Wikipedia

Vaishnavi Dhanraj

Vaishnavi Dhanraj (born 25 August 1988) is an Indian television and film actress. Best known for playing Inspector Tasha in Sony Entertainment Television's CID,[1] she was the protagonist in PK Lele A Salesman, an adult Hindi film in the sex comedy genre, in which she played the role of a rich girl called Mary Marlo.[2] She has also acted as Nirbhaya in Satyagraha on Aaj Tak,[3] Jahnvi in Na Aana Is Des Laado, Maya Thakur in Begusarai and Mahi Arora in Colors TV's Bepannah.

Vaishnavi Dhanraj
Born
Vaishnavi Bhoyar

(1988-08-25) 25 August 1988 (age 36)
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Occupation(s)Actress, Model
Years active2007–2023
Known for
Height5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2012; div. 2016)​
ParentDhanraj Bhoyar (father)
RelativesShantanu Bhoyar (brother)

Early life

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Vaishnavi was born in Nagpur and did her schooling from Blind Relief Association's Mundle High School.[4] After she graduated from Shivaji Science College, her family shifted to Kalyan in 2008. Vaishnavi's parents encouraged her artistic inclination and escorted her to her initial auditions.[citation needed] She was known as Vaishnavi Bhoyar during her student years.

Career

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Vaishnavi started her acting career in 2007 with a cameo in Kasautii Zindagii Kay.[citation needed] Taking note of her work in this show, the production house offered her the parallel lead in Karam Apnaa Apnaa in the same year. After acting in these two shows with the name Vaishnavi Bhoyar, she replaced her surname with her father's first name, Dhanraj, due to numerological reasons.[5] In June 2009, Vaishnavi joined CID (Episode 570) as a gun-toting detective named Inspector Tasha. For this show, Vaishnavi refused stunt doubles and performed all her stunts herself. CID launched her stardom and she became widely popular as Tasha. She was last seen in CID in Episode 678 as her character Tasha was murdered on duty. Before acting as Tasha, she also acted as Natalya in Episode 538 of CID

Her feisty performance in CID was instrumental in her winning the main protagonist's role in Na Aana Is Des Laado when the show took a time leap of 18 years in December 2010.[6] Vaishnavi played the character of Jhanvi, a feminist who fights for women's empowerment in rural India.[citation needed] In early 2012, Vaishnavi contemplated leaving Na Aana Is Des Laado and rejoining CID as she was dissatisfied with her role but the issue was settled amicably and she continued being a part of Laado until it ended in July 2012.[citation needed] Na Aana Is Des Laado was based on the issue of female foeticide.

After a brief hiatus following her marriage, Vaishnavi returned to television with Parvarrish – Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi on Sony T.V in May 2013.[7] She played the character of Meera Mathur, an immaculate and tranquil businesswoman, which was quite different from her previous roles.[citation needed] The show ended in August 2013, following which Vaishnavi was offered the main antagonist's role in Colors TV's Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon. Her dramatic entry scene in the show featured a stunt sequence in which Vaishnavi walked over a tightrope strung over a busy Mumbai street.[citation needed] She played Riya Jaiswal/Devika, a self-obsessed, struggling Bollywood actress.[8][9] Shortly after her entry, the show took a time leap of a few years, as a result of which Vaishnavi decided to quit the show in January 2014.[10][11] In 2015, she gained popularity From Playing Maya Mithlesh Thakur In Begusarai (TV series).

Within a week of her exiting Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, Vaishnavi signed up for Star Plus's epic Mahabharat, her first television show in the mythological genre.[12] Initially apprehensive about playing the mythical character of Hidimbaa, she took up the challenge and pulled off a critically acclaimed performance. This character required Vaishnavi to play a double role of an ugly demoness and a stunning enchantress. She later said in an interview that the heavy makeup required for the demoness look took over seven hours to apply, and that the weighty costumes made this shooting schedule one of her most unusual assignments ever.[13] Her stardom and popularity were furthered through this role.

In March 2014, Vaishnavi was approached by Indian news channel Aaj Tak to portray Nirbhaya in the channel's new social awareness series Satyagraha 2014. Aaj Tak's managing editor Supriya Prasad said that their motive was to create a pioneering show on television, and to trigger social change by bringing back Mahatma Gandhi's values of non-violence and the pursuit of truth.[14][15] Directed by Sunil Manchanda, this series appealed to the nation's conscience. Vaishnavi later said that this role was the most challenging and humbling experience of her career.[citation needed]

Over the years Vaishnavi has also acted in episodic shows including Kitchen Champion 4, India's Got Talent,[16][17] Crime Patrol, Hum Ne Li Hai- Shapath,[18] and Fear Files.

She was last seen playing the role of Mahi Arora in Colors TV's Bepannaah.

