Ileana D'Cruz (born November 1, 1987) is an Indian-born Portuguese actress and model who works primarily in Telugu and Hindi films. D'Cruz was born in Mumbai and spent her childhood mostly in Goa. D'Cruz made her film debut in 2006 with the commercially successful Telugu film Devadasu. She has won numerous awards, including a Filmfare Award South and a Filmfare Award.
D'Cruz rose to prominence in Telugu cinema with films such as Pokiri (2006), Rakhi (2006), Munna (2007), Jalsa (2008), Kick (2009), and Julayi (2010). (2012). She made her Tamil film debut in Kedi (2006) and went on to star in Shankar's commercially successful Nanban (2012).
D'Cruz made her Bollywood debut in 2012 with Anurag Basu's comedy-drama Barfi!, for which she received the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. She has since starred in Main Tera Hero (2014), Rustom (2016), and Raid (2017). (2018).
Personal and early life
On November 1, 1987, D'Cruz was born in Mahim, Mumbai, to a Catholic father and a Muslim mother. Ileana D'Cruz admitted to being an atheist. When she was ten years old, her family relocated to Parra, Goa.
Her first portfolio, created in January 2003, was a "disaster," according to D'Cruz. Following photo shoots and runway shows, she created a second portfolio the following year, which landed her advertisements with Electrolux, Emami Talc, and Fair & Lovely. The latter, in particular, directed by Rakesh Roshan, provided her with exposure and several offers to act in feature films.
D'Cruz obtained Portuguese citizenship in 2014. In a 2017 interview with Verve, she stated that Portugal was part of her ancestry.
She was dating Andrew Kneebone, an Australian photographer. They were said to have already married. The couple split up on August 28, 2019, according to Indian media.
Career Beginnings and Early Roles (2005–2006)
D'Cruz in her early years
Director Teja called D'Cruz in for an audition in 2005, but the project was cancelled. She made her feature film debut in Y. V. S. Chowdary's Telugu language romance film Devadasu (2006). Before beginning work on the film, she took acting classes with Aruna Bhikshu. She recalls feeling "pressured... almost cried and didn't want to go any further" during filming, but went ahead after her mother encouraged her, giving her "the lecture of a lifetime at 3 a.m." According to Indiaglitz, she "has chiselled features and a figure to die for." Devadasu was the year's first commercially successful Telugu film, grossing approximately 140 million rupees and earning D'Cruz the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debutant. She then starred in the gangster film Pokiri as an aerobics teacher who is harassed by a corrupt police officer. The film was a huge commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing Telugu film of all time.
In Kedi, she made her Tamil film debut (2006). Despite the film's poor box-office performance, D'Cruz remained too busy to accept all of the film roles that were offered to her. Her Telugu film Khatarnak (2006), in which she co-starred with Ravi Teja, did not perform as well as expected, which has been attributed to the audience's dislike of her glamorous appearance. She later had a breakthrough in her career when her subsequent releases, Rakhi (2006) and Munna (2007), were critically and financially successful.
Telugu cinema's breakthrough and establishment (2007–2011)
D'Cruz made an appearance in the 2007 film Aata. She received positive feedback for her portrayal of Satya, a college student on the run from the home minister's crooked son, who is after her when she leads a protest demanding punishment for his crimes. In 2008, she starred as the female lead in Trivikram Srinivas' action film Jalsa. D'Cruz received mostly positive feedback, with critics stating that she looked "pretty", "damn cool", and "every bit chic and stunning throughout the film," and was later awarded the Santosham Award, one of five awards for Jalsa, and the South Scope Style Award, in addition to being nominated for Best Actress at the 56th Filmfare Awards South. Her first film, Kick, was also a box office success, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
Later that year, she appeared in Rechipo and Y. V. S. Choudary's Saleem, both of which bombed at the box office.
Ileana D'Cruz at London Fashion Week
In 2011, D'Cruz had two releases. Shakthi, her first film that year, starred her as the lead female. As part of the film's promotion, she performed on stage with Jr. NTR at the audio release function. At $250,000,000, the socio-fantasy film is the most expensive Telugu film ever made. Her next album, Nenu Naa Rakshasi, was her second collaboration with Puri Jagannadh. Though the film was a flop, critics praised her performance, calling her a "pleasant surprise in the film" because she "cried, smirked, looked hot, grabbed sympathy, and made faces that were apt to the scenes," while a cinegoer's reviewer said the film had "one bright spot, Ileana, she looks stunning and also like an accomplished senior to the hero." Despite her recent failures, D'Cruz remained South India's highest-paid actress.
