Shriya Saran Bhatnagar (born 11 September 1982) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films. Despite her desire to be a well-known dancer, Saran made her film debut in 2001 with the Telugu film Ishtam, and had her first commercial success with Nuvve Nuvve (2002).
Saran went on to appear in several more Telugu films, as well as Hindi and Tamil films. She starred in Sivaji, the highest-grossing Tamil film at the time, in 2007. She was also praised for her performance in the Hindi film Awarapan (2007). Saran starred in her first English film, the American-Indian co-production The Other End of the Line, in 2008. Her subsequent projects included roles in popular films such as Kanthaswamy (2009) in Tamil and Pokkiri Raja (2010) in Malayalam—roles that established her as a leading actress in the South Indian film industries. Saran received international acclaim for her performance in Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children, an English adaptation of Salman Rushdie's novel of the same name. She expanded her commercial success by appearing in films such as Pavitra (2013) and Chandra (2014). (2013). Saran received critical acclaim for her performance in the critically acclaimed Telugu film Manam in 2014.
Saran has been a brand ambassador for brands across India, endorsing beauty and health products in addition to her work in films. She has volunteered for charity organisations, among other philanthropic activities. She opened a spa exclusively for visually impaired people in 2011. She was also the Celebrity Cricket League's brand ambassador for the first two seasons.
Early years
Shriya Saran Bhatnagar was born in Haridwar, Northern India, on September 11, 1982, to Pushpendra Saran Bhatnagar and Neeraja Saran Bhatnagar. Her father worked for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, and her mother taught chemistry at the Delhi Public School in Ranipur, Haridwar, and the Delhi Public School on Mathura Road in New Delhi. Saran finished her education at both of her mother's schools. Abhiroop, her elder brother, lives in Mumbai. Saran's native language is Hindi.
When she was a child, her family lived in the small town of BHEL colony in Haridwar. She later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi.
Saran is a skilled dancer. Her mother taught her Kathak and Rajasthani folk dance as a child, and Shovana Narayan later trained her in the Kathak style. She was on several dance teams in college, as well as with her teacher. They'd include social issues in their dance routines.
Career
The main article is: The filmography of Shriya Saran
Early in one's career (2001–03)
Saran got her first chance to appear in front of the camera for a video shoot while in her second year at LSR College in Delhi. She was invited to appear in Renoo Nathan's "Thirakti Kyun Hawa" music video after her dance teacher recommended it. The video, which was shot in Banaras, was seen by Ramoji Films, who offered her the lead role of Neha in their film Ishtam. Saran accepted the role and was signed to four more films before it was released, including Nuvve Nuvve, in which she played a millionaire's daughter who falls in love with a middle-class man. Santosham, in which she co-starred with Nagarjuna, Prabhu Deva, and Gracy Singh, was her first commercial success in 2002. The film won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and the Filmfare Award for Best Film (Telugu). Saran portrayed a woman who loses someone she loves to another, but later wins him back. She was nominated for a CineMAA Award for Best Actor- Female for her performance, giving her a good foothold in the Telugu industry in the early stages of her career.
Saran had a supporting role in her first Hindi film, Tujhe Meri Kasam, which starred debutants Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza. She co-starred with Jyothika and Chiranjeevi in the Telugu film Tagore, which was a commercial success and was screened at the International Indian Film Academy Awards. She then made her Tamil film debut alongside Tarun and Trisha Krishnan in Enakku 20 Unakku 18, which was also shot in Telugu as Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu, in which she played a football coach. Despite appearing in films in three languages that year, eight of her first ten films were in Telugu.
Career ups and downs (2004–07)
Saran appeared in two Telugu and two Hindi films in 2004, including Arjun and Nenunnanu, in which she played a classical singing student. She had ten films released in 2005, nine of which were Telugu films, the most notable of which was Chatrapathi. There, she co-starred with Prabhas and received her first nomination for Filmfare's Best Telugu Actress Award. Meanwhile, she attempted a comeback in Tamil with Mazhai, a remake of the Telugu film Varsham in which she reprised Trisha's role. Neither the film nor her performance were well received. In 2005, she was one of only three characters in the film Mogudu Pellam O Dongodu, which was about a married couple's first night together, and she made a guest appearance in Bommalata, a children's film that won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. Saran's only lead role in 2006, aside from three cameos, was in the Tamil film Thiruvilayadal Arambam.
In 2007, she was cast as the lead female opposite Rajinikanth in S. Shankar's Sivaji: The Boss, which was the most expensive Indian film at the time, after Aishwarya Rai declined the role due to her busy schedule. R.G. Vijayasarathy wrote in his Rediff review that Saran "proves that she can act too," in addition to her beauty. Her performance earned her a South Scope Style Award for Best Tamil Actress, her first award, and a Vijay Award nomination. She rose to prominence in the south Indian film industry as a result of the role. During this period of her career, she appeared in several item numbers, including those in the films Devadasu, Munna, and Tulasi.
