Meenakshi Seshadri


Meenakshi Seshadri is an Indian actress, model and dancer who mainly appeared in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu films. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at the age of 17.
Seshadri made her film debut in Painter Babu and received wider public recognition with the film Hero. She became one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses in the 1980s and 1990s, and was acknowledged for several of her performances, her beauty, and her accomplished dancing. She was noted for her performances in films including Hero Meri Jung, Swati, Dacait, Inaam Dus Hazaar, Shahenshah, Mahaadev, Awaargi, Jurm, Ghayal, Ghar Ho To Aisa, Damini, and '. She received particular critical acclaim for Swati, Dahleez, Satyamev Jayate, Awaargi, and Damini. She also performed at the Khajuraho Dance Festival in the 1990s.
After the release of her film ', she left the film industry to raise her children in the United States with her husband, where she runs the Cherish Dance School.A documentary was made about her life, entitled Meenakshi Accept Her Wings.

Early life

Seshadri was born as Shashikala Seshadri in a Tamil Brahmin family in Sindri, Jharkhand. She trained in four Indian classical dance forms, Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Odissi, under Vempati Chinna Satyam and Jaya Rama Rao. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at the age of 17 and represented India at the Miss International 1981 in Tokyo, Japan.

Career

Debut and early success (1983–1985)

Seshadri made her film debut in the flop Painter Babu, a 1983 Telugu/Hindi bilingual film opposite Rajiv Goswami, the brother of Manoj Kumar. After the flop Seshadri wanted to quit acting, but was encouraged to continue by Subhash Ghai, who cast her as his leading lady alongside another newcomer, Jackie Shroff, in Hero. The film was a blockbuster and Seshadri became an overnight star. Immediately after the success of Hero, she got an offer to star with superstar Rajesh Khanna.She appeared with Khanna in Awara Baap in a double role, but the film underperformed. She then appeared in several commercially unsuccessful films, including Love Marriage, Paisa Ye Paisa, and Lover Boy. Her next film, Bewafai, was again with Khanna, with Rajinikanth in an antagonist role. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1985. This gave her a major foothold in the industry. Some of her films were moderately successful, namely Swati, Mera Jawab, and Aandhi Toofan. She then appeared in the film Hoshiyar alongside Jeetendra.Subhash Ghai again cast her alongside Anil Kapoor in his next film, Meri Jung, which was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. In the same year she acted with Rajinikanth in Mahaguru as his heroine. Meenaakshi did a special appearance song with Rajnikant in a Telugu movie Jeevana Poratam1986

Established actress (1986–1989)

Seshadri appeared in many critically acclaimed films in 1986. In Swati, a woman-centric art house film, she performed the title role in an ensemble cast. The film gained immense critical acclaim and critics said, "Meenakshi Seshadri has acted in Swati the way Amitabh Bachchan acts in his films.That same year she appeared in B. R. Chopra films alongside Jackie Shroff' and Raj Babbar in the romantic drama Dahleez, which dealt with the taboo topic of infidelity but underperformed at the box office. Her other releases that year, such as Dilwaala and Allah Rakha, were average performers at the box office.In 1987, she appeared in the hit film Inaam Dus Hazaar alongside Sanjay Dutt.She also appeared in Dacait, an action drama alongside Sunny Deol; it was a commercial failure. In 1988, she appeared in Yash Chopra's Vijay. In 1988, she appeared in Shahenshah alongside Amitabh Bachchan.The film was heavily hyped. After the great success of Shahenshah, Seshadri teamed up with Bachchan for the films Toofan, Akayla, and Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati, but all three were flops. In 1989, she was directed by Dev Anand in the film Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá In 1989, she made her Tamil film debut with En Rathathin Rathame, a remake of the Hindi film Mr. India, opposite K.Bhagyaraj, which bombed at the box office. In 1989, she appeared in the family drama Bade Ghar Ki Betiin the title role, and the family drama Gharana these were moderate successes.
She worked with fellow dancer Mithun Chakraborthy in Aandhi Toofan, Main Balwan, Dilwaala, Parivaar, Bees Saal Baad, Pyar Ka Karz, and Shandaar Her best and most successful pairing, as well as best on-screen her chemistry, is regarded to be with Anil Kapoor. Her pairings with Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, and Vinod Khanna are often also praised by the media. Her successful films with Anil Kapoor include Aag Se Khelenge, Meri Jung, Awaargi and Ghar Ho Toh Aisa, but others, such as Love Marriage, Amba, Joshilaay, Vijay, and Humlaa were box office duds. In Vijay she has a hot kissing scene with Anil Kapoor in a Fiat car and in Inteqam she tied a Rakhi to Anil Kapoor; the scene was also filmed in a Fiat. She would have acted with Anil Kapoor in more than nine films, but some planned films were never completed. Prakash Mehra announced Dhan Dhahej, starring Anil Kapoor and Seshadri, and in 1988 Sanjay Khan announced the movie Sarzameen with Anil Kapoor, Seshadri, and Vinod Khanna. That same year, Ramesh Sippy announced Aalishaan with Amitabh Bachchan and Seshadri.

