Shriya Saran Bhatnagar (pronounced ; born 11 September 1982) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi-language films. Although Saran aspired to become a well-known dancer, she became an actress with her film debut in 2001 with the Telugu film Ishtam, and had her first commercial success with Nuvve Nuvve (2002).
Saran subsequently appeared in several more Telugu films alongside Hindi and Tamil films. In 2007, she starred in Sivaji, the highest-grossing Tamil film at that time. She also gained critical acclaim for her role in the Hindi film Awarapan (2007). In 2008, Saran played the lead role in her first English film, the American–Indian co-production The Other End of the Line. Her following projects included popular films such as Kanthaswamy (2009) in Tamil and Pokkiri Raja (2010) in Malayalam—roles that established her as one of the leading actresses in the South Indian film industries . In 2012, Saran starred in Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children, an English adaptation of Salman Rushdie's novel of the same name, for which she received international critical acclaim. She achieved further commercial success by starring in films such as Pavitra (2013) and Chandra (2013). In 2014, Saran starred in the critically acclaimed Telugu film Manam, which brought her accolades for her performance.
In addition to her work in films, Saran has been the brand ambassador for brands across India, endorsing beauty and health products. Among other philanthropic activities, she has volunteered for charity organizations. In 2011 she opened a spa employing exclusively visually challenged people. She was also the brand ambassador for Celebrity Cricket League for its first two seasons.
Early life
Shriya Saran Bhatnagar was born on 11 September 1982 in Haridwar in Northern India, to Pushpendra Saran Bhatnagar and Neeraja Saran Bhatnagar. Her father worked for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and her mother was a chemistry teacher in Delhi Public School, Ranipur in Haridwar and Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, New Delhi. Saran completed her schooling from both schools where her mother had taught. She has an elder brother named Abhiroop who lives in Mumbai. Saran's mother tongue is Hindi.
Her family lived in the small town of BHEL colony in Haridwar when she was growing up. She later studied at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature.
Saran is an accomplished dancer. She was first trained as a child by her mother in Kathak and Rajasthani folk dance, and later trained in the Kathak style by Shovana Narayan. She was involved with many dance teams in college and with her teacher. They would incorporate social issues into their dance routines.
