Juhi Chawla | |
|---|---|
 Juhi Chawla in 2017 | |
| Born | (1967-11-13)13 November 1967 (age 58) |
| Other names | Juhi Chawla Mehta |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
Juhi Chawla Mehta (néeChawla; born 13 November 1967) is an Indian actress. She established herself as one of the leading actresses ofHindi cinema from the late 1980s through the early 2000s.[1] Recognised for her comic timing and vivacious on-screen persona, she is the recipient ofseveral accolades, including twoFilmfare Awards.[2] As of 2025, she is the wealthiest Indian actress, with a net worth of₹7,790 crore (US$920 million).[3]
After winning the 1984Miss India beauty pageant, Chawla made her acting debut with a brief appearance in the Hindi filmSultanat (1986), and had her breakthrough role in the tragic romance filmQayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), which earned her theFilmfare Award for Best Female Debut. The year 1993 was key in her career, as she gained recognition for her starring roles inLootere,Aaina,Darr, andHum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, winning theFilmfare Award for Best Actress for the lattermost.[2] Further success came in 1997 withDeewana Mastana,Yes Boss, andIshq.[2][4]
In the following decade, Chawla began playing against type inart-house projects, garnering critical acclaim for her performances inJhankaar Beats (2003),3 Deewarein (2003),My Brother Nikhil (2005),I Am (2011) andGulaab Gang (2014). She also starred in severalPunjabi films, including the biopicsShaheed Udham Singh (2000),Des Hoyaa Pardes (2004),Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris (2006) andSukhmani – Hope for Life (2010). Among her television work, she was a talent judge on thethird season of the dance reality showJhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2009) and had supporting roles in the streaming seriesHush Hush (2022) andThe Railway Men (2023).
Chawla has been married to industrialistJay Mehta since 1995, with whom she has two children. Along with her husband andShah Rukh Khan, she is the co-owner of theIndian Premier League cricket teamKolkata Knight Riders. Along with Khan, she co-founded the production companyDreamz Unlimited, which produced three films, beginning with their self-starringPhir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000).
Juhi Chawla was born inAmbala,Haryana on 13 November 1967.[5][6][7][8] Her father was an officer of theIndian Revenue Service (IRS).[9] She completed her schooling atFort Convent School, Bombay (present-day Mumbai),[10] and graduated fromSydenham College,Bombay.[11] Chawla was the winner of theMiss India title in 1984.[12] She also won the Best Costume Award at theMiss Universe contest in1984.[13]
Chawla's debut role in Bollywood was a small part in the 1986 filmSultanat. In 1987, she starred inKannada-Tamil bilingual filmPremaloka (Paruva Ragam in Tamil) directed and produced byV Ravichandran.[14] The Kannada version turned out to be a major commercial success and proved to be a break-through film for the lead cast and technical crew.[citation needed]
She got her first majorHindi cinema role inQayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988, in which she starred withAamir Khan. The film, a modern-day adaption ofShakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet, was both a major critical and commercial success, with Khan and Chawla becoming "overnight stars".[15] It won theFilmfare Award for Best Film, and Chawla became the first actress to win theFilmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year, also receiving her first nomination forBest Actress.[16] Chawla's pairing with Aamir Khan and their on-screen chemistry was often cited by the media as successful.[17] The film has since attained a cult status, withThe Times of India ranking it among the "Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films", calling it "one of the landmark films of Hindi cinema" and crediting it with making "Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla household names".[18][19] Premankur Biswas ofFirst Post wrote in a retrospective review, "Juhi Chawla, with her flouncy ghagra and passive but assertive demeanor was an early predecessor to the sexually liberated Bollywood heroines of today. She wore what she wanted and initiated a relationship with the man she desired".[20] The teamPremaloka reunited in 1989 for the Kannada filmKindari Jogi and was declared a musical hit. In the same year she debuted inTelugu cinema with the filmVicky Daada co-starringNagarjuna.
