Juhi Chawla (born 13 November 1967)[1] is an Indian actress, voice actress, film producer and television presenter.
After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career. She went on to become one of the top leading actresses of Bollywood and starred in films ranging from the romances Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Darr (1993) to Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), which earned her the Filmfare Best Actress Award, to Yes Boss (1997) and Ishq (1997).[2][3]
Chawla has been mostly recognised for her comic timing in films,
vivacious screen persona and is often cited by film media as one of the
best actresses of Hindi cinema in the 1990s.[4][5] Alongside with Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit,
Chawla formed the leading trio of actresses of the late 80's and early
90s. She has also been listed as one of the best actresses who ruled in
bollywood.[6]
During the 2000s, after having starred in over 70 mainstream Hindi
films, Chawla started acting in art and independent films. She appeared
in films in her native tongue Punjabi, and has been mostly working in parallel cinema.[5] She gained critical recognition for her performances in films like Jhankaar Beats (2003), 3 Deewarein (2003), My Brother Nikhil (2005), Bas Ek Pal (2006) and I Am (2011).[7] Since 2000, Chawla branched out into film production and television presenting as well.
Juhi Chawla was born in Ambala, Haryana, India. She is the first child born to Dr. S. Chawla and Mona Chawla.
She completed her schooling from Ludhiana before the family moved over to Mumbai. She graduated from Sydenham College, Mumbai with a specialisation in HR.[8] She was the winner of Miss India title in 1984.[1] Later she won Best Costume Award for the Miss Universe contest in 1984.[9]
She is also an accomplished dancer. In a Baaje Payal (a film based on a
collection of interviews for dancers/actresses) interview, she
mentioned having learned Kathak for three (3) years and regretted giving
it up as it could have helped her in her career as an actress. She is
also an accomplished classical singer and has been training for the last
6 years.
Film
1980s
Chawla ventured into films with the 1986 Sultanat. She also acted in Kannada classic Premaloka directed by Ravichandran in 1987. Her first major role in Bollywood was in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988, in which she starred with Aamir Khan. The film, a modern-day adaption of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, became both a major critical and commercial success. It won the Filmfare Best Movie Award, and Chawla won the Filmfare Lux New Face Award and received her first nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award.[10] The film subsequently received classic status.[11][12]
1990s
In 1990, she starred in such films as Pratibandh, which was a box office success and for which she was nominated the Filmfare Best Actress Award, and Swarg.[13] In 1992, she was nominated for a Filmfare for Bol Radha Bol which performed well commercially.[14][15]
In 1993 she starred in the moderately successful project Aaina, and Lootere opposite Sunny Deol and Mahesh Bhatt's hit Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke.[16] She followed it with a leading role in Yash Chopra's thriller Darr, which went on to become the third top-grossing film of the year in India.[16] She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke.[17]
Most of Chawla's films of 1994–6 were unsuccessful, though she received
a Filmfare nomination for her performance as a battered wife in Daraar.[18] She had a revival in 1997 with such romantic comedies as Yes Boss, Deewana Mastana and Ishq. Ishq became one of the top-earners of the year, and Chawla received her sixth Filmfare nomination for her portrayal of a model in Yes Boss.[15][19]
Chawla's pairing with Aamir Khan and their on-screen chemistry was often cited by the media as successful.[20] She has also teamed up with Shahrukh Khan in several movies, including Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Darr, Duplicate and Yes Boss.
2000s
Through the 2000s, Chawla started appearing in independent and art
films, and her work in the genre included the critically acclaimed films
3 Deewarein, 7½ Phere and My Brother Nikhil, which Taran Adarsh termed as "amongst the finest in her career" and Khalid Mohamed
praised as "perfect," stating that "her effortless blend of conflicting
emotions is what A-class acting is all about. Ms Chawla is a diamond in
this little gem of a movie."[21][22][23] She won a Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for 3 Deewarein.