Success and debut in Bollywood (2012–2017)
In early 2012, she starred in S. Shankar's Tamil film Nanban, a remake of the 2009 Hindi film 3 Idiots. The film premiered to rave reviews from critics who praised the performance. It was a huge financial success, grossing 400 million (US$5.0 million) in its first week at the box office. Trivikram Srinivas wrote and directed her next film, the action comedy Julayi. D'cruz played Madhu opposite Allu Arjun. The film received positive reviews and went on to become the third biggest hit of 2012 and the biggest hit in Telugu. Following that, she appeared in Puri Jagannadh's comedy Devudu Chesina Manushulu. She portrayed a taxi driver in this film. The film was met with mixed reviews and ultimately underperformed at the box office.
D'Cruz made her Bollywood debut in Anurag Basu's Barfi! She also played the character of Shruti Ghosh, a girl who abandons her true love for material comforts, in addition to the narrator. The film was released on September 14, 2012, to rave reviews from critics, and it was a huge commercial success, grossing 1.75 billion (US$22 million) worldwide. D'Cruz's performance was well received, earning her a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut as well as a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Filmfare's Rachit Gupta stated "This is Ileana's first film, but her outstanding performance demonstrates why the Telugu audience regards her as a superstar. Of course, it helps that she is the most visually appealing person in Barfi, outshining even the scenic Darjeeling hills ". "Ileana leaves a lasting impression in her Hindi film debut, conveying both love and pain through those beautiful, expressive eyes," said Rajeev Masand. The film was selected as India's official entry to the 85th Academy Awards and screened at the Busan International Film Festival and the Marrakech International Film Festival.
D'Cruz is part of the Barfi team!
She then starred alongside Shahid Kapoor in Rajkumar Santoshi's action comedy Phata Poster Nikhla Hero. The film was released on September 20, 2013, to mixed reviews, and it was eventually declared a box office failure. However, D'Cruz's performance was met with mixed reactions, with the Times of India stating that she was "good with emotions but not so tuned into comedy yet." She did a photo shoot for the magazine Man's World in April 2014. Her 2014 debut was the coming-of-age romantic action comedy film Main Tera Hero, a remake of the Telugu film Kandireega produced by Balaji Motion Pictures and directed by David Dhawan. She portrayed Sunaina Goradia alongside Varun Dhawan and Nargis Fakhri. The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a box office success. She then starred in Saif Ali Khan's debut film Happy Ending, alongside Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, and Kalki Koechlin, and was released on November 21, 2014. The film received negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office.
After taking a break, she returned to work in February 2016 on Akshay Kumar's Rustom, which was released in August 2016. The film became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2016, grossing more than $2 billion at the box office. Ileana was praised for her portrayal of Cynthia Pavri, for which she received numerous award nominations.
Ajay Devgn and Ileana D'Cruz at the Baadshaho trailer launch (2017)
Mubarakan, in which she co-starred with Arjun Kapoor and Anil Kapoor, and Baadshaho, in which she co-starred with Ajay Devgn, both bombed at the box office in 2017.
Most recent work (2018–present)
Raid, D'Cruz's first release of 2018, received positive critical and commercial feedback. She signed a Telugu film after a six-year hiatus. Amar Akbar Anthony stars alongside her regular co-star Ravi Teja. Despite high expectations, the film received negative reviews and failed at the box office.
In 2019, she starred in Anees Bazmee's comedy film Pagalpanti.
