In 2008, Saran acted in the Hindi film Mission Istaanbul alongside Zayed Khan and Shabbir Ahluwalia, playing the character of Anjali Sagar, a journalist who desires to have a child with her reluctant husband leading to their separation. Critics from Bollywood Hungama felt her character was underutilized with little screen time, but she did receive the Stardust Exciting New Face Award. In 2009, she appeared in the commercially successful Tamil film Kanthaswamy with Vikram, earning a nomination at the Vijay Awards.
She also starred in Thoranai as the female lead, receiving her third award win, the Amrita Mathrubhumi Award for Best Actress, for her performances in both Kanthaswamy and Thoranai. In the same year, she appeared in the English film Cooking with Stella, which was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is a comedy that explores the complex relationships between servants and employers.
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Who Is Shriya Saran Bhatnagar?
Shriya Saran, born on September 11, 1982, is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi-language films. Initially aspiring to become a well-known dancer, she made her acting debut in 2001 with the Telugu film Ishtam, which led to her first commercial success with Nuvve Nuvve in 2002.
From there, Saran went on to appear in numerous Telugu films, as well as Hindi and Tamil films. In 2007, she starred in Sivaji, the highest-grossing Tamil film at that time, and she also received critical acclaim for her role in the Hindi film Awarapan the same year. She went on to star in her first English film, The Other End of the Line, in 2008, which was an American-Indian co-production.
Saran’s subsequent projects included popular films such as Kanthaswamy in Tamil and Pokkiri Raja in Malayalam, solidifying her as one of the leading actresses in the South Indian film industry. In 2012, she received international critical acclaim for her performance in Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children, an English adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s novel of the same name. She furthered her commercial success with films like Pavitra and Chandra in 2013 and received accolades for her performance in the critically acclaimed Telugu film Manam in 2014.
In addition to her film work, Saran has also been a brand ambassador for various beauty and health products in India and has engaged in philanthropic activities such as volunteering for charity organizations. She even opened a spa in 2011 that exclusively employed visually challenged individuals. Additionally, Saran served as the brand ambassador for Celebrity Cricket League for its first two seasons.
Her First Career
During her second year at the LSR College in Delhi, Shriya Saran got her first break in the entertainment industry when she was invited to appear in the music video of Renoo Nathan’s “Thirakti Kyun Hawa” on the recommendation of her dance teacher. The video was shot in Banaras and was noticed by Ramoji Films, who offered her the lead role of Neha in their film Ishtam. Saran accepted the role, and before the film was even released, she had already signed on for four more films, including Nuvve Nuvve, in which she played a millionaire’s daughter who falls for a middle-class man.
In 2002, she appeared in Santosham, which co-starred Nagarjuna, Prabhu Deva, and Gracy Singh, and was her first commercial success. The film won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). Saran played a woman who sacrifices her love but later reunites with the person she loves. Her performance in the film earned her a nomination for the CineMAA Award for Best Actor-Female, which helped establish her in the Telugu industry early on in her career.
The following year, she made her debut in Hindi cinema with a supporting role in Tujhe Meri Kasam, which starred Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza. She also played one of the lead female roles in the Telugu film Tagore, alongside Jyothika and Chiranjeevi, which was a commercial success and was screened at the International Indian Film Academy Awards. In addition, she made her Tamil film debut in Enakku 20 Unakku 18, alongside Tarun and Trisha Krishnan. The film was simultaneously shot in Telugu as Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu, in which she played a football coach. Despite acting in films in three languages that year, the majority of the first ten films of her career were in Telugu.
Shriya Saran’s Personal Life
Shriya Saran has been very private about her personal life and typically denied any romantic linkups reported by the media. Instead, she has focused on her charitable work, which she has been passionate about since childhood. Saran believes that celebrities can set an example by promoting social issues, campaigning for causes, and participating in fundraisers. Her family has always encouraged her to help the less fortunate.
Saran serves as a brand ambassador for several charities, including the Naandi Foundation, Save A Child’s Heart Foundation (SACH), and the Prevention of AIDS Foundation. She also actively supports The Joy of Giving Week and participates in carnivals and campaigns that benefit children. Additionally, Saran is associated with animal welfare and the Blue Cross of India. She works with World Vision to find parents for underprivileged kids and with Apollo’s RDF to raise funds for children in need.
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In 2011, Saran opened Shree Spa, a Mumbai-based spa exclusively employing visually challenged individuals. She was inspired to help this community after visiting a school for the blind near her school in Delhi. Saran believes that it’s important to understand that visually challenged individuals have strong senses and can effectively provide treatments like reflexology, foot and back massages, and more.
Shriya Saran does not distinguish between the various Indian film industries and considers them all part of a single category, the Indian film industry. She is fluent in Hindi and English and has a good understanding of Telugu and Tamil. In the past, she quit Twitter due to derogatory comments from her followers but rejoined the platform in 2015 with a new account.
On March 19, 2018, Saran married her Russian boyfriend, Andrei Koscheev, at her Lokhandwala residence. She announced the birth of their daughter on January 10, 2021, via social media.
Little-Known Facts About Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran’s Talents Have Earned Her Numerous Awards
Shriya Saran’s exceptional acting skills have been recognized with several awards. Her first award was the South Scope Style Award for Best Tamil Actress in 2008 for her performance in ‘Sivaji: The Boss. In the following year, she was honored with the Stardust Exciting New Face Award for her role in ‘Mission Istanbul’. She also received the Amrita Mathrubhumi Award for Best Actress for her outstanding performances in ‘Kanthaswamy Thoranai’ in 2010. Since then, she has been awarded an additional five awards for her remarkable roles in various films.
She owns Spa
Shriya Saran is the owner of Shree Spa, a wellness center in Mumbai that she opened in 2011. What sets her spa apart from others is that all of her employees are visually challenged. Saran was inspired to open the spa based on her childhood experiences. She attended a school that was situated across from a school for the blind, and she would often visit the other school every week.
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She was Ponds’s First Model
At the beginning of her career, Shriya Saran worked as a model and her first advertisement was for Pond’s Creams. Following that, she appeared in a Coca-Cola ad alongside Tamil actor Vijay. However, she has since made a conscious decision to not model for soft drinks ads due to her belief that they have a negative impact on the health of children.
Ambassador For Many Indians Brands
Shriya Saran is a well-known personality in India and has been chosen as the brand ambassador for various major Indian brands. She has endorsed several health and beauty products, including Head & Shoulders, Lux, Saravana Stores, and Pantene Shampoo. Furthermore, she was also selected as the brand ambassador for the Celebrity Cricket League during its first two seasons.
Shriya is known for being glamorous, elegant, and compassionate.
Shriya Saran is not only known for her acting skills but also for her brand endorsements, which include Head and Shoulders, Ponds, Fair and Lovely, and Coca-Cola. However, what sets her apart is her generous and charitable nature. In 2011, she opened Shree Spa in Mumbai, which employs visually challenged individuals exclusively. This initiative was inspired by her visits to a school for the blind across from her own school during her childhood.
She was the first Actress at IIM
After Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan delivered a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Shriya Saran became the first actress to follow in their footsteps and address the students at IIM, Ahmedabad.
