Meghna Kothari – Bollywood actress of ‘Prem Aghan’ fame

Meghna Kothari is a Bollywood heroine associated with cine buzz in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She is best known for her debut flick – Prem Aghan released in 1998. The movie also launched Fardeen Khan in a lead role, but was a commercial failure. She was also seen in popular music video of Anuradha Paudwal – ‘Hathon mein in hathon mein likhde mehndi se’ from her popular album – Ishq Hua (2000). Apart from a few supporting roles in Bride & Prejudice (2005), Parineeta (2004) etc, she had an unsuccessful career in Bollywood.

Meghna Kothari is the daughter of accomplished artist, Rita Ganguly – Padma Shree recipient. Her father Keshav Kothari was a percussionist and dancer. Born into a family with art background, she joined film industry in 1998. She was a trained theater artist before she moved to Mumbai in search of big opportunities. When filmmaker Feroz Khan was in search for a new actress to play the female lead opposite his son in Prem Aghan, Meghna was selected for the role. But the much anticipated film tanked at box office, though it had a couple of popular duet songs like Khate Hain Kasam and Hum Tumse Mohabbat Karte Hain.

Her supporting role of Maya Bakshi, Aishwarya Rai’s sister in Bride & Prejudice, directed by Gurinder Chadha also got noticed. She later married Sandeep Chatterjee and got settled with her family life. Now she is living at Kaladham in Greater Noida along with her mother – the famous classical musician. She has one son.

Meghna Kothari – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. She has appeared as a child artist in ‘Muniya Abhi Hasegi’ directed by Shri Arun Chadha.

2. She was seen in a glamorous and bold avatar in her debut flick. But it couldn’t help her to find good roles in Bollywood.

3. Though she came to limelight with her debut flick, she barely did four films before disappearing from screen. She made a comeback with less-known films – Vadh, Sau Jhooth Ek Sach etc.

4. She was seen as a bride in Anuradha Paudwal’s album song – Hathon mein in hathon mein likhde mehndi se.

5. She was seen as a singer in a marriage function in 2004 hit film, Parineeta, Vidya Balan’s debut flick.

6. Her project Khajuraho 950 AD in 2000 got shelved. It also starred Anupam Kher, Divya Dutta etc.

7. Her father Keshav Kothari has served as the secretary of the Sangeet Natak Academy.

8. Her husband Sandeep Chatterjee is a director and HOD of direction and screenplay at FTII, Pune.

9. She has done a film appreciation course from FTII, and now teaches filmmaking to students.

10. She feels that Bollywood artists are bounded to live in a certain lifestyle, which she didn’t want. Instead she decided to leave the field and settle with family life.

11. She still gets film offers, but waiting for some good projects to come in.

12. Noted actress and singer Gita Ghatak is her maternal aunt. Rita was married to Anish Ghatak, nephew of renowned filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak.