Meenakshi Seshadri

Meenakshi Seshadri
Beauty pageant titleholder
Born Shashikala Seshadri
1963/1964 (age 50–52)
Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India
Residence  USA
Occupation Film actress, dancer
Title(s) Eve's Weekly Miss India 1981
Major
competition(s)
Eve's Weekly Miss India 1981
(Winner)
Miss International 1981
(Unplaced)
Spouse Harish Mysore (m.1995)

Meenakshi Seshadri is an Indian film actress and dancer who mainly appeared in Hindi films. Meenakshi has appeared in range of movies from comedy, drama, and action to romance. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at age 17,.[1][1][2]

Sheshadri made her film debut in Painter Babu (1983) and received wider public recognition with the film Hero (1983), which was followed by a number of films in the 1980s and 1990s. She was noted for her performances in films, including Bewafai, Meri Jung (1985), Swati (film), Dacait (1987), Inaam Dus Hazaar (1987), Shahenshah (1988), Mahaadev(1989), Jurm (1990), En Rathathin Rathame, Ghayal (1990), Damini (1993), Duet and Ghatak (1996) among others.[3] Whereas she received immense critical acclaim for her films like Swati (1986), Dahleez (1986), Satyamev Jayate (1987 film), Awaargi (1990) and Damini (1993), the role that became her identity.[4] She went on to establish herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses in the 1980s and 1990s, acknowledged for several of her performances, her beauty, and her accomplished dancing.[3] She is often cited as one of the most beautiful actresses to have ever appeared in Indian cinema.[3]

After the release of her film Ghatak, she left the film industry to raise her children, since then she has been out of the limelight and does not appear on television and films any more. She resides in the US, with her husband and children. However she has been partially active in the US where she runs her dance school "Cherish Dance School". Recently a documentary was also made on her life called Meenakshi Accept Her Wings, the documentary depicted the transitional lifestyle of dancer, actress to a homemaker.[5][6]

Early life

Meenakshi Seshadri was born into a Tamil speaking Iyengar Brahmin family[7] in Sindri, Jharkhand.[8][9] She is trained in four Indian classical dance forms, namely, Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak and Odissi. She studied dance under Vempati Chinna Satyam and Jaya Rama Rao. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at age of 17. She represented India at Miss International 1981 held in Tokyo, Japan but did not place.[10][11]

Career

1983–1985: early success

Meenakshi Seshadri, born as Shashikala Seshadri, made her debut in the flop film Painter Babu, a 1983 Telugu/Hindi bilingual film opposite Rajiv Goswami, brother of Manoj Kumar. After Painter Babu, Sheshadri decided to quit acting. She was encouraged by Subhash Ghai who cast her as his leading lady alongside another newcomer Jackie Shroff in Hero. The fim went on to become a blockbuster and Sheshadri became an overnight star. She immediately after success of Hero, got offers to star with Rajesh Khanna. She then appeared with Rajesh Khanna in Awara Baap in which she appeared in a double role, but the film underperformed. She then appeared in many commercially unsuccessful films mainly Do Gulab, "Love Marriage", "Paisa Ye Paisa","Palay Khan" and Lover Boy. Her next film Bewafai,again opposite Rajesh Khanna and Rajinikanth became one among the highest revenue earning films of the year 1985 and thus established her as one of the highest paid actress from 1985–1996. Some of her films were moderately successful namely Mera Jawab and Aandhi Toofan. She then appeared in the film Hoshiyar alongside Jeetendra, the film was a success further cementing her position in the industry. Subhash Ghai again cast her in his next film, Meri Jung alongside Anil Kapoor which became one of the highest grossing films of the year.In the same year she acted with Southern Superstar Rajinikanth in Mahaguru.

