Meenakshi Seshadri (born 16 November 1963) is an Indian actress, model and dancer who mainly appeared in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu films. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at the age of 17.[2][3]
Seshadri made her film debut in Painter Babu (1983) and received wider public recognition with the film Hero (1983). She became one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses in the 1980s and 1990s, and was acknowledged for several of her performances, her beauty, and her accomplished dancing.[4] She was noted for her performances in films including Hoshiyar (1985), Bewafai (1985), Meri Jung (1985), Swati (1986), Dacait (1987), Inaam Dus Hazaar (1987), Shahenshah (1988), Mahaadev (1989), Awaargi (1990), Jurm (1990), Ghayal (1990), Ghar Ho To Aisa (1990), Damini (1993), and Ghatak (1996).[4] She received particular critical acclaim for Swati (1986), Dahleez (1986), Satyamev Jayate (1987), Awaargi (1990), and Damini (1993).[5] She also performed at the Khajuraho Dance Festival in the 1990s.
After the release of her film Ghatak, she left the film industry to raise her children in the United States with her husband,[citation needed] where she runs the Cherish Dance School.[citation needed] A documentary was made about her life, entitled Meenakshi Accept Her Wings.[6][7]
Early life[edit]
Seshadri was born as Shashikala Seshadri in a Tamil Brahmin family[8][9][10] in Sindri, Jharkhand.[11][12] She trained in four Indian classical dance forms, Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Odissi, under Vempati Chinna Satyam and Jaya Rama Rao. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at the age of 17 and represented India at the Miss International 1981 in Tokyo, Japan.[13][14]
Career[edit]
Debut and early success (1983–1985)[edit]
Seshadri made her film debut in the flop Painter Babu, a 1983 Telugu/Hindi bilingual film opposite Rajiv Goswami, the brother of Manoj Kumar.[citation needed] After the flop Seshadri wanted to quit acting,[citation needed] but was encouraged to continue by Subhash Ghai, who cast her as his leading lady alongside another newcomer, Jackie Shroff, in Hero. The film was a blockbuster and Seshadri became an overnight star.[15] Immediately after the success of Hero, she got an offer to star with superstar Rajesh Khanna.[citation needed] She appeared with Khanna in Awara Baap in a double role, but the film underperformed. She then appeared in several commercially unsuccessful films, including Love Marriage, Paisa Ye Paisa, and Lover Boy. Her next film, Bewafai, was again with Khanna, with Rajinikanth in an antagonist role. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1985.[citation needed] This gave her a major foothold in the industry. Some of her films were moderately successful, namely Swati, Mera Jawab, and Aandhi Toofan.[citation needed] She then appeared in the film Hoshiyar alongside Jeetendra.[citation needed] Subhash Ghai again cast her alongside Anil Kapoor in his next film, Meri Jung, which was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. In the same year she acted with Rajinikanth in Mahaguru as his heroine.
Established actress (1986–1989)[edit]
Seshadri appeared in many critically acclaimed films in 1986. In Swati, a woman-centric art house film, she performed the title role in an ensemble cast.[citation needed] The film gained immense critical acclaim and critics said, "Meenakshi Seshadri has acted in Swati the way Amitabh Bachchan acts in his films."[citation needed] That same year she appeared alongside Shroff and Raj Babbar in the romantic drama Dahleez, which dealt with the taboo topic of infidelity[citation needed] but underperformed at the box office.[citation needed] Her other releases that year, such as Dilwaala and Allah Rakha, were average performers at the box office.[citation needed] In 1987, she appeared in the hit film Inaam Dus Hazaar alongside Sanjay Dutt.[citation needed] She also appeared in Dacait, an action drama alongside Sunny Deol; it was a commercial failure.[citation needed] In 1988, she appeared in Yash Chopra's Vijay. In 1988, she appeared in Shahenshah alongside Amitabh Bachchan.[citation needed] The film was heavily hyped.[4][16] After the great success of Shahenshah, Seshadri teamed up with Bachchan for the films Toofan, Akayla, and Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati, but all three were flops.[citation needed] In 1989, she was directed by Dev Anand in the film Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá.[citation needed] In 1989, she made her Tamil film debut with En Rathathin Rathame, a remake of the Hindi film Mr. India, opposite Bhagyaraj, which bombed at the box office.[citation needed] In 1989, she appeared in the family drama Bade Ghar Ki Beti[citation needed] in the title role, and the family drama Gharana;[citation needed] these were moderate successes.[4]
