Uttrakhand
in Bollywood
Uttrakhand,
a land of scenic beauty had contributed Indian theater and Hindi Film Industry in many
ways. Lots of Bollywood film actor hails from Uttrakhand. Great Theater artist
and film actor Tom Alter and outstanding lyrist Prasoon Joshi are also from
Uttrakhand. Uttrakhand was one of the popular film shooting destinations of the
great Film Directors including Shakti Samant. Some of the top film actor and
actress from Uttrakhand are Given below
Uttrakhand's Film Actress Sukriti
Kandpal
Sukirti Kandpal was
born on November 20, 1987 in Nainital Uttrakhand.. She is born to Mr B D
Kandpal. She has an elder sister Bhavna and a brother, Manjul Kandpal. Sukirti
Kandpal initially wanted to pursue her career in law as
she is born to a public prosecutor. She worked in an international BPO before
she joined the Television industry.
She has played the protagonist Dr.
Riddhima Gupta in DIL Mil Gaya for which she gained fame, but soon she was
replaced by Jennifer Winget .She then did a role of an antagonist
Agle Janam mohe bitiya hi kijo. Her most popular role is in Pyaar ki Ek kahani where she portrays Pia Dobriyal,
the main protagonist. She has also done a cameo in movie Love,Sex aur
Dhokha. Sukirti Kandpal was into modelling before beginning her career as a
Television actress. The lead actress of the Television the gorgeous Sukirti
Kandpal represented India at the Miss India World 2011 pageant in Dubai. Sukirti Kandpal won the
title Bollywood Diva and was also one of the top 10 participants.
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Uttrakhand's Film Actress Udita Goswami
Udita Goswami comes from Doiwala,a small town of Dehradun district
in Uttrakhand. Her father is from Uttarkhand and her mother is from Shillong
(Meghalaya). She was educated in Dehradun where she studied at the D.A.V.
Public School until class 8. She also studied at Maa Anandmayi Memorial school.
Goswami started her career in modeling for brands such as Pepsi,
Titan and Nokia . She then made her jump into acting making her debut in
the 2003 Bollywood film, Paap directed by Poja
Bhatt Her next film Zehar, which also starred Emran Hasmi and
Shamita Shetty,was her breakthrough role and she became a well known face in
the industry. Her role was that of a femme fatale. She also appeared in the
movie Aksar opposite Dino Mariea .
She was featured with Upen Patel in Ahmed Khan's music
video of the remix of Kya Khoob Lagti Ho.
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Nirmal Pandey
Uttrakhand's Famous Film Actor
One of the most potential
film actor of film Industry Nirmal Pandey Born in Nainital in
Uttrakhand. Nirmal Pandey was educated at Almora, The town of
stone bazaar and Nainital, the city of lake. He graduated from the
prestigious National School Of Drama, Delhi. 
After leaving the National
School of Drama he moved to London, with a theatre group, Tara, performing
plays like Heer Ranjha, Antigone, and has acted in around 125 plays. After
doing two small roles, he first got noticed in Shekhar Kapor’s Bandit Queen in
1996. His role in this film is a milestone in the history of Hindi Cinema.
thereafter he received positive reviews for films like,Daayra directed by
famous actor Amol Palekar. He had became one of the potential actor of
Bollywood when his film Train To Pakistan in 1998 and Is Raat Kee Koi Subah
Nahi along with Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain were released. He also acted in
movies like Laila, 'Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya', 'One 2 ka 4' and
'Shikari' and acted in several television serials, including Hatim,
and Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag in 2005 .
In addition to being an actor, he was also a singer, who released
an album called Jazba. In 2002, he directed, Andhayug,
a Hindi play, written by noted playwright Dharamveer Bharati, which follows the
18 days following the Mahabharata war. The play has a cast of 70 actors, all of
whom belong to Sanvedna, a theatre group started by him in 1994. He
also has an acting institute "Fresh Talent Academy" in Ghazaiabad,and
also conducts theatre workshops. Pandey died at the age of 48 on 5 February 2010 from a heart attack.