1986–1989: stardom

She appeared in many critically acclaimed films in 1986, mainly Swati a woman centric art house film, she performed the title role amongst an ensemble cast. The film gained immense critical acclaim and many critics said Meenakshi Shaeshadri has acted in Swati the way Amitabh Bachchan acts in his films. Again she appeared in a romantic drama Dahleez alongside Jackie Shroff and Raj Babbar which dealt with a taboo topic of infidelity, the film though underperformed at the box office it became a critical success and Seshadri was acknowledged for her versatility, over the years the film has gained a cult following. In 1986 her other films Dilwaala (1986),Allah-Rakha became successful. In 1987, she appeared in the film Inaam Dus Hazaar alongside Sanjay Dutt. The film was one of the highest grossing films of the year and her chemistry with Dutt was acknowledged. In Inaam Dus Hazar she played a very difficult role with immense ease further strengthening her position. She also appeared in Dacait, an action drama released in 1987 alongside Sunny Deol, it was a commercial failure. Her next film Parivaar opposite Mithun Chakraborthy was a major success. By this time Meenakshi had become the reigning queen on box office and was giving a tough competition to Sridevi. In 1988, she appeared in Yash Chopra's Vijay, though the film flopped, Sheshadri was called the saving grace of the film and Yash Chopra filmed all the songs on her in his trademark Switzerland, all these songs became immensely popular. In 1988, she appeared in Shahenshah alongside Amitabh Bachchan. The film was heavily hyped and became a blockbuster upon its release.[3][12] After the mega success of Shahenshah, Meenakshi teamed up with Bachchan for films like Toofan, Akayla and Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati but all three became box-office flops. In 1989, she was directed by Dev Anand in the film Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá. In 1989, she made her Tamil film debut with En Rathathin Rathame which was remake of Hindi film Mr. India opposite Bhagyaraj which was a blockbuster.In 1989, she appeared in the woman centric family drama Bade Ghar Ki Beti in the title role and the family drama Gharana and these 2 films were moderate success and Meenakshi was praised for her intense performance.[3]

Her pairing with Mithun Chakraborthy was the most successful one as both were great dancers and complimented each other in Aandhi Toofan,Main Balwan,Dilwaala,Parivaar,Bees Saal Baad,Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati,Pyar Ka Karz and Shandaar. Also her pairing and on-screen chemistry with Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol and Vinod Khanna was often cited by the media as successful.[3][13] Her successful films with Anil Kapoor include Aag Se Khelenge, Meri Jung, Awaargi and Ghar Ho Toh Aisa but the rest like Love Marriage, Amba, Joshilaay, Vijay and Humlaa were box office duds.

1990–1996: later career

In 1990, she appeared in two films of Mahesh Bhatt, first Awaargi, an art house film. Meenakshi's performance was critically acclaimed and many critics call it her best performance[14] The second film was Jurm, released in the same year. The film was a critical and commercial success. Her role of a wife who has to face problems after her husband gets involved in another woman gained immense critical praise. She received her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for best actress for her role in the film. She also appeared in the woman centric film Ghar Ho To Aisa opposite Anil Kapoor, the film was a hit and Sheshadri was noted for her comic timing in the film.[4] She then appeared in Ghayal alongside Sunny Deol. This film started her long association with Rajkumar Santoshi. Ghayal was the highest grossing film of the 1990s and became a blockbuster upon its release. In 1991, she appeared in Akayla, directed by Ramesh Sippy opposite Amitabh Bachchan, despite being overly hyped the film flopped at the box office. Her on screen pair with Vinod Khanna was widely appreciated and the pair had hits like Satyamev Jayate, Mahaadev,Jurm, Humshakal and Police Aur Mujrim. She acted in family drama Ghar Parivaar in 1991 which became among the highest grossers of the year.She made her Telugu film debut with Brahmarishi Vishwamitra in 1991. In 1992, she appeared in the Telugu film Aapad Bandhavudu opposite Cheeranjeevi. In 1992 her film Aaj Ka Goonda Raaj opposite Cheeranjeevi was huge hit. In 1993, she appeared in the woman centric film Damini – Lightning. Directed by filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, it also starred Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, Amrish Puri, Tinnu Anand, and Paresh Rawal. The film was based on the sensitive subject of injustice towards a rape victim. Damini received a number of awards including a National Film Award. She was nominated for a Filmfare Award for her role in the film Damini.[3] Her portrayal as Damini was highly praised and she won many accolades for her performance in the film. To this day many people remember her as Damini. Damini is regarded as Sheshadri's career defining role and the role that became her identity.[15]

She also had the privilege to work with the thespian Dilip Kumar in his directorial debut Kalinga. Meenakshi was chosen by Kumar to enact the main role in the film. Though 80% of the film was made but unfortunately the film did not see the light of the day and never released.