She worked with fellow dancer Mithun Chakraborthy in Aandhi Toofan, Main Balwan, Dilwaala, Parivaar, Bees Saal Baad, Pyar Ka Karz, and Shandaar.[citation needed] Her best and most successful pairing, as well as best on-screen her chemistry, is regarded to be with Anil Kapoor. Her pairings with Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, and Vinod Khanna are often also praised by the media.[4][17] Her successful films with Anil Kapoor include Aag Se Khelenge, Meri Jung, Awaargi and Ghar Ho Toh Aisa, but others, such as Love Marriage, Amba, Joshilaay, Vijay, and Humlaa were box office duds.[citation needed] In Vijay she has a hot kissing scene with Anil Kapoor in a Fiat car and in Inteqam she tied a Rakhi to Anil Kapoor; the scene was also filmed in a Fiat.[citation needed] She would have acted with Anil Kapoor in more than nine films, but some planned films were never completed. Prakash Mehra announced Dhan Dhahej, starring Anil Kapoor and Seshadri, and in 1988 Sanjay Khan announced the movie Sarzameen with Anil Kapoor, Seshadri, and Vinod Khanna.[citation needed] That same year, Ramesh Sippy announced Laadla with Amitabh Bachchan and Seshadri.[citation needed]
Commercial success (1990–1996)[edit]
In 1990, Seshadri appeared in two films by Mahesh Bhatt, the first being Awaargi, an art house film. Many critics call this her best performance.[18] The second film was Jurm, released in the same year.[citation needed] The film was a critical and commercial success.[citation needed] Her role of a wife who has to face her problems after her husband gets involved with another woman gained immense critical praise.[citation needed] She received her first Filmfare Award nomination for best actress for her role in the film.[citation needed] She also appeared in the film Ghar Ho To Aisa opposite Anil Kapoor; the film was a hit and Seshadri was noted for her comedic timing.[5]
Seshadri made her Telugu film debut with Brahmarishi Vishwamitra in 1991.[citation needed] In 1992, she appeared in the Telugu film Aapadbandhavudu opposite Chiranjeevi.[citation needed] In 1992 her film Aaj Ka Goonda Raaj opposite Chiranjeevi was a hit.[citation needed] In 1993, she appeared in the film Damini – Lightning.[citation needed] Directed by filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, it also starred Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, Amrish Puri, Tinnu Anand, and Paresh Rawal.[citation needed] The film depicted the sensitive subject of injustice towards a rape victim.[citation needed] She won many accolades for her performance in the film. Damini received a number of awards, including a National Film Award[citation needed] and a Filmfare Award nomination.[4] Damini is regarded as Seshadri's career-defining role.[19] She performed a Tandav dance in the film, choreographed by Ravindra Atibudhi.[citation needed]
Seshadri played the female lead in the 1996 film Ghatak: Lethal opposite Sunny Deol, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1996.[citation needed] This was her last film.[citation needed] After this film, she married and moved to the United States.[6][7]
Personal life[edit]
Seshadri retired from cinema after marrying investment banker Harish Mysore in 1995. They had a civil wedding and a registered marriage in New York.[20] The couple has three children, a daughter and two sons.[21] Seshadri lives in Plano, Texas.[22] There, she teaches Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi. She performs with her students at charity events and fundraisers,[7] including the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) convention in California.
