed Rafi |
| Colour(s) | Pink and Beige |
| Designer | Jerry D'Souza |
| Travel Destination | Goa |
I went to a strict school. Even if a button was missing here and a clip missing there, we were punished. I had to always be obedient. No masti at all for me.”
At that point, Anmol could see I was declining some huge movie offers only because I wasn’t comfortable doing kissing scenes and lovemaking sequences on screen. Hence, he thought it was the right time to focus on exploring a beautiful personal life and tying the knot. He did ask me to quit my career and I was completely shattered. However, in a day or two, he told me that in hindsight, he realised that demand was unreasonable and that he was sorry about it.”
,-Biography,-Wiki,-Age,-Boyfriend-&-More-134.jpg "Surabhi-Samriddhi Mehra (Chinky Minky), Biography, Wiki, Age, Boyfriend & More")