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Himani Shivpuri:
A Great Film Actress from Uttrakhand
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Himani Shivpuri:
A Great Film Actress from Uttrakhand
She was born and brought up in Dehradun Uttrakhand. Her father Haridutt Bhatt Shailesh was a
Hindi teacher at Famous Doon School in Dehradun. Mr Bhatt was a renowned writer of Hindi. She also received her school
education at Doon School. Even while she was at school she was actively involved in school
plays, and while doing her post graduation in 'Organic Chemistry', her interest
grew and she started acting plays simultaneous to her studies.Eventually she joined N.S.D., New
Delhi and graduated in 1984.Her ancestral village is
Bhattwadi, District Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. She has a son Katyayan, and was
married to actor Gyan Shivpuri, who died in 1995.After graduating from National School of Drama she worked with NSD Repertory Company for
sometime before moving to Mumbai.Shivpuri made her film debut in
1984 with (Ab Ayega Mazaa), followed by " In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones" a TV
film, in (1989), also starring Shahrukh Khan. She acted in many art film
thereafter like Shyam Benegal's 'Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda' in1993, and Mammo (1994), though her big commercial
break came with Suraj Badjajtya's Hum Apke Hain Kaun (1994).
She made her television debut
with TV serial Humrahi directed by Kunwar Sinha, which gave her considerable popularity
as her role of 'Devki Bhojai' was widely appreciated. Thereafter she became a
regular feature on Indian television, starring in serials like,Hasratein on ZEE
TV in 1995 as an unsatisfied wife forced to marry a man double her age &
looking out for extra marital affair to satiate her needs,.Though she acts mainly in charecter actor . she has done some memorable roles in films like Koyla in 1997, Pardesh (1997), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Anjaam (1994)
and Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai (1998).
Prasoon Joshi
The Great Lyrist from Uttrakhand
who made film songs meaningful
Prasoon Joshi spent his earliest years in Almora, Uttarakhand, India. His father, D. K. Joshi, a Garhwali Brahmin, served as a PCS officer with the Civil Service of the State Government, and later became the Additional Director of the State's Education Service. These early years all across the North, and spending time in culture and art-soaked places like Nainital, where his extended family and relatives still live,The natural beauty of Himalayas from Dehradun to Narendranagar,Tehri, Chamoli and Gopeshwar discovered the innocent poet out of Prasoon Joshi. He lived various places of north India which gave him a invaluable experience to know the pulse of Indian masses. He is now celebrated for in his lyricism and advertising.
His mother, Sushma Joshi, a lecturer in Political Science, also performed for All India Radio for over three decades. Music and poetry is in his DNA.Both his parents are also qualified classical vocalists and daily home life for the young Prasoon was marked with academic discipline, a rich vein of the artistic life and a strong sense of music and culture.He started writing early in life and his first was published when he was only at the of 17. Main Aur Woh — a ‘conversation with himself’, inspired by Frederich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra, It was a knock of talent on the door of Litrature. Two more books followed, establishing him as an author in his own right.
Prasoon did his B.Sc.
and Post Graduation in Physics, then elected to pursue a MBA from the reputed Institute of Management Technology in
Ghaziabad U.P in India .
it was during his MBA education that he
decided to fuse his love for culture and art and his facility for the
commercial dynamic and make his career in advertising.
He started his career
with one of the world's leading agencies, Oglvy
& Mather, in Delhi, and over 10 years, became a creative star and
rose to be Executive Creative Director of the flagship Mumbai office. In early
2002, he joined MeCann Erickson ,
as Executive Vice President and National Creative Director. By 2006, he was
Regional Creative Director, South and South East Asia. In December 2006 he was
elevated to Executive Chairman for McCann Worldgroup India and Regional
Creative Director Asia Pacific.
He made his debut as
film lyricist with Rajkumar Santosh’s Lajja ,
a critical and commercial success, and this soon led to Yash Chpora’s HumTum and a string
of highly successful Bollywood films like Fanaa,Rang De Basanti Taare Zameen
Par , Black and Delhi6 With Rang De Basnti (2006), he also became
a dialogue writer.