Personal life

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On 23 December 2012, Vaishnavi married Indian actor and model Nitin Sahrawat after a year of courtship. The two first met on the set of Nitin's show Kitni Mohabbat Hai Season 2.[citation needed] The ceremony was conducted in Shantikunj, Haridwar according to Vedic rituals.[citation needed] The wedding reception in Mumbai was attended by Vaishnavi's friends and co actors from her shows including Meghna Malik, Kritika Kamra, Dayanand Shetty, Hrishikesh Pandey and Simran Kaur.[19] For their honeymoon the couple backpacked across Western Ghats and stayed in a rustic hut on the Konkan coast for 12 days.[citation needed] The wedding was included in the list of biggest celebrity weddings of the year by the media.[20]

In March 2014 NDTV launched a new channel, NDTV Prime.[21] Nitin and Vaishnavi were the guests for the launch episode of NDTV Prime's The Getaway, in which the two were given a Hyundai Elantra which they then drove down to Kamshet. The theme of this episode being adventure, the couple then paraglided off the challenging Shelar's Site. This episode was shot at their Lokhandwala Complex home and also featured their pet Labrador Retriever Thor.[22]

Sahrawat and Dhanraj filed for legal separation in July 2015 and were divorced in January 2016, opting for a mutual and amicable divorce in Bandra family court. Emotional disconnect was cited as the reason for the parting. In December 2016, a Bollywood gossip website alleged that marital abuse was a reason for the divorce.[23]

Other work

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In 2011, Dhanraj wrote several blogs for The Times of India as part of the publication's series of celebrity blogs.[24]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role Ref.
2018 Vodka Diaries Ananya [25]
PK Lele A Salesman Mary Marlo [26]

Television

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Year Serial Role Ref.
2007 Kasautii Zindagii Kay
2007–2009 Karam Apnaa Apnaa Aastha Vivan Kapoor
2008 CID – Qatil Dank Natalya (Episode 538) First appearance in CID before joining CID as Inspector Tasha
2009–2010 CID Inspector Tasha Kumar [27]
2010–2012 Na Aana Is Des Laado Jhanvi Sangwan Singh Rana
2011 Kitchen Champion 4 Contestant
2012 Crime Patrol Nisha
Renu Gawde
2013 SuperCops Vs Super Villains Nayantara / Sakuna
2016–2017 Supercop Shaina
2013 Parvarrish – Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi Meera Siddharth Mathur
Savdhaan India Episode 451
Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon Riya Mehrotra
2014 Mahabharat Hidimbi [28]
Satyagraha Nirbhaya
The Getaway Herself
2015–2016 Begusarai Maya Mithilesh Thakur
2016 Beti Ka Farz Avantika
Sasural Simar Ka Kamya Raichand
Yeh Vaada Raha Iccha Sengupta
2017 Savdhaan India Episode 2142
Beyhadh Advocate Pooja Daschandni
2018 Bepannah Mahi Arora [29]
2019 Navrangi Re! Chitralekha
2021 Savdhaan India F.I.R. Inspector (Season 2 – Episode 26)
Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha Namrata Rawal Desai
2023 Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal Mehak Roy

References

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  1. ^ "Vaishnavi Tasha to die in CID". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  2. ^ "PK Lele A Salesman Movie Review". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Vaishnavi to recreate Nirbhaya". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  4. ^ New surname has brought me luck: Vaishnavi The Times of India, 21 December 2010
  5. ^ Elina Priyadarshini Nayak (21 December 2010). "Times Of India". Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  6. ^ Jayeeta Mazumder (16 December 2010). "Na Aana Is Des…Laado to take 18-year leap". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  7. ^ "Vaishanavi Dhanraj & Prashant Ranyal to enter Parvarrish". The Times of India. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Vaishnavi Dhanraj Enters Rk's Life as the New Girl in Madhubala-ek Ishq Ek Junoon". Television world. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Madhubala: Who is the new girl in RK's life". onenewspage.com. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  10. ^ "TV show Madhubala to take leap". NDTV. Indo-Asian News Service. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Vaishnavi Sahrawat aka Ria's christmas plans". metromasti.com. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  12. ^ Vijaya Tiwari (15 January 2014). "Not Pavitra Punia but Vaishnavi Dhanraj to enter Mahabharat". The Times of India. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  13. ^ "Vaishnavi Dhanraj to play Bheem's wife in Mahabharat". Punjabi Junktion. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  14. ^ "Aaj Tak launches new show 'Satyagraha – 2014'". bestmediainfo.com. BestMediaInfo Bureau. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Aaj Tak launches series on Mahatma Gandhi". Television Post. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  16. ^ "Dharamji shakes a leg with Vaishnavi Dhanraj on India's Got Talent 3 Grand Finale". bollycurry.com. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  17. ^ "Dharamji with Rashmi Desai, Dipika Samson and Vaishnavi Dhanraj on India's Got Talent 3 Grand Finale". bollycurry.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  18. ^ Abdul Rehman (1 May 2013). "Vaishnavi Dhanraj to play a super villain in Shapath". indiandrama.info. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Celebs attend actor-model Nitin Sahrawat's wedding reception". The Times of India. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  20. ^ "10 Biggest TV Celebrity Weddings This Year". idiva.com. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  21. ^ "SRK, Priyanka at the launch of NDTV Prime – India's first 2-in-1 channel". NDTV. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  22. ^ "The perfect weekend getaway near Mumbai". NDTV. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  23. ^ Lalwani, Vickey (6 December 2016). "TV Actress Vaishnavi Dhanraj Says Her Husband Beat Her Up Until Her Leg Bled!". SPOTBOYE. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  24. ^ "Here I am". The Times of India. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  25. ^ Vats, Rohit (19 January 2018). "Vodka Diaries movie review: Kay Kay Menon trips, so do we". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  26. ^ "PK Lele A Salesman Movie Review". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  27. ^ "CID trivia, quirks, facts and clichés we bet you didn't know". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  28. ^ "Mahabharat launced for the youth of the nation!". The Times of India. 15 September 2013. Archived from the original on 18 September 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  29. ^ "Two Years Of Bepannaah: Here's why the Harshad Chopda and Jennifer Winget starrer show is unparalleled!". Bollywood Hungama. 19 March 2020.
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