She co-stars with Abhishek Bacchan in the delayed COVID-19 film The Big Bull, a biographical crime film based on the life of stockbroker Harshad Mehta. Unfair & Lovely is a forthcoming Indian Hindi-language social comedy film directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua and produced by Sony Pictures Films India. The lead actors in the film are Randeep Hooda and Ileana D'Cruz. The film will investigate India's obsession with fair skin. Both films will be released in 2021.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Language(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Devadasu | Bhanu | Telugu | Telugu Debut |
| Pokiri | Shruti | |||
| Kedi | Aarthi | Tamil | Tamil Debut | |
| Khatarnak | Nakshatra | Telugu | ||
| Rakhi | Tripura | |||
| 2007 | Munna | Nidhi | ||
| Aata | Sathya | |||
| 2008 | Jalsa | Bhagyamathi/Bhagi | ||
| Bhale Dongalu | Jyothi | |||
| 2009 | Kick | Naina | ||
| Rechipo | Krishna Veni | |||
| Saleem | Satyavathi | |||
| 2010 | Huduga Hudugi | Herself | Kannada | Special appearance in the song "Ileana" |
| 2011 | Shakti | Aishwarya | Telugu | |
| Nenu Naa Rakshasi | Meenakshi/Shravya | |||
| 2012 | Nanban | Ria Santhanam | Tamil | |
| Julayi | Madhu | Telugu | ||
| Devudu Chesina Manushulu | Ileana | |||
| Barfi! | Shruti Ghosh Sengupta | Hindi | Hindi Debut | |
| 2013 | Phata Poster Nikhla Hero | Kajal | ||
| 2014 | Main Tera Hero | Sunaina Goradia | ||
| Happy Ending | Aanchal Reddy | |||
| 2016 | Rustom | Cynthia Pavri | ||
| 2017 | Mubarakan | Supreet "Sweety" Gill | ||
| Baadshaho | Rani Gitanjali Devi | |||
| 2018 | Raid | Malini Patnaik | ||
| Amar Akbar Anthony | Aishwarya/Pooja/Teresa | Telugu | ||
| 2019 | Pagalpanti | Sanjana | Hindi | |
| 2021 | The Big Bull | Meera Rao | ||
| 2022 | Unfair & Lovely  | TBA | Completed | |
| Untitled Shirsha Guha film | TBA | Filming |
| Year | Title | Singer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Pehli Dafa | Atif Aslam |
| 2022 | Ooo Ooo | Qaran |
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| Year | Film | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Pokiri | Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress (Telugu) |
| 2007 | Devadasu | Best Female Debut | |
| 2009 | Jalsa | Best Actress (Telugu) | |
| Santosham Film Awards | Best Actress | ||
| 2010 | Kick | Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress (Telugu) |
| 2012 | Nanban | Vijay Awards | Favourite Heroine |
| Barfi! | BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actor (Film) Debut – Female | |
| 2013 | Filmfare Awards | Best Female Debut | |
| Best Supporting Actress | |||
| Screen Awards | Most Promising Newcomer – Female | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | |||
| Zee Cine Awards | Best Female Debut | ||
| Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Female | ||
| Star Guild Awards | Best Female Debut | ||
| Times of India Film Awards | Best Female Debut | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | |||
| 2014 | Main Tera Hero | Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Female |
| Happy Ending | |||
| Best Actress in a Comedy or Romance | |||
| 2015 | Main Tera Hero | Screen Awards | Best Actress (Popular Choice) |
| 2017 | Rustom | BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actress in a Romantic Film |
| 2017 | Rustom | BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actress in a Thriller Role |
| 2022 | The Big Bull | Hit List OTT Awards | Best Supporting Actor - Female |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Illu |
| Profession(s) | Actress, Model |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 165 cm in meters- 1.65 m in Feet Inches- 5' 5" |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 55 Kg in pounds- 121 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 34-24-34 |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 1 November 1987 |
| Age (as of 2020) | 35 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Parra, Goa, India |
| School | St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School and College, Mapusa, Goa |
| College/University | University of Mumbai, Mumbai |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation |
| Debut | Telugu Film: Devadasu (2006) Hindi Film: Barfi (2012) |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Address | #299/1 Street AR Radi, Parra Location Near St' Mary's Church City, Goa, India |
| Hobbies | Swimming, Photography, Reading |
| Awards, Achievements | Filmfare Award Best Female Debut for Barfi (2013) Filmfare Awards South Best Female Debut for Devadasu (2007) |
| Tattoo | An inscription "Inspire" written on her wrist |
| Boys, Affairs, and More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | N/A |
| Parents | Father- Ronaldo D'Cruz (Mechanical Draftsman) Mother- Samira D'Cruz |
| Siblings | Brother- Rhys D'Cruz Sisters- Farrah D'Cruz (Elder), Eileen D'Cruz (Younger) |
| Favourite Things | |
| Food | Biryani, Chinese, Italian Food |
| Actor(s) | Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan |
| Actresses | Kajol, Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Salma Hayek |
| Film(s) | Bollywood Films: Barfi, Devdas Hollywood Film: Notting Hill |
| Author | Sidney Sheldon |
| Colour(s) | White, Green, Black |
| Destination(s) | Maldives, Fraser Island in Australia |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | Rs. 2-3 Crore/Film |
,-Biography,-Wiki,-Age,-Boyfriend-&-More-134.jpg "Surabhi-Samriddhi Mehra (Chinky Minky), Biography, Wiki, Age, Boyfriend & More")
