Namrata Shirodkar – Famous Model & Actress

Namrata Shirodkar is a former supermodel of 1990s who forayed into films. She is a beauty pageant winner who became Femina Miss India Universe in 1993, followed by Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 1993 and first runner-up of Miss Asia Pacific, which shot her to instant fame. She also made to the six top contestants of Miss Universe 1993, which was a unique achievement then, just a year before Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe. Following a very successful career in modelling, she forayed in films and has appeared in both Bollywood and south Indian films with limited success. She is the wife of Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, with whom she has worked in Vamsi in year 2000. She is the daughter-in-law of Telugu superstar Krishna.

Namrata Shirodkar hails from a filmy family, born in Mumbai in 1972. She is the granddaughter of famous Marathi actress Meenakshi Shirodkar of early talkies. Her elder sister Shilpa Shirodkar also worked in a few Bollywood films of late 1980s and 1990s. Namrata began modelling career in the early 1990s and was crowned Miss India in 1993. 1993 remains her most successful year of modelling career. She represented India at Miss Universe contest and finished at position six. She was also the first runner-up of Miss Asia Pacific held the same year.

She marked her film debut with Jab Pyar Kise Se Hota Hai opposite Salman Khan in 1998. Though her role was brief it got noticed. She was also featured in the popular romantic song, ‘Oh Jaana’ song of the film aside Salman. She remained active in Bollywood till 2004, after which she got settled with her married life. Some of her best works in Bollywood are Kachche Dhaage, Astitva, Pukar, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, LOC Kargil etc. Aaghaz, Hero Hindustani, Albela, Tehzeeb, Tera Mera Saath Rahen, Insaaf, Hatyrar etc are a few more.

Namrata Shirodkar – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. Her grandmother Meenakshi Shirodkar was a glamorous actress of Marathi cinema who stunned the country when she appeared in a swimsuit in 1938. Her mother Gangu Bai also worked in a few movies.

2. She has played a child role in 1977 movie “Shirdi Ke Sai Baba” starring Shatrughnan Sinha.

3. Her debut film Purab Ki Laila Pachhim Ki Chhaila co-staring Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty was not released.

4. She made her debut opposite Salman Khan in 1998 hit film, Jab Pyar Kise Se Hota Hai. Like many actresses who made debut opposite Khan, bad luck struck Namrata’s career too.

5. She is the daughter-in-law of famous Indian actor and filmmaker, Krishna. Thus she is related actress Vijaya Nirmala (step-mother of Mahesh Babu) and her son, Naresh, well-known actor and politician.

6. She is the sister-in-law to Telugu actors, Ramesh Babu,Manjula Swaroop and Naresh. Her sister-in-laws – Padmavathi is married to noted industrialist and parliamentarian Jay Galla while Priyadarshini is married to noted Telugu actor Sudheer Babu.

7. She was paired opposite megastar Mammootty in Malayalam flick, Ezhupunna Tharakan and with V. Ravichandran in Kannada film, Chora Chittha Chora. These films marked her debut in Malayalam and Kannada film industry respectively in 1999, and she never worked in these languages later. Interestingly her sister played lead role in one Tamil film opposite Mammootty – Arasiyal in 1997. 

8. She played Aishwarya Rai’s sister in Bride and Prejudice.

9. She was seen in an item song in year 2000 comedy hit – Hera Pheri, aside Akshay Kumar.

10. She met Mahesh Babu for the first time in the film sets of Vamsi, the only movie in which they worked together. Love blossomed between the two, dated for 5 years and they got married in 2005 after which she retired from her professional career.

11. She has been a supportive wife of Mahesh Babu, and literally works as his manager in his professional career managing dates, promotions, remuneration etc.

12. Her supporting role as a supermodel in Anil Kapoor starrer Pukar earned her a nomination for best supporting actress in IIFA. It’s her single nomination at any film award function.

13. She played lead heroine opposite Madhavan in Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, which revived some of the beautiful songs composed by R. D. Burman.

14. She was dating a restaurateur Deepak Shetty soon after entering Bollywood. There were rumours that they secretly married. Her relationship with ‘Vaastav‘ director Mahesh Manjrekar was also termed close by media then. Later she found her love with another person with the same name, Mahesh.

15. She is three-and-a-half years older to her husband Mahesh Babu, born in 1972 and 1975 respectively.

16. She predominantly worked in Bollywood and her work got noticed though she couldn’t rise to the league of successful actresses. In south, she has acted in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam movies. She also worked in Marathi films.

Namrata Shirodkar – Top 10 songs in Bollywood

1. Oh Jaana of Jab Pyar Kise Se Hota Hai

2. Sunta Hai Mera Khuda of Pukar

3. Meri Duniya of Vaastav

4. Title song of Hero Hindustani

5. Sar Se Sarak Gayi of Albela

6. Kya Janoo Sajan of Dil Vil Pyar Vyar

7. O Hansini of Dil Vil Pyar Vyar

8. Tum Bin Jao Kahan of Dil Vil Pyar Vyar

9. Gum Hai Kisike Pyar Mein of Dil Vil Pyar Vyar

10. Ek Jawani Teri of Kachche Dhaage