Saran also made a comeback in Hindi cinema in 2007 with Awarapan, a joint production between India and Pakistan. She had to learn Urdu to play a Muslim woman. This was her fourth Hindi film, but the previous three had failed to make an impression. Sanjay Ram, writing for Business of Cinema, gave the film 2.5 stars and praised Saran's brief but compelling performance. Saran later stated that the film reinforced her belief that all religions are equal. Later that year, she co-starred with Vijay in another Tamil film, Azhagiya Tamil Magan. Though critics exalted her looks, her performance received mixed reviews, with one reviewer, Nandhu Sundharam of Rediff, going so far as to say that her "acting is as bad as her looks are good". Saran made a cameo appearance in a scene in the Kannada film Arasu the same year. In 2007, she appeared in six films in four languages.
debut in American cinema (2008–12)
Shriya Saran walks the Bridal Fashion Week 2010 runway.
Saran made her American film debut in Ashok Amritraj's The Other End of the Line in 2008. She co-starred with Jesse Metcalfe, Anupam Kher, and Tara Sharma in the role of Priya Sethi, a telephone operator in an Indian call centre. Critics praised Shriya's performance, particularly her on-screen chemistry with Jesse Metcalfe. Variety magazine's John Anderson called it "a winning Stateside debut for beautiful Indian actress Shriya Saran."
Saran appeared in the 2008 Hindi film Mission Istaanbul alongside Zayed Khan and Shabbir Ahluwalia. She portrayed Anjali Sagar, who was inspired by Preity Zinta's character Romila Dutta in the film Lakshya, as a journalist who wants to have a child with her husband, which leads to their separation because he is hesitant. Critics on Bollywood Hungama said her character was wasted because she gets so little screen time. She did, however, receive the Stardust Exciting New Face Award.
Her most notable 2009 release was the commercially successful Tamil film Kanthaswamy, in which she co-starred with Vikram. She was nominated for a Vijay Award. In an interview, Vikram stated that her role was on par with his, and she easily stole the show on most occasions. Saran stated that her character in the film was the best she had ever played. She also played the female lead in Thoranai that year. According to one reviewer, the film's only high points were her glamour and the songs. She received her third award, the Amrita Mathrubhumi Award for Best Actress, for her work with Thoranai and Kanthaswamy. She then appeared in another English film, Cooking with Stella, a comedy that examines the serious nature of servant-employer relationships. Saran attended the Toronto International Film Festival after it was selected.
Saran made her Malayalam debut in 2010 with Pokkiri Raja, in which she co-starred with Mammootty and Prithviraj. The film broke the Malayalam film industry's opening week gross income record, despite critical acclaim. Saran was said to have only needed to look pretty. After five years, she landed her first lead role in a Telugu film, in the commercially successful action-comedy Don Seenu, opposite Ravi Teja, in which she plays the mobster's sister. Some critics believe she stole the show with her dances and romantic scenes.
After 2005, 2010 was her second busiest year, with eight films, this time in four languages.
Saran debuted in Rowthiram in 2011, where she collaborated for the first time with Tamil actor Jiiva. The film received mixed reviews. Although some reviews stated that Saran was not given much opportunity to demonstrate her acting abilities, primarily adding a romantic touch to a mostly violent film, she was referred to as the pivot around which the film revolves by another. At the International Tamil Film Awards, her performance earned her the Best Actress Award. Her only other film appearance in 2011 was a cameo in a song for the Tamil film Rajapattai.
Saran's first Malayalam release in 2012 was Casanovva, co-starring Mohanlal and directed by Rosshan Andrews. The film was repeatedly delayed, and it was rumoured that Saran would leave the project, but in October 2010, the film's producer announced that shooting would begin in Dubai, with Shriya Saran among the cast. It was released on January 26th. Her next film was Gali Gali Mein Chor Hai, directed by Rumy Jafry, which began filming in September 2011 and was released on February 3, 2012. She was then seen in the critically panned Telugu comedy Nuvva Nena, starring Allari Naresh and Sharwanand, followed by Sekhar Kammula's much-delayed Life is Beautiful. Deepa Mehta's long-delayed English project Midnight's Children, based on Salman Rushdie's acclaimed novel of the same name, has starred Saran. Winds of Change was the working title at the time. It was shown at several film festivals in Canada in late 2012 before being released in India on February 1, 2013.
2013–present
Shriya appeared at a Save Mumbai Foundation event.
Saran made an appearance in an item number in the film Zila Ghaziabad in early 2013. This was her first song in a Hindi film. Saran's Pavitra, in which she played a prostitute, was released on June 7th. At a press conference in Hyderabad, she stated that the film holds a special place in her heart and that she was moved by the sensitivity with which director/writer Janardhana Maharshi approached the subject. Her bilingual film Chandra, directed by Roopa Iyer, was shot in both Kannada and Tamil. In the film, she played a princess opposite Kannada actor Prem Kumar. The film was released in Kannada on June 27, 2013, and in Tamil on February 14, 2014. It was a moderate box office success in Kannada. Saran's return to Tamil cinema after more than five years was marked by this film.
Saran's first film of 2014, Manam, was a success in both India and America when it was released on May 23. Saran's first film of 2015 was Gopala Gopala, a remake of the Bollywood blockbuster OMG - Oh My God!, which was released during the festive season in January. She will next be seen in the Hindi film Valmiki Ki Bandook, which is currently in production and directed by Karan Bhutani. She starred alongside Ajay Devgan in Drishyam, a remake of the Malayalam film of the same name that was a box office success. She made a cameo appearance in Nagarjuna's Oopiri in mid-January 2016, while also signing on for her next Hindi film Tadka, opposite Nana Patekar. She was cast as the female lead in the Telugu-language epic historical action film Gautamiputra Satakarni in May 2016.
Additional works
Saran co-hosted the 50th Filmfare South Award with actor R. Madhavan in 2003. She performed in Tamil director Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru, Indru, Naalai, to raise funds for "The Banyan," a non-profit organisation that rehabilitates homeless women with mental illnesses in Chennai. She appeared alongside actor Surya Sivakumar in the season 3 finale of the TV dance show Maanada Mayilada.
On February 12, 2010, Saran became the first actress, and the third celebrity after Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, to deliver a lecture to students at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A). She stated, "Given that the Indian media and entertainment industry is currently the fastest growing sector, IIM Ahmedabad has launched a new programme CFI - Contemporary Film Industry - A Business Perspective. I was there to give a lecture to CFI 2nd year students and spent nearly five days researching for the lecture." She gave a presentation on film marketing and branding. She gave a lecture on the history of films and films as a medium of cultural exchange to students at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras in 2011.
Endorsements
Saran began her modelling career by appearing in a Pond's Creams commercial. She then appeared in a Coca-Cola commercial alongside Tamil actor Vijay, which was directed by renowned filmmaker Rajiv Menon. During her early career, she also appeared in a Fair & Lovely creams advertisement. Shriya Saran has also been named a Pantene Shampoo brand ambassador. Saravana Stores appointed her as their brand ambassador in 2007. She is now the Lux and Head & Shoulders brand ambassador. Saran was also named as a brand ambassador for Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea, alongside actor Saif Ali Khan. Saran opposes soft drink advertisements because she believes they are harmful to children's health. United Biscuits hired Saran and actress Bipasha Basu as promotional models for McVitie's in 2011. Saran, along with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, was named brand ambassador for Colgate Active Salt Healthy White toothpaste in 2013. She was named Karnataka Milk Federation's brand ambassador in 2014. (KMF).
Saran launched the first issue of Galatta Cinema in 2007 and has appeared on its cover numerous times since then. In 2008, she was featured in and on the cover of Maxim India's June issue. Anup Kutty, the editor, stated: "We had considered hiring someone who could bridge the strange divide that exists between the North, South, and West... Shreya was the ideal candidate." She has appeared on the covers of several other magazines over the years, including Jade and South Scope. She did another photo shoot for Maxim India in 2012.
CCL (Celebrity Cricket League) (Celebrity Cricket League)
Shriya (centre) at a CCL match with Mugdha Godse (left) and Mrinalini Sharma (right).
Saran is a brand ambassador for the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), a concept that combines two Indian passions, film and cricket. She performed with Shah Rukh Khan at the fourth season opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL), another cricket league, in April 2010.
Personal life
Saran has always been very reluctant to discuss her personal life, and she has consistently denied that reported linkups are romantic in nature. Saran is well-known for her charitable efforts. She describes herself as someone who has spent her entire life "sharing time and resources with the underprivileged.""Celebrities can show the way by sensitising people to social issues, campaigning for causes, or participating in fund-raisers," she says. Her family has always encouraged her to consider the less fortunate.
Saran is a brand ambassador for the Naandi Foundation as well as the Save A Child's Heart Foundation (SACH), both of which work to help poor children and people affected by natural disasters. She contributes to the funding of an Aids prevention foundation. Saran collaborated with other prominent figures in 2009 to promote 'The Joy of Giving Week,' which encouraged people from all walks of life to engage in acts of giving. She is a regular participant in carnivals and campaigns that benefit children. She is involved in animal welfare and the Indian Red Cross. She is also involved with World Vision, an NGO that finds parents for deprived children, and Apollo's RDF, which raises funds for underprivileged children.
