| Neha Devi Singh | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 13, 1981 [1] Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Actress, Writer |
| Years active | 2003–2007 |
Neha Devi Singh (born August 13, 1981[1]) is an Indian television actress and writer, best known for her portrayal of Bijli in Ssshhhh...Koi Hai and Bhoomika Goenka in Saarrthi. She is the first television actress in India to work as an action hero.
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Neha Devi Singh was born on August 13, 1981 in Mumbai, India.[1] Singh received a degree in Economics from St. Xavier's College. She set out to seek work in the television industry. She pursued a career behind the camera. However, with every successive interaction in her search for a suitable production or direction oriented job, she found herself being pointed in a direction which would find her in front of the camera instead. Not once but on various occasions she was asked to take a serious look at acting.[2]
Singh finally landed her first role in the popular fiction drama Ssshhhh...Koi Hai on STAR Plus in 2003 portraying the superhero "Bijli" and alter ego "Sameera" opposite former cricketer Salil Ankola and Jiten Lalwani. Bijli quickly became popular character within the children across India and Neha became an established actress. She played a sweet and innocent girl that worked at a salon by day and turned into a ghost busting super hero by night. She was clad in a purple cat suit complete with a mask and heels.
Bijli's popularity lead to Neha earning her first nomination in her first year in the Favourite Action Star category in Star Parivaar Awards in 2004.[3] Incidentally, she was also the first female action hero to hit Indian television screens. The popular drama Ssshhhh...Koi Hai ended in August 2004. Because of her portrayal of Bijli, Neha became known for her crime fighting stunts and was offered the role of Sub-Inspector Aditi in the popular crime show C.I.D. on Sony TV. During this time, she was offered another role for a new television show Saarrthi on STAR Plus. It was a lead role. Neha refused to work in C.I.D. and accepted her role in Saarrthi.[2]
After becoming popular as Bijli, Neha landed the daily soap Saarrthi as Bhoomika opposite the debuting Karan Grover in 2004. Introduced in the afternoon band, Saarrthi surprised producers and the channel with its quick unmitigated success. Neha soon became a household name for her portrayal of Bhoomika that was completely different to her action hero role Bijli. Bhoomika was a homely and innocent servant girl with a rose tinted view of the world who was hopelessly in love with her master’s son Arjun. Neha's stardom had begun with Bijli but her more popular role was of Bhoomika. She quickly became a household name and won the Star Parivaar Award for Favourite Devrani in 2006.[4]
After two and a half years of an extremely successful and fulfilling run with Saarrthi, Neha left the serial in 2007 and was replaced by Zalak Thakker as the protagonist Bhoomika Goenka.[2]
After leaving Saarrthi in 2007, Neha retired from acting. She became a writer. She had been a writer since her school days and was also a columnist for Channel Y–a youth page in Mumbai newsline. She has become a professional writer and has written the script for a film.[2]
| Year: | Serial: | Role: | Channel: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–2004 | Ssshhhh...Koi Hai | Sameera/Bijli | STAR Plus |
| 2004–2007 | Saarrthi | Bhoomika Goenka | STAR Plus |
| Year | Award | Category | Drama Serial | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | STAR Parivaar Awards | Favourite Action Star | Ssshhhh...Koi Hai[3] | Nominated |
| 2006 | STAR Parivaar Awards | Favourite Devrani | Saarrthi[4] | Won |