In the 2000s, Tandon ventured intoarthouse cinema with roles in the 2001 filmsDaman andAks, both of which garnered her critical acclaim, winning theNational Film Award for Best Actress for the former and aFilmfare Special Performance Award for the latter. Post her marriage with film distributorAnil Thadani, Tandon took a break from films. She intermittently appeared on television with shows like theSahara One dramaSahib Biwi Gulam (2004), the dance reality showChak De Bachche (2008) and talk showsIsi Ka Naam Zindagi (2012) andSimply Baatien with Raveena (2014). After several years of hiatus, Tandon starred in the thrillerMaatr (2017) and received praise for her leading role in theNetflix crime thriller seriesAranyak (2021), winning aFilmfare OTT Award for Best Actress.[7] Tandon had a supporting role in her highest-grossing release,K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022).[8]
Tandon is also an environmentalist and has worked withPETA since 2002. Tandon has four children, two adopted and two with her husband.
In an interview withRediff Tandon stated, "I never thought I would become an actress. I was an intern at Genesis PR, helping [ad-man] Prahlad Kakkar, when friends and people around me started complimenting my looks. But [photographer-director] Shantanu Sheorey gave me the first break. He called and said he wanted to shoot with me. That was the time when models were becoming actors. I refused film offers. Prahlad kept saying millions of people are waiting for this chance and you keep refusing it. So I thought there is nothing to lose. Then Patthar Ke Phool happened."[14]
The year 1994 proved to be a turning point in her career with ten releases.Of theseDilwale oppositeAjay Devgn,[20]Aatish: Feel the Fire oppositeSanjay Dutt,[21]Laadla oppositeAnil Kapoor,[22] andMohra oppositeAkshay Kumar,[23] emerged as the highest grossing films of the year.[24]Andaz Apna Apna oppositeAamir Khan underperformed at the box office, but developed a cult following over the years since its release.[25] Among these,Mohra became Tandon's breakthrough particularly due to her dance in the songs, "Too Cheez Badi Hain" and "Tip Tip Barsa Pani".[26]
In 1999, Tandon appeared opposite Govinda inAnari No.1, a commercial success.[37] She then appeared in the Kannada filmUpendra oppositeUpendra, which also became a box office success.[38] A critic fromSify stated, "Raveena is adequate in her role and adds glamour to her role with rich costumes.".[39] Tandon then received praises for her portrayal inShool oppositeManoj Bajpayee, which later became a cult film.[40] Anil Nair ofRediff.com was appreciative of Tandon's "subdued and convincing no-frills job".[41]
Critical acclaim, hiatus and television (2000-2015)
In the 2000s, Tandon ventured into art house productions, to learn a realistic way of acting, and rejected several mainstream film offers. Tandon worked in films such asBulandi (2000) andAks (2001), which won her critical acclaim. She won several awards as well as theFilmfare Special Performance Award for her performance inRakeysh Omprakash Mehra'sAks.[42] A critic fromThe Hindu stated, "Raveena comes up with a gripping portrayal of a bar girl".[43]
Her years in the industry paid off when she won the covetedNational Film Award for Best Actress for her performance inKalpana Lajmi'sDaman: A Victim of Marital Violence (2001), where she played a battered wife to an abusive husband.[44] She surprised critics and audiences with her performance in the film and received appreciation for her work. CriticTaran Adarsh said: "Raveena Tandon lends credibility to the role of a battered wife and walks away with the honours. The pathos she conveys through her expressions makes you realise that she's a performer of substance".[45]
Since then, she has starred in a number of critically acclaimed films, such asSatta (2003)[46] andDobara (2004), but has not had much box office success. Her role as a middle-class woman thrust into the world of politics in the former was praised. Critic Taran Adarsh wrote: "Raveena Tandon delivers a bravura performance. The actress takes giant strides as a performer, giving the right touches to her character. Here's a performance that's bound to be noticed".[47] Her role as a schizophrenic inDobara was also praised with one critic saying: "Raveena is in sync with her character, playing her part with elaan".[48] Tandon also worked in theSahara One television seriesSahib Biwi Gulam, based on the 1953Bengali novelSaheb Bibi Golam byBimal Mitra.[49] Her only release in 2006 wasSandwich which opened to poor reviews and reception. After doing several films, she took a break from actively appearing in films.[50] During this period, her only major appearance was in the Telugu filmPandavulu Pandavulu Tummeda oppositeMohan Babu, which was a box office success.[51][52]
During her break from films, Tandon actively appeared on television. In 2014, she judged season 1 ofCEO's Got Talent onCNBC TV18 withMahesh Bhatt and Raj Nayak.[53] She later hostedIssi Ka Naam Zindagi andSimply Baatien with Raveena.[54][55] In 2015, she made a comeback to Bollywood in longtime friendAnurag Kashyap's magnum opusBombay Velvet. Playing a sultry jazz singer, her brief performance was highly praised by critics.[56] Following this, Tandon became a judge forSabse Bada Kalakar andNach Baliye 9.[57][58]
Intermittent work and streaming projects (2017-present)