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In 1990, she starred inPratibandh. She also received her second Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for the film. Her other releases that year included the family dramaSwarg alongsideRajesh Khanna andGovinda, which marked the first of several collaborations with directorDavid Dhawan. In 1991, she collaborated third time with actor-directorV Ravichandran for his multilingual directorialShanti Kranti (Nattukku Oru Nallavan in Tamil). The film, made with an expensive budget, underperformed at the box office leading into huge losses to the makers. The Tamil version saw her pairing oppositeRajinikanth. In 1992, she appeared inBol Radha Bol alongsideRishi Kapoor, for which she received her third Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.[21][22] Another pairing with Aamir Khan inDaulat Ki Jung resulted in negative reviews.[23]
In 1993, Chawla appeared in four films.[24] Her first release was the actionromance filmLootere, directed byDharmesh Darshan and starringSunny Deol,Naseeruddin Shah,Chunkey Pandey andAnupam Kher. She played a young woman who receives witness protection through the service of a bodyguard, played by Deol, with whom she eventually falls in love. This was the first movie in which she was cast in a glamorous role. Later, she was cast in two movies produced byYash Chopra. The first was the romantic dramaAaina, which saw Chawla andAmrita Singh play sisters falling for the same man, played byJackie Shroff. Her third film that year wasMahesh Bhatt's romantic comedyHum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke oppositeAamir Khan, which was a success with both critics and audiences.[25] Her performance as a Tamilian runaway, which required her to master Tamil language and dialect, met with acclaim and established her as a comic actress.[26][1][27] Writing forThe Indian Express,Udaya Tara Nayar noted that she played her role "to perfection".[24] She won aFilmfare Award for Best Actress for her work.[28] The last film she appeared in that year was the musical psychological thrillerDarr, directed by Yash Chopra. The film was one of the highest-grossing films of the year, making it Chawla's fourth consecutive box office hit of the year.Darr was also a major critical success, winning several awards including theNational Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. She played Kiran, a young woman about to get married with her fiancé (Deol) when she becomes the object of a young man's (Khan) obsession.[25]
Subsequently, she played leading roles in several films, most notably as Saraswati inDavid Dhawan'sAndaz (1994), Laxmi in Surendra Kumar Bohra'sSaajan Ka Ghar (1994), Bela in Rajiv Mehra'sRam Jaane (1995), Sandhya inNaajayaz (1995), which marked one of her rare collaborations withAjay Devgn, and Kiran inDavid Dhawan andBoney Kapoor'sLoafer (1996), and all of them emerged as critical and commercial successes. She received critical acclaim for her performance as a battered wife inAbbas Mustan's thrillerDaraar (1996), and she received a nomination ofFilmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film. The film was not a major commercial success, but Chawla's performance earned her positive reviews. She was also offeredKarisma Kapoor's role inDil To Pagal Hai (1997), but she turned it down.[29] Chawla's career had hit its peak, and she regained mainstream success in 1997 with the romantic comediesYes Boss,Deewana Mastana andIshq, all becoming box office hits.[4][30][31]Ishq became one of the top-earners of the year, and earned critical praise for the performances of its four leads.[32]
In the romantic comedyYes Boss, she played a model who becomes the love interest of an ad agency owner and his ambitious employee, played byAditya Pancholi and Shah Rukh Khan, respectively.Yes Boss opened to favourable reviews and did well commercially, and Chawla received a seventh Filmfare nomination for her portrayal, which was described byScreen as "spirited".[33] In a 1998 retrospective review forThe Times of India, Khushboo Tiwari called it "a quintessential ‘90s romcom" and took note of Chawla's chemistry with Khan.[34] In the comedyDeewana Mastana, Chawla played Dr. Neha Sharma, love interest to both Kapoor and Govinda and ends up marrying Salman Khan. The film was a commercial success. Her other release of the year wasMr and Mrs Khiladi alongsideAkshay Kumar. The film turned out to be an average grosser at the box-office.