Commercial success (1990–1996)

In 1990, Seshadri appeared in two films by Mahesh Bhatt, the first being Awaargi, an art house film. Many critics call this her best performance. The second film was Jurm, released in the same year. The film was a critical and commercial success. Her role of a wife who has to face her problems after her husband gets involved with another woman gained immense critical praise. She received her first Filmfare Award nomination for best actress for her role in the film. She also appeared in the film Ghar Ho To Aisa opposite Anil Kapoor; the film was a hit and Seshadri was noted for her comedic timing.

Personal life

Seshadri retired from cinema after marrying investment banker Harish Mysore in 1995. They had a civil wedding and a registered marriage in New York. The couple has two children, a daughter and a son. Seshadri lives in Plano, Texas. There, she teaches Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi. She performs with her students at charity events and fundraisers, including the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin convention in California.

Artistry

Dance

Seshadri is not only known for her acting skills, but for her dancing skills as well. Often referred to as "Damini", she is famous for her dance in the song "Tu Mera Hero Hai" from the film Hero. She is also known for her dance sequences to Bollywood songs such as "Pyar Karne Wale", Her one of great dance sequences in songs such as "Teri Payal Mere Geet" with Govinda, "Jaane Do Jaane Do" opposite Amitabh Bachchan, "Badal Pe Chalke" opposite Anil Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, "Bin Saajan Jhula" opposite Aamir Khan, "Sajan Mera Uss Par Hai", "Mujre Wali Hoon", "Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye", and "Badan Main Chandni". Her Tandav dance in Damini is considered to be the best and most intense dance performance in Indian cinema.
She considers herself more of a dancer than an actress. Her desire to continue the art and extend this culture in a foreign land led her to found the Cherish Dance School.

Singing

Seshadri sang some poetic notes in J.P. Dutta's movie Kshatriya, in a composition by Laxmikant Pyarelal. She sang a song in another movie, Tadap, with Chunkey Pandey and Nana Patekar, but the movie was not released. She sang "Tumhare Roop ka", composed by R.D. Burman, with Amit Kumar and Suresh Wadkar.

Documentaries and television appearances

She has made few appearances on talk shows and rarely gives interviews. In 1987, she appeared in an interview in London, in which she discussed her personal and professional life.
In 1992, Seshadri featured in the television documentary World of Film: India about the Indian film industry; she appeared with stalwarts such as Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, and Mira Nair.
In 1997, she made a rare public appearance on Shekhar Suman's talk show Movers & Shakers ; this was also her last television appearance before she left the industry to raise her children. She discussed her entire career, her personal life, and her passion for dance and her stage performances.
In 2006, a documentary was made on her life called Meenakshi Accept Her Wings, directed by Margret Stephens; the two-hour musical documentary depicted the lifestyle transition from a dancer and actress to a homemaker. The movie gave a deeper insight to her life after quitting films and her successful marriage.

Awards and recognition

Television

Documentary