Pooja Gandhi

Pooja Gandhi is an Indian film actress and producer who works mainly in Kannada and Tamil cinema, and also appears in Malayalam, Bengali and Hindi. She has played lead roles in commercially successful films such as Mungaru Male, Milana, Krishna, Taj Mahal, Budhivanta, Gokula and Dandupalya.

Her performances have received critical praise, She has established a career in Kannada cinema as leading actress, with a big fan base.

She has acted more than 50 films in several languages. She also participated in the reality show Bigg Boss Kannada 3.

She speaks five languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Kannada.

Early years and personal life

Pooja Gandhi was born in Meerut^[1] in a traditional Punjabi family. Her father Pawan Gandhi is a businessman and her mother Jyothi Gandhi is a housewife. She studied at Sophia Convent and Dewan Public School in Meerut. She has two younger sisters – Radhika Gandhi, who is also working in Kannada films, and Suhani Gandhi, a tennis player.^[1][2]

Pooja Gandhi got engaged in November 2012 but broke up the following month.^[3]

Career

Debut (2003)

Pooja started her career by acting in soaps, starting with Zameen Se Aassman Tak directed by Aruna Irani.^[1] She made her debut at the age of 18 in the Bengali film Tomake Salam, released in 2003. She moved to the South Indian film industry with the Tamil film Kokki. The film earned moderate reviews and had a successful run at the box office.^[2]

Initial Success and Fame in Kannada (2006-2008)

Her debut in the Kannada film industry was with Mungaru Male,^[4] The film was the first in India for any language to be screened for continuously one year in a multiplex. and it became all time blockbuster.^[5] Overall it ran over 865-days in Karnataka. It was remade in Telugu as Vaana^[6] and in Bengali as Premer Kahini^[7] in 2008. She popularly came to be known as "Mungaru Male Girl" (Girl of "Mungaru Male").^[8]

She then acted in the movie Milana together with Puneeth Rajkumar; 'Milana' Upon theatrical release on 14 September 2007, the film saw massive commercial success and completed a 450-day run in theatres. Later The film was dubbed into Malayalam as Ishtam Enikkishtam. and pooja gandhi got fame by the song "Ninnindale", which had impressed an audiens to the theatre.

Pooja worked in Krishna, together with "Comedy Time" Ganesh, her co-actor in Mungaru Male. Krishna the movie ran over 100-days and collected 26 crore in karnataka. and emerged as a "Super hit" at the Box office, She has since acted in several Kannada films including Milana, Krishna, Manmatha, Geleya, Hani Hani, Accident, Kaamannana Makkalu and Nee Tata Naa Birla. these following movies Manmatha, Geleya, Hani Hani, Accident, Kaamannana Makkalu and Nee Tata Naa Birla were mediocre at the box office.^[1]

In 2008, she starred in the Kannada film Taj Mahal with Ajay Rao. The film opened on 25 July 2008 to generally positive reviews from critics and enjoyed a 150-day run. and emerged as a "blockbubuster" of the year. She was nominated for a Filmfare Best Actress Award. In the same year she worked with Upendra in Budhivantha, a remake of the 1974 Naan Avanillai. Budhivantha became one of the highest grossing Kannada film of 2008 after Taj Mahal, after she became one of the most sought-after actresses in the Kannada film industry, one more kannada movie was Haage Summane is a 2008 Kannada film directed by Preetham Gubbi. The new comers Kiran Srinivas and Suhasi played the lead roles. Music was composed by Mano Murthy. The film released nationwide on 26 December 2008. Her next film was the Tamil movie Thiruvannamalai also starring Arjun Sarja. the movie managed to success at the Box office. The film was later dubbed in Hindi as 'Main Hoon Vinashak'.^[1]

Her first 2009 release was Anu, which was the remake of Telugu movie Anusuya starring Bhumika Chawla. Other Kannada movies that Pooja Gandhi acted in include Hucchi, Iniya, and Ninagaagi Kadiruve. Other movies from 2009 include the Tamil film Thalai Ezhudu, and Gokula in which she starred with Vijaya Raghavendra and Yash. The film opened on 27 November 2009 to favorable and positive reviews from the critics. it was a major successful at the box office.^[9] In 2010 she starred in Minugu, Sri Harikathe, "Nee Raani Naa Maharani" and "Vega" films.