In 2011, she opened a spa that only hires the visually impaired. It's called Shree Spa and it's in Mumbai. Saran stated "When I was a student at DPS Mathura Road in Delhi, there was a blind school directly across the street from ours. I used to go there once a week and spend time watching how these students played cricket and did other normal things. That is what motivated me to help these people ". The actress told TOI in an interview: "We sympathise with them, but we never hire them. We are terrified because we did not grow up with them. While these people may be blind, their other senses are very strong. As a result, they can effectively provide foot and back massages, as well as treatments such as reflexology. It is critical to understand that you are not doing them a favour, but they are doing you a favour ".
She stated about her experience working in regional film industries in India: "I don't think of Kollywood and Bollywood as distinct entities. For me, there is only one category: the Indian film industry, which is extremely diverse in terms of genres and languages." She speaks Hindi, English, and understands Telugu and Tamil. She left Twitter on January 19, 2013, after receiving derogatory comments from her followers. On January 27, 2015, she returned to Twitter with a new account.
She married her Russian boyfriend Andrei Koscheev at her Lokhandwala home on March 19, 2018. Shriya Saran announced on her social media platform on October 12, 2021, that she and her husband had a daughter, born on January 10, 2021.
| Year | Film | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sivaji: The Boss | South Scope Style Award | Best Tamil Actress | Won |
| 2009 | Mission Istanbul | Stardust Exciting New Face Award | Stardust Exciting New Face Award | Won |
| 2010 | Kanthaswamy Thoranai | Amrita Mathrubhumi Award | Best Actress | Won |
| Kanthaswamy | Vijay Award for Favourite Heroine | Favourite Heroine | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Rowthiram | ITFA Best Actress Award | ITFA Best Actress | Won |
| 2015 | Manam | Filmfare Awards South | Best Supporting Actress – Telugu | Nominated |
| TV9 TSR National Award for the Year 2014 | Best Actress | Won | ||
| SIIMA Awards | Best Supporting Actress (Telugu) | Won | ||
| Santosham Film Awards | Best Actress | Won | ||
| 2016 | Gopala Gopala | TV9 TSR National Award for the Year 2015 | Best Actress | Won |
| 2018 | Gautamiputra Satakarni | Santosham Film Awards | Best Actress | Won |
Honours and recognitions
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Shriya Saran Bhatnagar |
| Profession | Actor |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height | in centimeters- 168 cm in meters- 1.68 m in feet & inches- 5’ 6” |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film, Telugu: Ishtam (2001) Film, Bollywood: Tujhe Meri Kasam (2003) Film, Tamil: Enakku 20 Unakku 18 (2003) Film, Kannada: Arasu (2007) Film, Hollywood: The Other End of the Line (2008) Film, Malayalam: Pokkiri Raja (2010) |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | South Scope Style Award 2008: Best Actress for Sivaji: The Boss Stardust Award 2009: Exciting New Face for Mission Istanbul Amrita Mathrubhumi Award 2010: Best Actress for Kanthaswamy Thoranai ITFA 2011: Best Actress Award for Rowthiram TV9 TSR National Award 2015: Best Actress for Manam Santosham Film Awards 2015: Best Actress for Manam TV9 TSR National Award 2016: Best Actress for Gopala Gopala Santosham Film Awards 2016: Best Actress for Gautamiputra Satakarni |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 11 September 1982 (Saturday) |
| Age (as in 2020) | 40 Years |
| Birthplace | Haridwar, Uttarakhand |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Haridwar, Uttarakhand |
| School | • Delhi Public School in Ranipur, Uttarakhand • Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, New Delhi |
| College/University | Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor of Arts in Literature |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Kayastha |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Hobbies | Dancing, Travelling, and Reading Books |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Date | 19 March 2018 |
| Marriage Place | Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur, Rajasthan |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | Andrei Koscheev (Tennis Player and Entrepreneur) |
| Parents | Father- Pushpinder Saran (retired civil engineer from BHEL, New Delhi) Mother- Neerja Saran (retired Chemistry teacher) |
| Siblings | Brother- Abhiroop Saran (works at FCB Ulka Advertising Ltd, Mumbai) |
| Favourite Things | |
| Writer | William Dalrymple |
| Colour(s) | Black and Red |
| Cuisines | South Indian and Bengali |
| Book | Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell |
| Actor(s) | Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, and Nagarjuna |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary | One crore per film |
When I studied in DPS Mathura Road in Delhi, there was a school for blind exactly opposite to our school. I used to go there every week and spend time seeing how these students played cricket and did other things normally. That is what inspired me to do something for these people.”
,-Biography,-Wiki,-Age,-Boyfriend-&-More-134.jpg "Surabhi-Samriddhi Mehra (Chinky Minky), Biography, Wiki, Age, Boyfriend & More")