Artistry[edit]
Dance[edit]
Seshadri is not only known for her acting skills, but for her dancing skills as well.[23] Often referred to as "Damini", she is famous for her dance in the song "Tu Mera Hero Hai" from the film Hero. She is also known for her dance sequences to Bollywood songs such as "Pyar Karne Wale" (from Hero), "Jaane Do Jaane Do" (from Shahenshah) opposite Amitabh Bachchan, "Badal Pe Chalke" (from Vijay) opposite Anil Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, "Bin Saajan Jhula" (from Damini) opposite Aamir Khan, "Sajan Mera Uss Par Hai" (from Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati), "Mujre Wali Hoon" (from Awaargi), "Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye" (from Jurm), and "Badan Main Chandni" (from Ghatak). Her Tandav dance in Damini is considered to be the best and most intense dance performance in Indian cinema.[7]
She considers herself more of a dancer than an actress.[7] Her desire to continue the art and extend this culture in a foreign land led her to found the Cherish Dance School.[7]
Singing[edit]
Seshadri sang some poetic notes in J.P. Dutta's movie Khatriya, in a composition by Laxmikant Pyarelal. She sang a song in another movie, Tadap, with Chunkey Pandey and Nana Patekar, but the movie was not released. She sang "Tumhare Roop ka", composed by R.D. Burman, with Amit Kumar and Suresh Wadkar.
Documentaries and television appearances[edit]
She has made few appearances on talk shows and rarely gives interviews.[citation needed] In 1987, she appeared in an interview in London, in which she discussed her personal and professional life.[citation needed]
In 1992, Seshadri featured in the television documentary World of Film: India about the Indian film industry; she appeared with stalwarts such as Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, and Mira Nair.[citation needed]
In 1997, she made a rare public appearance on Shekhar Suman's talk show Movers & Shakers (TV series); this was also her last television appearance before she left the industry to raise her children.[citation needed] She discussed her entire career, her personal life, and her passion for dance and her stage performances.[citation needed]
In 2006, a documentary was made on her life called Meenakshi Accept Her Wings, directed by Margret Stephens; the two-hour musical documentary depicted the lifestyle transition from a dancer and actress to a homemaker.[citation needed] The movie gave a deeper insight to her life after quitting films and her successful marriage.[citation needed]
Awards and recognition[edit]
- 1986 – Lux Award as Best Actress for Swati
- 1991 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for Jurm[citation needed]
- 1994 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for Damini[24]
- 1993 – Smita Patil Memorial Award as Best Actress for Damini[25]
- 1993 – Andhra Pradesh State Award as Best Actress for Aapadbandhavudu
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Painter Babu | Renu Kailashnath | |
| Hero | Radha Mathur | ||
| 1984 | Love Marriage | Ritu Mafatlal | |
| 1985 | Hoshiyar | Jyoti | |
| Mera Jawab | Poonam | ||
| Aandhi-Toofan | Meena Kapoor | ||
| Mahaguru | Basanti | ||
| Bewafai | Vinny | ||
| Maha Shaktimaan-3D Movie | Madhuri | ||
| Mera Ghar Mere Bachche | Sarita | ||
| Paisa Yeh Paisa | Sapna | ||
| Meri Jung | Geeta Srivastav | ||
| Lover Boy | Radha | ||
| Awara Baap | Rupa / Deepa | ||
| 1986 | Ricky | ||
| Main Balwaan | Natasha | ||
| Maa Beti | Meenu / Asha | ||
| Dahleez | Mrig Nayani | ||
| Pahuche Hue Log | Guest Appearance | ||
| Allah Rakha | Rani | ||
| Dilwaala | Padma | ||
| Swati | Swati | ||
| 1987 | Satyamev Jayate | Seema | |
| Dacait | Chavli | ||
| Inaam Dus Hazaar | Kamal Malhotra aka Sonia | ||
| Muqaddar Ka Faisla | Meena | ||
| Parivaar | Anita | ||
| 1988 | Main Tere Liye | Rinku Sagar | |
| Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani | Savitri | ||
| Bees Saal Baad | Kiran Thakur | ||
| Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati | Jamuna | ||
| Inteqam | Sita/Sitara | ||
| Vijay | Sapna | ||
| Shahenshah | Shalu | ||
| 1989 | Aag Se Khelenge | Geeta | |
| Toofan | Radha | ||
| Bade Ghar Ki Beti | Mala | ||
| Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá | Reema | ||
| Joshilaay | Mangala | ||
| Gharana | Radha | ||
| En Rathathin Rathame | Sudha | Tamil film; Remake of Mr.India | |
