Bhubaneswar: Meenakshi Seshadri was bollywood’s leading and bankable lady of the decade 1980 to 1990. An actress par excellence and a remarkable dancer, the chirpy Shahensah’s heroine has also been a beauty queen, too.
The profoundness of Meenakshi Seshadri is, she was not just another actress but a cultural icon who redefined the nuances of acting and dancing in Hindi films ranging from blockbuster "Hero, to women centric movies like "Dehleez," "Aawargi," "Damini," and other hits like Shahenshah opposite Amitabh Bachchan and Ghayal.
Born on November 16, 1963, the dancing diva Meenakshi Seshadri turned 61 today.
MEENAKSHI NOT HER REAL NAME
The glamorous star actress was born as Shashikala Seshadri into a Tamil family. Her dexterity in Hindi is courtesy her birthplace – Sindri, Bihar, (now in Jharkhand). In fact, her parents had moved over to Sindri as her father had got an appointment at the Sindri Fertilizer Plant.
The fine Hindi accent of the dove-eyed Meenakshi goes to her schooling at Carmel Convent School, New Delhi.
MEENAKSHI: DANCER FIRST ?
Though she became a celebrrated dancer after becoming Meenakshi Seshadri, the fact is she had been a connoisseur of Indian classical dance when she was Sashikala.
From a very young age, Meenakshi was drawn to the arts, particularly dance. She is a trained dancer in four Indian classical dance forms: Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Odissi, under the tutelage of Vempati Chinna Satyam and Jaya Rama Rao. She presented her scintillating peroformances on the satge of Konark Amphitheatre during the 2024 Konark Dance Festival.
Meenakshi has been a skilled dancer and performed on stages across the world. Her performances at various dance festivals, especially Khajuraho Dance Festival in the 1990s, earned rave reviews.
DEBUT IN TINSEL TOWN?
The journey of a girl with infectious smile and quiet wisdom began with her winning the Eve's Weekly Miss India crown at a tender age of 17 in year 1981. She was representing India at the Miss International pageant in Tokyo. This early achievement was a harbinger of the success that was a trail blazer to her cinematic career.
Meenakshi made her acting debut with Manoj Kumar's "Painter Babu" opposite Rajiv Goswami, brother of Manoj Kumar, in 1983. Her debut film was a mega flop. But Meenakshi made her mark and cinephiles were impressed for her performances in the song "Hamka Le chal yara thandi thandi nahar ke kinare," which went on to become a cult classic song and a customary song of every marriage function for a long time.
THE ‘HERO’ MOMENT
The same year, Subhash Ghai re-introduced her in "Hero," which catapulted her to stardom and she became immensely popular. Her natural acting skills and her ability to dance with such fluidity and grace made her most sought after actress among directors and cinephiles, alike.
In an interview to Lehren, the cult actress Meenakshi Seshadri revealed, "Hero was our second film. Film pundits found our pairing quite strange, because they observed that Jackie is so westernised, his style is different... and I (Meenakshi) is more like a ‘Bharatiya naari’. How will this film be made?
However, Meenakshi said, “Everybody had to eat their words because Subhash Ghai knew exactly what he was doing there.” The film was a blockbuster.
“ICE MAIDEN” STORY
The expressive actress had earned her nick name ‘Ice Maiden’ during the shooting of Hero. This is Meenakshi had said to Etimes some years ago.
“I was shooting under a very cold temperature in Ooty for the film Hero. The shooting was for the hit song “Nindiya Se Jaagi Bahaar” As per the song scene, I had to sit under a cold waterfall but she was feeling unwell that day. For which, she was sitting on her mother’s lap. As media was covering the shoot, journalists noticed me and inferred that Meenakshi doesn’t want to talk to anyone. She is an ‘Ice Maiden’,” she recalled and further added that the name gained popularity during her career in later years because, she didn’t have link-ups, boyfriends or affairs in the industry.
MEENAKSHI GOLDEN ERA
After the super success of Hero, she didn’t look back. In 1985, Meenakshi starred in Subhash Ghai's "Meri Jung," another defining film of her career, where she showcased her acting prowess alongside Anil Kapoor.
The following year, she appeared in "Swati," which provided her with a platform to portray a character with a strong moral compass, further establishing her as a versatile actress. She then starred in films like Awara Baap Dahleez (1986), Allah Rakha (1986), "Dacait (1987)," Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani (1988), Vijay (1988), Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati (1988) et al.
The late 1980s and early 90s saw Meenakshi in an array of roles in films like "Shahenshah (1988)," "Parivaar (1987)," "Joshilaay (1989)," "Bade Ghar Ki Beti (1989)," "Gharana (1989)," "Toofan' (1989), "Nache Nagin Gali Gali (1989)," "Bees Saal Baad (1989)," "Awaargi (1990)," "Ghar Ho To Aisa (1990)," "Amba (1990),"
The 1990 film Ghayal' (1990) is another landmark film in Meenakshi's career. Starring opposite Sunny Deol, the movie was a massive commercial success and won several awards. Her portrayal of a strong-willed woman facing tremendous challenges was highly praised.
In Mahesh Bhatt's action drama "Jurm' (1990)," Meenakshi delivered a captivating performance as the loving wife of a police officer who finds out that her husband is having an affair with the witness of a high-profile crime he was investigating. The movie's intricate plot and her intense acting made it a memorable addition to her filmography and got her a Filmfare Best Actress nomination.
DAMINI OF B-TOWN
The action of Meenakshi in "Damini (1993) has been of top class. The ease with which she played the titular character, and then who becomes a crusader for justice had been superb. This film is often cited as one of the most powerful performances by a female lead in Hindi films and earned her widespread acclaim.
Some of her other notable films include Ghar Parivar (1991), Akayla (1991), Aaj Ka Goonda Raj (1992), Police Aur Mujrim (1992), Kshatriya (1993), Aadmi Khilona Hai (1993), and Teri Payal Mere Geet (1993), among others.
MEENAKSHI HIT DANCE NUMBERS
As Meenakshi had been the dancing diva, some of her notable songs include the following
- "Tu Mera Hero Hai"
- "Pyar Karne Wale" (Hero)"
- "Rock’N’Roll (Main Balwaan)"
- "Tu Nache Main Gaoon (Parivaar)"
- “Teri Payal Mere Geet (Teri Payal Mere Geet)"
- "Jaane Do Jaane Do (Shahenshah)"
- "Tota Mera Tota Main To Teri Ho Gayi (Aaj ka Goondaraj)
- "Teri Payal Baji Jahan (Bade Ghar Ki Beti)"
- "Bin Saajan Jhula (Damini,"
- "Mile Man Se Yeh Man"
- "Kaise Din Beete Koi Jatan Bataja" (Nache Nagin Gali Gali),
- "Sajan Mera Uss Par Hai"(Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati)"
- "Bali Umar Ne Mera Haal Woh Kiya," (Awaargi)"
- "Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye (Jurm)"
- "Badan Main Chandni (Ghatak)"
GOODBYE TO B-TOWN
'Ghatak,' in 1996 was her last film. Meenakshi decided to step away from the limelight to focus on her family. After a successful career in Bollywood, Meenakshi Seshadri took a break from the limelight to focus on her personal life. She married Harish Mysore in 1995 and moved to the United States. She embraced the roles of a mother and an entrepreneur.