She was seen in Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love for which she received good reviews.[24] She starred with Urmila Matondkar in Bas Ek Pal (2006) and with Manoj Bajpai in Swami. Juhi's latest releases include Ravi Chopra's Bhoothnath with Amitabh Bachchan, in which she made her singing debut with the song "Chalo Jaane Do". Another film called Krazzy 4 with Irfan Khan and Arshad Warsi was released in 2008. In 2009, she appeared in a guest appearance in Luck By Chance
to play a comic part for which she dyed her hair blonde. The film got
extremely positive reviews and has got a good opening at the box office.[25]
Chawla has appeared in several non-Hindi language films. She has appeared in various Punjabi films: Shaheed Uddham Singh (2000), Des Hoyaa Pardes (2004), Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris (2006) and "Sukhmani – Hope for Life" (2010). Her first Malayalam film was Harikrishnans, which also starred actors Mohanlal and Mammootty. In the beginning of her career she acted in Kannada films, which include the successful Premaloka and unsuccessful films like Shanthi Kranthi and Kindara Jogi. She acted with popular Kannada actor Ravichandran in all these three films.
2010s
Her most recent release was Onir's critically acclaimed feature I Am (2011). Unfolded in several chapters, the film starred Chawla alongside Manisha Koirala in an episode named I Am Megha. She played the title role of which film critic Taran Adarsh
commented, "It's a delight to watch Juhi and Manisha, after a hiatus.
Both deliver striking performances – even getting the language right."[26] For her performance, Chawla was awarded the Best Actress award at the 13th London Asian Film Festival and Award for Excellence in Hindi Cinema at the Asiavision Movie Awards.[27]
Television
During the 2000s, Chawla has also been presenter and host of numerous
television shows, particularly award ceremonies, including the Filmfare Awards and the Zee Cine Awards. Chawla has been a judge for the entertainment show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa alongside Saroj Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant during the show's third season.[28]
Producer
Juhi later turned producer and became the co-owner of a production company called Dreamz Unlimited with Shahrukh Khan and director Aziz Mirza.[29] The first two films produced by the production company were Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and Asoka. Their third film, Chalte Chalte was the first success for the company.[30]
Filmography
As actress
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Sultanat | Zarina | |
| 1987 | Premaloka | Shashikala | Kannada Film |
| 1988 | Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak | Rashmi Singh | Filmfare Lux New Face Award Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award |
| 1988 | Paruva Ragam | Shashikala | Tamil Film |
| 1989 | Amar Prem | Bengali Film | |
| 1989 | Chandni | Devika | Cameo |
| 1989 | Kindari Jogi | Ganga | Kannada Film |
| 1989 | Vicky Dada | Shyamalee | Telugu Film |
| 1989 | Love Love Love | Reema Goswami | |
| 1989 | Goonj | Sangeeta Kalekar | |
| 1990 | Kaafila | Kalpana Awasti | |
| 1990 | Swarg | Jyoti | |
| 1990 | Prathibandh | Shanti | Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award |
| 1990 | Tum Mere Ho | Paro / Nagin | |
| 1990 | Zahreelay | Chamki | |
| 1990 | Shandaar | Tulsi | |
| 1990 | C.I.D. | Inspector Raksha Sharma | |
| 1991 | Shanti Kranti | Jyothi | Telugu Film |
| 1991 | Shanthi Kranti | Jyothi | Kannada Film |
| 1991 | Nattukku Oru Nallavan | Jyothi | Tamil Film |
| 1991 | Benaam Badsha | Jyoti | |