She made her debut in Hindi film with I Am 2011, together with Juhi Chawla. 'I Am' received mainly positive reviews from critics. The Times of India called it "an important and intelligent film"^[10] and The Film Street Journal named it "a must watch".^[11] In 2012 'I Am' won the National Award for Best Hindi Film and Best Lyrics.^[12] In the same year she has acted several Kannada movies such as Thavarina Runa, Aptha, Nee Illadhe, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Panchamrutha, Pagal and Jogayya. In 'Jogayya' movie, she made a cameo appearance as an Advocate, directed by star director Prem.

Critical acclaim

In 2012 she made a comeback with box office hit Dandupalya, and The Times Of India wrote, "Pooja gandhi walks away with full honours for her excellent performence as Lakshmi". after which she became one of the highest paid actress in Kannada cinema. She received Filmfare Award for Best Kannada Actress and Suvarna Fimfare Award for Best Actress for her performance. The film was dubbed in Telugu and released as Dandupalyam. It was well received in Andhra Pradesh.^[13] A Tamil dub titled Karimedu was produced by Rama Narayanan's Sri Thenandal Films and released on 24 May 2013 to critical acclaim. it was hit in Tamil Nadu.^[14][15] The film was dubbed in Malayalam and was titled as "Kuruthikalam". Same here she acted including such Jaihind and Hosa Prema Purana films.

Gandhi has signed up to make her Tulu language film debut in Beere Devupoonje, playing the role of Raja Nartaki. The film, produced and directed by R. Dhanraj, will be based on a Tulu warrior named Devapoonja who lived 400 years ago.^[16]

She made her debut in Malayalam with Maad Dad in 2013, starring Lal and Meghana Raj. and Malayala Manorama called it a good movie. . She made a special appearance as an Item song "Kannnalle Eshtottu Koltiya" in Kannada movie Director's Special in 2013, directed by Guru Prasad. In year 2014, released only one movie of pooja gandhi "Kalyanamastu" acted together with 'Patre Loves Padma" fame Ajith, the 'Kalyanamasthu' Film was Directed by Mallesh B, Produced by Kanthraju. Music director of the movie was Bharath.

Recent works

In 2015, she acted in two movies, "Abhinetri", which was also her debut as a producer, it was declared as a 'Semi-Hit' at the Box office. and one more movie was Thippajji Circle. the 'Thippajji circle' movie was badly flopped at the box office.

In 2016 she starred in Kathe Chitrakathe Nirdeshana Puttanna together with Komal Kumar and Priyamani. directed by Srinivas Raju. who was directed Pooja's Dandupalya film.

Politics

Pooja Gandhi joined the Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) party on 18 January 2012.^[17] The party had initially appointed her as the working president of its youth wing but later began to sideline her, following criticism by opposition members.

Former Member from BJP of Parliament Ayanur Manjunath attacked Pooja Gandhi saying that she is the 'Dandupalya' queen.

Pooja had acted in the film Dandupalya which was based on the dreaded gangsters of Dandupalya. Speaking to reporters, Gandhi claimed to be hurt by the treatment. "No JD(S) leader came to my support when I was called names," she said. former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy who is also the state president of the party said that if Pooja Gandhi was not comfortable joining JD(S), she can join other party. Six months after she joined politics through JD(S), she quit the party.

She then joined briefly the KJP, but she finally contested the 2013 Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections from Raichur on a BSR Congress ticket. This first attempt at public office proved unsuccessful.^[18]

Filmography

Awards

• Filmfare Best Actress Award for Tajmahal movie (2008).
• Filmfare Best Actress Award for Dandupalya movie (2012).

Reality shows

• She was one of the Top 5 finalist of the Bigg Boss Kannada 3 which was aired on Colors Kannada during 2016.

References

External links

• Pooja Gandhi at the Internet Movie Database