In 1998, she appeared once again alongsideShah Rukh Khan inDuplicate, the film was produced byYash Johar and directed byMahesh Bhatt. Despite ranking as the 12th highest grosser of the year, the film underperformed at the box office upon its release.[35] The same year, she appeared inHrishikesh Mukherjee's swan songJhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate alongsideAnil Kapoor; the film was received well by critics for its reminiscence of Mukherjee's films, with one critic calling it a "a classy comedy".[36][37] The same year, she also appeared inPriyadarshan's rural dramaSaat Rang Ke Sapne oppositeArvind Swamy. The film underperformed at the box-office, but Khalid Mohamed wrote of her that she is "only saving grace. Lovely to look at and an instinctive actress, she's a likeable as ever."[38] The same year, she starred in theMalayalam detective comedyHarikrishnans oppositeMohanlal andMammootty.Harikrishnans was a commercial success.[39]
In 1999, she appeared inArjun Pandit opposite Sunny Deol.[40][17] She played a woman who seeks revenge in the film and described her character as "a role with negative shades".[26] The film was the thirteenth highest-grossing film of 1999, and emerged as a critical and commercial success. Chawla's work was well received in this movie.[41][42][43] The same year, she also starred oppositeSanjay Dutt in the adventure filmSafari, a critical and commercial failure.[44] She worked free of charge in the Punjabi-language biographical filmShaheed Udham Singh, based on the life ofUdham Singh.[45]
In 2000, alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Aziz Mirza, she opened a production company calledDreamz Unlimited. The romantic comedyPhir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani was the company's first production starring Chawla and Khan. Upon release, the film underperformed at the box office,[46][47] though over the years it has been appreciated for its bold theme on media wars. Chawla's performance as the journalist Ria Banarjee received appreciation from the critics.[48][49] Rediff critic Swapna Mitter wrote, "This is probably one of Juhi's best performances. She has never looked better... and once again, likeHum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, she shows a flair for comedy."[50] Her other release of the year wasRakesh Roshan's delayedKarobaar: The Business of Love, which was in the making for over five years and failed upon release.[51][52] She played a small role inGang.[53]
In 2001, she appeared in the action comedyOne 2 Ka 4 with Shah Rukh Khan, in their seventh collaboration and with Jackie Shroff, the film was a flop at the box office. Chawla played three roles in the film; a haryanvi maid, a bar dancer and an undercover cop. While the film was noticed for its serious content, her comedic performance won acclaim from several critics.[54] Vinayak Chakravorty wrote, "But the winner here is Juhi — that vintage comic flair ofHum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke almost comes back from the dead."[55] Similarly,Nikhat Kazmi ofThe Times of India "The only saving grace in this sea of confusion is Juhi. As a fast talking Haryanvi loudmouth who has the hots for her 'Ricky Martin' (Shahrukh), she is an absolute delight."[56]The Hindu agreed with this observation, further noting her "unfailing sense of humour" and timing, which "few can match".[57] Another release of the year was the comedyAamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa opposite Govinda. Around the same time, she signed aKannada filmAdhishesha, in which she was to star opposite herPremaloka co–starV. Ravichandran.[58]
Having taken a one-year break from film work, Chawla started appearing in independent and art films, and her work included critically acclaimed filmsJhankaar Beats,3 Deewarein (both 2003),7½ Phere andMy Brother Nikhil (both 2005), andBas Ek Pal (2006).[59][60]Jhankaar Beats, a musical comedy and a tribute to music directorR. D. Burman, saw her play the wife of an aspiring musician. She won aStar Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for3 Deewarein, which earned her positive reviews.[61] Director Kukunoor wrote the film with Chawla in mind, aspiring to change her image.[62] Robert Koehler ofVariety wrote, "Chawla gradually settles into a role that contains at least three different character layers to it."[63] Chawla said3 Deewarein was a mould-breaking film in her career, and spoke of the revealing experience in making non-mainstream films which require a more realistic approach to acting and minimal use of make-up.[64] She acted oppositeGurdas Mann in the Punjabi-language featureDes Hoyaa Pardes (2004) which was warmly received. She said she chose the part because upon reading the script, she identified a "tremendous scope for performance".[65] The film won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Punjabi.