| Mahadev | Geeta | ||
| Mohabat Ka Paigham | Zeenat Banu | ||
| Nache Nagin Gali Gali | Mohini | ||
| 1990 | Amba | Lajjo | |
| Jurm | Meena S Verma | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress | |
| Ghayal | Varsha Bharti | ||
| Awaargi | Meena | ||
| Ghar Ho To Aisa | Seema | ||
| Pyar Ka Karz | Dr. Naina | ||
| Shandaar | Rani | ||
| 1991 | Akayla | Seema | |
| Brahmarishi Vishwamitra | Menaka | ||
| 1992 | Aapadbandhavudu | Hema | Telugu film |
| Humshakal | Sarah | ||
| Police Aur Mujrim | Kiran | ||
| Aaj Ka Goonda Raj | Shalu Sharma | ||
| Humlaa | Seema | ||
| Yeh Raat Phir Na Ayegi | Radha | ||
| Kalinga | Unreleased (Director Dilip Kumar) | ||
| 1993 | Sadhna | Madhu | |
| Badi Behen | Jyoti Dwarkaprasad | ||
| Aadmi Khilona Hai | Punam Verma | ||
| Ghar Parivar | |||
| Kshatriya | Madhu | ||
| Damini | Damini Gupta | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress | |
| Teri Payal Mere Geeth | Laila Jaan | ||
| 1994 | Duet | Anjali | Tamil film |
| 1996 | Ghatak: Lethal | Gauri | |
| Swami Vivekananda | Young woman who desires to marry Narendranath Datta and later becomes Sannyasini | ||
| 2016 | Ghayal Once Again | Varsha (flash back) |
Television[edit]
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Movers & Shakers[citation needed] | Herself | Last talk show appearance, Interviewed by Shekhar Suman |
| Star Yaar Kalakaar[citation needed] | Herself | TV reality show, Hosted by Farida Jalal |
Documentary[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | World of Film: India[citation needed] | Herself | Appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor and Mira Nair |
| 2006 | Meenakshi Accept Her Wings[citation needed] | Herself | Directed by Margret Stephens |
References[edit]
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- ^ "Actress missing from Action – Meenakshi Seshadri". Zee News. Retrieved 29 January2012.
- ^ "Miss India and their Bollywood breaks". Retrieved 25 June 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Boxofficeindia.com. "Top Actress". Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
- ^ a b "BoxOffice India.com". BoxOffice India.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- ^ a b "Box Office 1996". Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Miraculous Meenakshi | Lights Camera Action | Houston fSouth Asian Lifestyle Society News". lcahouston.com. 30 December 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Second Coming". The Hindu. 16 July 2005 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Daily Bhaskar: Bollywood's 'Damini' Meenakshi Seshadri turns 51". Daily Bhaskar. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- ^ "Bollywood actress Meenakshi turns 48". Awaztoday.com. 16 November 1959. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "Meenakshi Seshadri | Meenakshi Seshadri news | Meenakshi Seshadri movies | Meenakshi Seshadri pics | photos | images | Meenakshi Seshadri hits | Full movies | Meenakshi Seshadri hot pics". TollywoodTimes. 16 November 1959. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ Kothari, Sunil; Avinash Pasricha (2001). Kuchipudi. Abhinav Publications. p. 203. ISBN 8170173590.
- ^ Mandhir Saikia and Avani Saxena (22 September 1999). "Meenakshi magic". Express. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ "Actors who inspire: Take a cue from their careers!". Rediff.
- ^ "Boxoffice Operation : Shahenshah (1988) « Bollybusiness : Bollywood boxoffice". 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Top Grosser of 1990". Boxoffice India. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- ^ "Awaargi – Film Review". Planet Bollywood. Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "civil wedding". Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- ^ "Then and now: Damini actress Meenakshi Seshadri looks unrecognisable". mid-day. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- ^ "Spurred by success: Meenakshi bares her claws!". Stardust. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "rediff.com: Bollywood's best dancing girls". Rediff.com. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ^ "Download Attachment" (PDF). Deep750.googlepages.com. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "Photo Gallery". Priyadarshniacademy.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
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