In 1993, she also appeared in Aadmi Khilona Hai opposite Govinda and Kshatriya opposite Vinod Khanna both the films were moderately successful. In 1994, she appeared in the Tamil film Duet opposite Prabhu Ganeshan directed by K.Balachander.The film was a major critical and commercial success. Meenakshi played the female lead in the 1996 film, Ghatak: Lethal, opposite Sunny Deol. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi,the film became a blockbuster and one of the highest grossing films of 1996. This was her last film. After this film, she got married and settled in the United States.[5][6]

1997–present

After her marriage she was seen making a rare appearance on Shekhar Suman's talk show. After a few years of her marriage she shifted her base to US. In an interview she stated "belonging from a very Indo-centric background, life abroad shook me, I just could not relate myself with the US environs". However with the passage of time she has settled there. Now she is successfully running her own dance school in Dallas called "Cherish Institute of Dance", the school is described as "an assembly of talented dancers, a voluntary body to enhance multi-culture, revealing the best talent of people of all ages". Besides running a dance school in US a documentary film was made on her life by Margret Stephens called 'Meenakshi Accept Her Wings' the two-hour musical documentary depicts the transitional lifestyle of dancer, actress to a homemaker. The movie tells about her life after movies and marriage.[5][6]

Personal life

She retired from cinema after marrying investment banker Harish Mysore. She had a civil wedding, a registered marriage, in New York.[16] The couple have two children, daughter Kendra and son Josh. Meenakshi lives in Plano, Texas.[17] There, she teaches Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Odissi. She performs with her students at charity events and fundraisers.[6] A philanthropist, Meenakshi and her disciples performed at the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) convention in California.

Artistry

Dance

Sheshadri is not only known for her acting skills, but for her dancing skills as well.[18] 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 accompanying 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.[6]

For Meenakshi dance was always a passion, she relates herself more closely as a dancer than an actress.[6] With the burning desire to continue the art and extend this culture in a foreign land, Meenakshi with the full support of her husband, Harish introduced "Cherish Dance School". This famous dance school goes beyond teaching dance. It is an assembly of talented dancers, a voluntary body to enhance multi-culture, revealing the best talent of people of all ages.[6]

Documentaries and television appearances

She made few appearances on talk shows and rarely gave interviews. In 1987, she appeared in an interview held in London in which she discussed her personal and professional life.

In 1992 Sheshadri featured in a documentary made for television called World of Film: India, the documentary was about the Indian film industry and Sheshadri featured with stalwarts like Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Mira Nair

In 1997 she made a rare public appearance on Shekhar Suman's talk show Movers and Shakers, this was also her last television appearance before she left the industry to raise her children. She discussed her entire career as well as personal life along with her passion for dance and her stage performances.

In 2006 a documentary was made on her life called Meenakshi Accept Her Wings, which was directed by Margret Stephens the two-hour musical documentary depicted the transitional lifestyle of a dancer, actress to a homemaker. The movie gave a deeper insight to her life after quitting films and her successful marriage.[6]