Set inGoa between 1986 and 1994,Onir'sMy Brother Nikhil centers on the character of Nikhil (played bySanjay Suri), a young man who is tested HIV-positive. Chawla co-starred as Anamika Kapoor, a schoolteacher by profession and Nikhil's loving and supportive elder sister, who accepts his same-gender partner and stands by his side through his struggle. The film opened to a welcome reception by critics, and Chawla's performance was particularly praised.[60]Khalid Mohamed was highly approving of her portrayal: "Above all, Juhi Chawla is perfect. 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."[66] She starred alongsideIrfan Khan in7½ Phere.Hindustan Times commended her comic performance.[67]
In 2006, she appeared in the ensemble dramaSalaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love directed byNikhil Advani.[68] She collaborated with Onir once again with in the dramaBas Ek Pal (2006) alongsideUrmila Matondkar and Sanjay Suri. She played Ira Malhotra, a battered wife who refuses to leave her possessive husband for religious reasons. The film opened to positive reviews.[69] Subhash K. Jha wrote of Chawla that she "uses her ability to portray hurt and guilt with minimum effort."[70] The same year she starred in another Punjabi film, the historical dramaWaris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris, which won a National Film Award. According to theBBC, the film "bears the hallmarks of a quality production".[71] The film is based on the life of Punjabi poetWaris Shah during the times he wrote the poemHeer.[72][73]
Chawla andManoj Bajpayee played a married couple inGanesh Acharya's dramaSwami (2007), which follows their financial struggles to secure proper education for their intelligent son. Reviews of the film were varied.[74] Tanveer Bookwala of Rediff appreciated the film for its simple story and for giving the lead pair "the chance to be unconventional and subtle and they do not fail to deliver."[75]
Chawla then appeared in Ravi Chopra'sBhoothnath (2008) withAmitabh Bachchan, in which she made her singing debut with the song "Chalo Jaane Do", the film was a moderate success and Chawla was appreciated for her role. Manish Gajjar fromBBC wrote, "Juhi Chawla's brilliant comic timing as Banku's mum has you in stitches."[76] Another film calledKrazzy 4 withIrfan Khan andArshad Warsi was released in 2008, the film failed to do well at the box office. In 2009, she appeared in a cameo appearance inLuck By Chance to play a comic part for which she dyed her hair blonde. The film and Chawla's performance got highly positive reviews and got a good opening at the box office.[77]
Chawla starred in Onir's critically acclaimedanthology filmI Am (2010). Unfolded in several chapters, the film starred Chawla alongsideManisha Koirala in an episode named "I Am Megha". She played the title role of aKashmiri Pandit who travels back to her hometown inSrinagar, having been driven out of it years ago.[78] For her performance, Chawla was awarded the Best Actress award at the 13thLondon Asian Film Festival and Award for Excellence in Hindi Cinema at the Asiavision Movie Awards.[79] Her performance also earned her a nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.Rajeev Masand wrote, "Juhi Chawla is a portrait of suppressed vulnerability as she confronts her feelings about an old home and an old friend."[80]
Chawla next starred in the action comedySon of Sardaar (2012) oppositeSanjay Dutt, which was poorly received by critics.Live Mint called it "the worst portrayal ofPunjabiyat in Hindi cinema", although it referred to her part as "the only unique role in the film" and further noted, "An actor with proven talent for comedy, Chawla makes Pammi, her character, pathetic as well as feisty."[81] The film earned₹169.98 crore (US$20 million) worldwide.[82]
After a period of limited work in films, Chawla made a comeback in 2014 withGulaab Gang opposite her once-archrivalMadhuri Dixit. The film, in which Chawla and Dixit played ruthless political rivals, marked Chawla's role as an antagonist. Her portrayal of Sumitra Devi, a shrewd and conniving politician, was widely appreciated by critics.[83]Shubhra Gupta ofThe Financial Times described her character as "the sort of politician that men have played for ever: hungry for power, will stop at nothing, not even murder and mayhem. She rules with an iron fist and a sneer."[84]Hindustan Times wrote, "An effective hero needs a larger-than-life villain. In this case, it is Juhi Chawla who marries her sister to a rapist and apparently killed her husband to get political power. Like most corrupt politicians we see onscreen, she is an opportunist who lusts for power. It speaks well about her acting prowess that we come to hate the otherwise effervescent Juhi in this film."[85]Anupama Chopra wrote, "Her perverse wickedness is the best part of the film", but called it a "a one-note character".[86] Rajeev Masand called her "terrific" in the part and concluded a scathing review of the film asserting, "if you must watch this film, watch it for Juhi Chawla's inspired performance."[87] She received a second Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress.[88] The same year she also appeared withHelen Mirren andOm Puri in a guest role in theSteven Spielberg-produced Hollywood filmThe Hundred Foot Journey.[89]