Following a three year hiatus from films, Tandon had two releases in 2017. InMaatr, she played a mother who seeks revenge for her daughter's rape. Udita Jhunjhunwala noted, "Tandon internalises the horror and conveys the pain through her eyes, which turn fiery once she tastes first blood. She’s most convincing as the caring mother and teacher."[59] It emerged a moderate success at the box office.[60] Her next release of the year was Onir'sShab, where she plays a socialite.[61] In 2019, she appeared in the song "Sheher Ki Ladki" fromKhandaani Shafakhana.[62] In 2021, Tandon made her web debut withAranyak, where she played a police officer.[7]Shubhra Gupta stated, "Raveena is unafraid of appearing uncouth and crude, and is able to toughen up and soften when the occasion demands, even if the unsophisticated accent slips".[63]
Tandon made her debut in Kannada films withKGF: Chapter 2, playing the Prime Minister. A commercial success, it becamethird highest-grossing Indian film of all time.[8][64] Janani K felt that she delivers an "earnest performance".[65] In 2023, she played a gynaecologist whose husband cheats on her inOne Friday Night, oppositeMilind Soman.[66] Abhishek Srivastava noted, "Raveena's portrayal of Lata is commendable with a sincere performance, but one wonder why she didn't lend her voice to the film."[67]
Tandon appeared in two films and one series in 2024. She first played a lawyer oppositeManav Vij inPatna Shuklla.[68] In her next filmGhudchadi, she appeared oppositeSanjay Dutt, playing a mother who falls in love with her daughter's boyfriend's father.[69] The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics.[70] She then appeared in the seriesKarmma Calling, playing the lead.[71][72] In 2025, she played a police officer's wife opposite Suniel Shetty inInn Galiyon Mein.[73]
Tandon was the chairperson of theChildren's Film Society of India from 2003,[74] but from 2004 the actress began to get complaints that she did not attend the organisation's meetings and that she was not involved with the activities set up by the society. In September 2005, Tandon resigned from her post citing personal reasons.[75]
In November 2005, Tandon sued the websites,Shaadi.com andShaaditimes.com, claiming that they were using unauthorised images of her to promote the site. She also sued the owner of Satyanet Solutions, as they claimed that Tandon and her husband had met through the website.[76]
As part of her charity work, she appeared in the music video "Betiyaan" (Save the Girl Child), sung byShankar Mahadevan,Sunidhi Chauhan andSonu Nigam.[79] In 2023, she became the first person from the entertainment industry, chosen to be a delegate at W20, the Women's empowerment engagement wing atG20 New Delhi summit.[80][81]
Tandon adopted two girls, Pooja and Chhaya, as a single mother in 1995 when they were 11 and 8-years-old, respectively.[82] During late 90s, Tandon was dating actorAkshay Kumar and had announced him as her boyfriend. Although they were engaged, they later parted ways.[83][84]
Tandon began dating film distributor Anil Thadani, during the making of her filmStumped (2003). Their engagement was announced in November 2003.[85] She married Thadani on 22 February 2004 inJag Mandir Palace,Udaipur, Rajasthan according toPunjabi Khatri andSindhi traditions.[86] Tandon gave birth to her daughter Rasha, in March 2005.[87] In July 2008, she gave birth to her son Ranbirvardhan.[88][89]
Tandon has often been regarded as one of the most popular and great actresses of the 1990s.[90] Devesh Sharma ofFilmfare stated, "Tandon was one of the most vivacious actresses to have graced the silver screen."[91]Rediff.com noted, "Ravishing and Raveena are synonymous with each other."[92]Outlook India noted, "Tandon's filmography boasts of commercial entertainers as well as offbeat movies."[93]Times Now termed the actress "ravishing and rebellious".[94] Throughout her career, Tandon was widely known for her dance numbers. Praising her dance,Filmfare noted, "A natural dancer who radiated oomph by the bucket, Raveena literally set the silver screen on fire with her moves".[91][95]
Tandon termed her performance inShool andDaman: A Victim of Marital Violence, as the films that changed the perception of the audience. She added, "People took me seriously as an actor afterShool andDaman. I was being perceived only as a 'pretty face' until these films showcased my acting capabilities."[96] One of the highest paid actress of the 90s, Tandon appeared onBox Office India's "Top Actresses" list of 1994.[97] She appeared onForbes India'sCelebrity 100 list of 2019, ranking 89th, with an estimated annual income of₹24 million (US$280,000).[98]Rediff.com placed Tandon in their "Best Bollywood Actresses" list of 2002 and 2021.[99][100]Times of India placed her at 10th position in its "50 Beautiful Faces" list.[101] Tandon is a celebrity endorser for brands including iAir,Lux,7 Up andEmami.[102][103] In 2016, RapperBadshah used Tandon's name in his song "Kar Gayi Chull", from the filmKapoor & Sons.[104] In 2022, she was placed inOutlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" list.[105] In 2023, theGovernment of India honoured Tandon with thePadma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, for her contribution toIndian cinema.[106]
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