Awards and recognition

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1983 Painter Babu Renu Kailashnath Debut
1983 Hero Radha Mathur
1984 Love Marriage Ritu Mafatlal
1985 Paisa Yeh Paisa Sapna
1985 Hoshiyar Jyoti
1985 Awara Baap Rupa Double Role
1985 Mera Jawab Poonam
1985 Aandhi-Toofan Meena Kapoor
1985 Mahaguru Basanti
1985 Bewafai Vinny
1985 Maha Shaktimaan Madhuri
1985 Meri Jung Geeta Mathur
1985 Mera Ghar Mere Bachche Sarita
1986 Lover Boy Radha
1986 Ricky
1986 Main Balwan Natasha
1986 Maa Beti Meenu / Asha
1986 Dahleez Naini Saxena
1986 Allah Rakha Rani
1986 Dilwaala Padma
1986 Swati Swati
1987 Satyamev Jayate Seema
1987 Dacait Javli
1987 Inaam Dus Hazaar CBI Officer Kamal Malhotra aka Sonia
1987 Muqaddar Ka Faisla Meena
1987 Parivaar Anita
1988 Main Tere Liye Rinku Sagar
1988 Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani Savitri
1988 Bees Saal Baad Kiran Thakur
1988 Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati Jamuna
1988 Inteqam
1988 Vijay Sapna
1988 Shahenshah Shalu
1989 Aag Se Khelenge Geeta
1989 Toofan Radha
1989 Bade Ghar Ki Beti Mala
1989 Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá Reema
1989 Joshilaay Mangala
1989 Gharana Radha
1989 En Rathathin Rathame Sudha Tamil film; Remake of Mr.India
1989 Mahadev Geeta
1989 Mohabat Ka Paigham Zeenat Banu
1989 Nache Nagin Gali Gali
1989 Teri Payal Mere Geet Laila-Jaan / Leela
1990 Amba Lajjo
1990 Jurm Meena S. Varma Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
1990 Ghayal Varsha Bharti
1990 Awaargi Meena
1990 Ghar Ho To Aisa Seema
1990 Pyar Ka Karz Dr. Naina
1990 Shandaar Rani
1991 Akayla Seema
1991 Brahmarishi Vishwamitra Menaka Telugu film
1991 Ghar Parivar
1992 Aapad Bandhavudu Hema Telugu film
1992 Humshakal Sarah
1992 Police Aur Mujrim Kiran
1992 Aaj Ka Goonda Raj Shalu Sharma
1992 Humlaa Seema
1992 Yeh Raat Phir Na Ayegi
1992 Kalinga Unreleased (Opposite Dilip Kumar)
1993 Sadhna Madhu
1993 Bari Behen Jyoti Dwarkaprasad
1993 Aadmi Khilona Hai Punam Verma
1993 Kshatriya Madhu
1993 Damini – Lightning Damini Gupta Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
1994 Duet Anjali Tamil film
1996 Ghatak: Lethal Gauri

Television

Year Show Role Notes
1999 Movers and Shakers Herself Last talk show appearance, Interviewed by Shekhar Suman

Documentary

Year Title Role Notes
1992 World of Film: India Herself Appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor and Mira Nair
2006 Meenakshi Accept Her Wings Herself Directed by Margret Stephens

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Actress missing from Action – Meenakshi Seshadri". Zee News. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  2. "Miss India and their Bollywood breaks". Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Boxofficeindia.com. "Top Actress".
  4. 4.0 4.1 "BoxOffice India.com". BoxOffice India.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Box Office 1996". Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 "The Miraculous Meenakshi | Lights Camera Action | Houston fSouth Asian Lifestyle Society News". lcahouston.com. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  7. "Daily Bhaskar: Bollywood's 'Damini' Meenakshi Sheshadri turns 51". Daily Bhaskar. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  8. "Bollywood actress Meenakshi turns 48". Awaztoday.com. 16 November 1963. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  9. "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 1963. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  10. Kothari, Sunil; Avinash Pasricha (2001). Kuchipudi. Abhinav Publications. p. 203. ISBN 8170173590.
  11. Mandhir Saikia and Avani Saxena (22 September 1999). "Meenakshi magic". Express. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  12. "Top Grosser of 1990". Boxoffice India. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  13. "Awaargi – Film Review". Planet Bollywood. Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  14. "civil wedding". Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  15. "Spurred by success: Meenakshi bares her claws!". Stardust. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  16. "rediff.com: Bollywood's best dancing girls". Rediff.com. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  17. "Download Attachment". Deep750.googlepages.com. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  18. "Photo Gallery". Priyadarshniacademy.com. Retrieved 24 October 2013.

External links