In 2016, she starred in the woman-centric dramaChalk n Duster withShabana Azmi. The film received mixed reviews from critics and Chawla's performance was well received. In a critical review forThe Hindu,Namrata Joshi noted "Azmi and Chawla who, with their dignified presence and easy camaraderie stop you from heading to the exit door."[90] Rohit Vats ofHindustan Times liked the film for its "well told ethics versus greed story" and mentioned Chawla's heartwarming presence.[91] In 2017, she played an Indian defence minister in theAlt Balaji web seriesThe Test Case.[92]
Chawla starred in the web seriesHush Hush, which released onAmazon Prime Video in 2022.[93]
In 1998, Chawla participated in aconcert tour entitledAwesome Foursome alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Akshay Kumar across the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.[94]
In 2009, Chawla featured as a talent judge, for the third season ofSony Entertainment Television India's dance reality show,Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa alongsideSaroj Khan andVaibhavi Merchant.[95] In 2011, she hosted Colors's kid's chat-show Badmaash Company- Ek Shararat Hone Ko Hai.[96]
In 2008, Chawla, in partnership with Shah Rukh Khan and her husbandJay Mehta, acquired ownership rights for the franchise representingKolkata in theTwenty20 cricket tournamentIndian Premier League (IPL) forUS$75.09 million, and named the teamKolkata Knight Riders (KKR).[97] The team won in2012[98] and repeated the feat in2014.[99]
Delhi High Court imposed a₹20 lakh fine on Chawla after it found a lawsuit filed by Chawla against the setting up of5G wireless networks to be 'frivolous'. The fine was later reduced to ₹2 lakh.[100][101][102]
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Chawla married industrialistJay Mehta in 1995. The couple has two children. In an interview Chawla revealed that her daughter Jhanvi wants to be a writer, instead of joining films.[103]
Her brother Bobby Chawla was the CEO ofRed Chillies Entertainment. He suffered a massive stroke in 2010 after a dinner party.[104] After being in coma for about four years, he died on 9 March 2014. Her sister, Sonia, died of cancer on 30 October 2012.[105] Chawla is avegetarian.[106]
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Chawla is considered in the media as one of the most popular actresses of Bollywood.[107]India Today named her in their "Top Bollywood Actresses" list.[108] Chawla appeared inBox Office India's "Top Actresses" list from 1992 to 1997.[109] She was also placed inTimes of India's "50 Beautiful Faces" list.[110] In 2024, Chawla became the richest actress in India, with a net worth of₹4,600 crore (US$540 million). In 2025, several websites reported her net worth to be₹7,790 crore (US$920 million).[111][112]
As an actor, throughout most of her early career, she was particularly recognised for her comic timing and vivacious on-screen persona.[27][46] Despite her success, Chawla has faced periods of commercial decline.[113][47] Asked about some of the commercial flunctuations in her career, Chawla attributed them to wrong choices.[113] Following the birth of her daughter and amidst the poor box-office performance of Chawla's work in the early 2000s, Chawla took a short break from acting in 2001 and spoke of her intention to come back with more serious roles.[47] Eventually she felt her new choices had given her a new identity and constant interest.[114] Several outlets noted her transition to serious cinema.[59] Chawla said that with films like3 Deewarein andMy Brother Nikhil she received satisfaction as an actor.[115]
Chawla has received twoFilmfare Awards. She won theBest Female Debut forQayamat Se Qayamat Tak andBest Actress forHum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke. She received six more Best Actress nominations forQayamat Se Qayamat Tak,Pratibandh,Bol Radha Bol,Darr,Daraar andYes Boss. In addition to this, she receivedBest Supporting Actress nomination forI Am andGulaab Gang.[116]
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| Preceded by Rekha Hande | Miss India 1984 | Succeeded by |
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