Prasoon also has a
string of highly-acclaimed advertisements to his credit. Notable are his
campaigns for NDTV India ("Sach dikhate hain hum"), Saffola
("Abhi to main jawan hoon") LG, Marico, Perfetti (Alpenliebe,
Chloromint), and the Cannes-winning 'thanda matlab Coca-Cola' campaign with Amir Khan . His Happydent television
commercial is considered by experts as India's best ad till date, and was that
year listed by the authoritative Bob
Gafield of Advertising Age as one of his personal choices for the
Cannes Gold that year. He has rightfully earned the title of "The Ad Guru
of India "
Uttrakhand's Film Actress
Chak De girl Chitrashi Rawat
Chitrashi had a craze for playing
Hockey since childhood, and at the age
of 17, began playing as left striker for Uttrakhand. She was picked for the role
of a hockey player in the movie Chak De
India by the producers after an audition in Jabalpur The film turned out to be
Blockbuster worldwide, and Chitrashi shot to fame. In 2008, she starred in her
second venture,Fashion .The film failed at the box office, however
managed to succeed at critical acclaim. She had a main role in the 2009 action
film,Luck opposite superstars Sanjay Dutt ,Imran Khan, Mithun Chakrvorty ,
Ravikishan and many others. Luck also received critical acclaim, but
did average business at the box office.
She also appeared in Ye Dooriyan
and and 2012 hit "Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya".Rawat is a former student of the Guru Nanak Academy. Daughter of TS Rawat, a
resident of Raipur, Uttrakhand..
Chitrashi regularly represents the Uttarakhand hockey team in the national
championships. Currently, she isstudying at St Andrew FYBMM pursuing her
bachelor's degree in mass media. She has campaigned for Minute Maid pulpy orange. She hails from Chandkot region of
Pauri Garhwal district. She is
also hosting Star Gold's Sabse
Favourite Kaun. She was also a contestant in a Comedy Circus 2 of
Optimystix..
Depak Dobriyal
Depak Dobriyal born
on 01 September 1975 in Kabra near Reethakhal and Stapuli district Pauri
Garhwal in Uttrakhand. His parents shifted to Delhi when he was at five.He started his acting
career in 1994 with eminent Theatre director Arvind Gaur. His major plays with Gaur are Tughlaq, Andha Yug, Final Solutions, Desire Under
the Elms,Rakt Kalyan,Court
Martial, Dario Fo’s Operation
Three Star, The Caucasian Chalk
Circle, The Good Person of
Szechwan, Neil Simon's The Good Doctor and Ashok Lal's Ek Mamooli Aadmi.
After six years with Asmita theatre he joined Act One with
director Pt. N. K. Sharma. He
acted in Aao Saathi Sapna
Dekhen, Hamaar Baabuji ki
chhattri and Aksar Maine Socha Hai. Deepak
Dobriyal also worked one year with director Pt. N. K. Sharma. Depak one
of the few stars who are down to earth. He loves his motherland Uttrakhand like
anything. He is truly a person which is Uttrakhandi by heart and soul.He touched a glourious height of acting in film in
Omkara Directed by Vishal Bharadwaj, Starring Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan,
Kareena Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi and mind blowing Deepak Dobriyal. Film
critics ,viewers and co stars admired his acting . This film had shown the
talent of Depak Dobriyal.
Shakespeare’s Othello comes alive on Indian soil complete with the flavour of
the land. Set against the milieu of political warfare in the interiors of Uttar
Pradesh, Omkara, played by Ajay Devgan, is the story of a strong man’s descent
and self destruction brought on by jealousy and obsession. Precipitating the downfall
is the wily Langda Tyagi, Saif Ali Khan( in one of his career best
performances). Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma and Viveik Oberoi are in
stellar roles. But it is Bipasha Basu who makes the seductive number like Beedi
jalaile truly memorable.
Tom Alter
The Blue Eyed Gadhwali
Famous film and TV actor Tom Alter was born on 1950 in Landour ,Mussoorie Uttrakhand . Tom is the son of American Christian missionaries of English and Scotish ancestry. . His elder sister Martha has a PhD in Sanskrit and his brother John is a poet and a teacher. Alter's first cousin Stephan Alter also born and raised in India, is a notable author and teacher. He took his education from the famous Woodstock School .Mussoorie .As a child, he studied Hindi and Urdu. He is known as referred to as the "Blue-eyed saheb with the impeccable Hindi and Gadhwali." He studied at the Film and Television Institute of India . He was inspired by Rajesh Khanna,the super star of his time .He accepted in a interview that He still dream of being Rajesh Khanna He said,”For me, in the early 1970s, he was the only hero , romantic to the core, not larger than life, so Indian and real , he was my hero; the reason I came into films and he still is."