| 1991 | Karz Chukana Hai | Radha | |
| 1991 | Bhabhi | Asha | |
| 1992 | Apon Por | Bengali film | |
| 1992 | Bol Radha Bol | Radha | Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award |
| 1992 | Radha Ka Sangam | ||
| 1992 | Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman | Renu | |
| 1992 | Mere Sajana Saath Nibhana | Janki | |
| 1992 | Bewafa Se Wafa | Ruksaar | |
| 1992 | Daulat Ki Jung | Asha Agrawal | |
| 1993 | Lootere | Anjali | |
| 1993 | Shatranj | Radha | |
| 1993 | Izzat Ki Roti | Jyoti Prasad | |
| 1993 | Pehla Nasha | ||
| 1993 | Tadipar | Cameo | |
| 1993 | Aaina | Reema Mathur | |
| 1993 | Darr | Kiran Awasti | |
| 1993 | Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke | Vyaijanti Iyer | Filmfare Best Actress Award |
| 1993 | Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na | Guest appearance | |
| 1994 | Eena Meena Deeka | Meena | |
| 1994 | The Gentleman | ||
| 1994 | Andaz | Saraswati | |
| 1994 | Andaz Apna Apna | Herself | Guest appearance |
| 1994 | Ghar Ki Izzat | Geeta | |
| 1994 | Bhagyavan | Geeta | |
| 1994 | Pramaatma | ||
| 1994 | Saajan Ka Ghar | Laxmi | |
| 1995 | Ram Jaane | Bela | |
| 1995 | Kartavya | Kajal Sahay | |
| 1995 | Naajayaz | Inspector Sandhya | |
| 1995 | Aatank Hi Aatank | Neha | |
| 1996 | Talaashi | ||
| 1996 | Loafer | Kiran Mathur | |
| 1996 | Bandish | Kanta | |
| 1996 | Daraar | Priya Bhatia | Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award |
| 1997 | Yes Boss | Seema Kapoor | Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award |
| 1997 | Ishq | Madhu | |
| 1997 | Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi | Shalu | |
| 1997 | Deewana Mastana | Dr Neha Sharma | |
| 1998 | Saat Rang Ke Sapne | Jalima | |
| 1998 | Harikrishnans | Mira Varma | Malayalam Film |
| 1998 | Duplicate | Sonia Kapoor | |
| 1998 | Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate | Urmila Abhyankar | |
| 1999 | Safari | Anjali Agarwal | |
| 1999 | Arjun Pandit | Nisha Chopra | |
| 1999 | Shaheed Uddham Singh | Noor Jehan | |
| 2000 | Gang | Sanam | |
| 2000 | Karobaar: The Business of Love | Seema Saxena | |
| 2000 | Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani | Ria Banerjee | |
| 2001 | One 2 Ka 4 | Geeta Chowdhary | |
| 2001 | Ek Rishtaa | Priti Kapoor | |
| 2001 | Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa | Jhoomri | |
| 2003 | 3 Deewarein | Chandrika | |
| 2003 | Jhankaar Beats | Shanti | |
| 2004 | Des Hoya Pardes | Jassi | Punjabi Film |
| 2005 | My Brother Nikhil | Anamika | |
| 2005 | Paheli | Gajrobai | |
| 2005 | Khamosh: Khauf Ki Khaufnak Raat | Dr Sakshi Saagar | |
| 2005 | Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak | Parvati Kakkar | |
| 2005 | 7½ Phere | Asmi Ganatra | |
| 2005 | Dosti: Friends Forever | Aditi | |
| 2006 | Bas Ek Pal | Ira Malhotra | |
| 2006 | Waris Shah-Ishq Da Waaris | Bhaagbhari | |
| 2007 | Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love | Seema | |
| 2007 | Swami | Radha | |
| 2007 | Om Shanti Om | Herself | Special appearance in the song "Deewangi Deewangi" |
| 2008 | Bhootnath | Anjali Sharma | |
| 2008 | Krazzy 4 | Dr. Sonali | |
| 2008 | Kismat Konnection | Haseena Bano Jaan | |
| 2009 | Luck By Chance | Minty Rolly | |
| 2009 | Kal Kissne Dekha | Special appearance | |
| 2010 | Sukhmani - Hope for Life | Kuldeep Singh's wife | |
| 2010 | Ramayana: The Epic | Sita | Voice |
| 2011 | I Am | Megha | Nominated—Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award |
| 2012 | Krishna Aur Kans | Yashoda | Voice |
| 2012 | Main Krishna Hoon | ||
| 2012 | Son of Sardaar | Parmeet Kaur | |
| 2013 | Chashme Buddoor | Filming | |
| 2013 | Gulaab Gang | Filming |
