Kissing Queen

Background:

“I am proud of the fact that people find me attractive and sexy. I don't see what's wrong with that. There are so many girls in films who are trying so hard to gift themselves a sexy crown, poor souls, and here audiences have publicly acknowledged that I am a physically appealing woman. I have no complaints.” Mallika Sherawat

Nicknamed “Bollywood's Kissing Queen” by the press, popular Indian actress and model Mallika Sherawat, who adopted her current stage name in order to differentiate herself from other actresses named Reema, has established a reputation as one of the top sex symbols in India due to her film appearances. Making her debut in “Jeena Sirf Merre Liye” (2002), Sherawat offered a stirring performance in 2003's “Kwashish.” She further cemented her status as a sexy actress with her role in the successful “Murder” (2004), in which she picked up a Zee Cine nomination. Sherawat, however, did not gain international recognition until she played the Indian Princess in the Jackie Chan movie “The Myth” (2005). She returned to Bollywood productions after the Cannes premiered film with roles in “Pyaar Ke Side Effects” (2006), “Guru” (2007), “Aap Kaa Surroor” (2007) and “Dasavatharam” (2008), among others.

Sherawat was once named by Hong Kong fashion and beauty magazine Cover as one of Asia's “100 Most Beautiful People.” In 2006, the U.K. magazine Eastern Eye named her one of “Asia's Sexiest Women.” Sherawat also became the first Indian woman to receive an offer to pose naked for Playboy magazine and appear on the cover. She, however, rejected the offer in order to avoid the risk of being blacklisted in the Bollywood cinematic industry.

Prior to her show business days, Sherawat, whose favorite movies are “Sholay” (1975), “Silsila” (1981) and “Masoom” (1983), was briefly married to pilot Karan Singh Gill.

Reema Lambha

Childhood and Family:

“I have always wanted to be an actress. In spite of strong opposition from my orthodox family, I came to Mumbai in 2002 on completion of my graduation from Delhi University. In fact, I ran off from home to pursue my career. I knew my parents would never let me be an actress, so I had to take the bold step. However, I have a strong support from my kid brother Vikram, whom I love more than anything else in this world.” Mallika Sherawat

Mallika Sherawat was born Reema Lambha on October 24, 1981, in Rohtak, Haryana, India. Growing up in a conservative family, Mallika later left her family and small village and headed to Mumbai to pursue her dreams. However, it proved to be a long and difficult road for Mallika. During her struggling years, she worked as a stewardess and was married to a pilot named Karan Singh Gill. The marriage, however, only had a short life and after the divorce, Mallika gave acting another try.

Mallika holds a degree in Indian Philosophy from Miranda House, Delhi University.

The Myth

Career:

Following a brief marriage to a pilot, Mallika Sherawat began her career as a model, which led to her appearance in a music video and launched her movie career. It was in 2002 that Sherawat made her feature acting debut as Sonia in a romantic film starring Kareena Kapoor and Karan Tusshar Kapoor called “Jeena Sirf Merre Liye.” Her part in the film was relatively small, but it did give enough opportunity for Sherawat to show off her beauty and talent.

Subsequently, Sherawat was cast in a costarring role opposite Himanshu Malik in the following year's “Kwashish,” a story about a relationship that ended. As Lekha Khorzuvekar, she created quite a stir with her sexual performance and seventeen onscreen kisses. As a result, she received such nicknames as “Sexy Diva,” “The Sex Queen of Bollywood” and “Bollywood Bombshell,” among others. The actress verified her status as a sexpot in 2004 with her portrayal of Simran Saigal, a married woman who has an affair, in “Murder,” a remake of the Richard Gere and the Diane Lane vehicle “Unfaithful” (2002). The film went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year and Sherawat was nominated for Best Actress at the Indian Zee Cine.

After starring as Meena Madhok in the comedy “Kis Kis Ki Kismat” (2004), Sherawat gained a major boost when she was cast with international star Jackie Chan in the action epic “The Myth” (2005), which was shown at the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals. Playing Indian Princess Samantha, she appeared sexy in revealing costumes and made appearances at the Cannes Film Festival to promote the film. On attending the festival, she said, “It was a surreal experience. There were thousands of photographers and it seemed like an endless sea of flashbulbs was popping everywhere. They all kept screaming, 'Jackie, Mallika, Jackie, Mallika!’ The first thought that flashed through my mind was, 'where did my journey begin and look where I am today.’ It seems a really long trip from Rohtak to Cannes. The walk down the red carpet on Jackie Chan's arm, dining with Salma Hayek, George Lucas, Harry Weinstein, meeting them, sharing a conversation with them, and these are people I admire so much. They are the ‘who's who’ of the world cinema and I was meeting them in the flesh! I felt a great sense of achievement. I felt so important there and I wasn't there in Cannes as a model or anything like that. Jackie Chan launched me there as an actress! I made my debut in Cannes! Madonna made her first statement in Cannes when she wore the conical bra. Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly were launched there.”

Sherawat also played an orphan named Padmini in “Bachke Rehna Re Baba” (also 2005) and went on to act in 2006 movies like “Shaadi Se Pehle” and “Darna Zaroori Hai.” It was her performance as Trisha in the comedy romance “Pyaar Ke Side Effects” (2006) that brought the actress more recognition and enabled her to prove she was more than just a pretty face. In 2007, she had small roles in the biopic “Guru,” opposite Aishwarya Rai, “Welcome,” starring Akshay Kumar and Nana Patekar, and a ten minute cameo appearance in the Prashant Chadha directed “Aap Kaa Surroor: The Moviee - The Real Luv Story.” The sexy starlet has since made a name for herself as Bollywood's highest paid actress.

Next starring with Kamal Hassan in the movie “Dasavatharam” (2008), Sherawat also starred in “Ugly Aur Pagli” (2008, as Kuhu), “Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam” (2008, as Shabnam) and “Fun in the Army” (2008, as Sunehri Dhanda). She will soon be seen in Jennifer Chambers Lynch’s “Hisss” (2010) and the comedy “Love, Barack” (2010).

Awards:
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