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Mallika
Sherawat
Date of Birth 24 October 1972, Rohtak, Haryana, India
Birth Name Reema Lambha
Nickname Bollywood's Kissing Queen
Height5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Bears a resemblance to actress Halle Berry.
Has a degree in Philosophy from Miranda House, Delhi
University.
Some of her favorite films are Sholay (1975), Silsila
(1981) and Masoom (1983).
Is the first Indian woman to get an offer to pose nude for
Playboy magazine and appear on the cover. Mallika turned
down the offer in an attempt to avoid the risk of being
blacklisted in the Indian film industry.
The cost of the diamonds that Mallika wore at the Cannes
Film Festival 2005 was Rs 45 million. They were sponsored
by Orra Diamonds. Nine sets of jewelery were especially
designed for Mallika, including diamond studded necklaces,
bracelets and earrings.
Changed her name from Reema Lamba to Mallika Sherawat when
she did her first film, Khwahish (2003). She claims to
have changed it because there were already too many
actresses in the industry with similar names like Reema
Sen, Raima Sen, and Rimii Sen.
She accepted the Advisory Board membership of the Asian
Academy of film and television supporting the film
education in India.
In April 2006, Mallika went on her first world tour of
concert performances called Rock Stars along with Salman
Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Zayed Khan, Esha Deol,
and John Abraham.
Turned down the role of Sira in Private Moments (2005).
Although little about her past is known, she has admitted
that she was once married prior to entering the film
industry.
Listed as number 9 of 'Top Bollywood Actresses' of 2006. (rediff.com,
8-25- 2006)
Listed #4 by UK magazine Eastern Eye one of "Asia's
Sexiest Women" (Sept/2006).
Her performance at the televised 2006 New Year's Eve show
at the hotel J.W. Marriot, in Mumbai, caused social
activist Vinod Jain to urge police to take immediate
action against the actress for wearing suggestive
clothing. Mallika was dressed in a body-hugging skin suit
and a silver bikini to top it. He said that Mallika's
dancing was distasteful and and portrayed Indian women
indecently. Jain approached the Santa Cruz police station
about the matter, but they told him that no one filed a
complaint against her.
Was invited and attended the wedding of Princess Myasa,
King Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa's daughter, in Qatar.
Mallika is good friends with the Princess. (Jan 2007).
Is estranged from her parents and family, who are very
religious and don't agree with Mallika working in the
movies.
After graduating from college, Mallika got married to
Karan Singh Gill, a pilot for Jet Airways. The marriage
quickly ended in divorce. It was after the divorce that
Mallika, then known as Reema, decided to try her luck at
movies.
For a while, Mallika worked as an air hostess.
Personal Quotes
"I've slogged like crazy to get where I am. And those who
think it's just my body that got me where I am, they
should take a look at the others who have rushed in after
me. They haven't gone beyond their first feverish film".
"I have always looked up to Bipasha and she has certainly
opened a lot of doors for many actresses like us. But I
don't want to compete against anyone. I think I am one of
a kind".
"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."
"I would like to say I handle criticism well. In fact I
enjoy reading the comments of the critics. It's great to
have critics blasting you all the time. It keeps you on
your toes, spurs you, challenges you, makes you want to
get better. I take everything positively. There's so much
to learn and do." (Movie Mag International, September
2004)
On her film, The Myth (2005): I may not be here to
titillate, but I am not sorry if I have that edge. People
aren't coming to the theaters to see me in a burqa".
(Movie Mag International, September 2004)
"I had a song with Tusshar Kapoor in _Jeena Sirf Merre
Liye_(2002) and they cut it. I'm so happy nobody went to
the theaters to watch the film. The only people who must
have watched the film were Tusshar's family, my family and
Kareena's".(Stardust, March 2003)
"I graduated from Delhi, and came down to Bombay to try my
hand at films. I always wanted to be an actress. I'd ape
all the actresses before the mirror even when it was
forbidden in my community. Wide-eyed as I may sound, it's
a dream come true, yaar! I remember when I disclosed my
career option to my folks, all hell broke loose. My father
is a zamindar back home. So you can imagine all the fuss.
And my mom, she still wears a ghunghat." (Stardust, March
2003)
On attending the Cannes Film Festival: "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..." (Cine Bliitz magazine,
July 2005)
"Isn't it great that I evoke a reaction from people?
Whether it is good or bad is secondary. The thing is that
I like being myself. I find it very tiresome to put up a
fake smile, say the right things, be diplomatic. It's just
not in my personality to be like that." (Cine Bliitz
magazine, July 2005)
"Who cares what people say about me? I am right on the
ball. And I don't think one should take oneself too
seriously. Be like the laughing Buddha, I always say,
smile through life! It will immediately look better!"
(Cine Bliitz magazine, July 2005)
"I never wanted to belong to a crowd. I never had a herd
mentality...I always knew what I wanted and I made sure I
got it. And I always knew that I wanted to be an actress.
I exist because I can act. I will not sit here and say, 'Arrey,
by chance, offer aa gaya' (I got the offer by chance). No,
I made acting happen to me. The first opportunity I got to
act, I grabbed it. Nobody had even heard of me till a
couple of years ago. But it's by sheer hard work and focus
that I am here. Also, I think I chose the right scripts.
Like Robert De Niro says, 'Talent is in the choice you
make!'." (Cine Bliitz magazine, July 2005)
"My family doesn't understand the concept of going to
Cannes. My mother keeps telling all my relatives, 'Oh, woh
kahin gayi hain' (she has gone somewhere). I don't even
try and explain to her what Cannes was all about, because
she will not understand. When they saw my outfits, their
eyes popped out of thier sockets, that's what got their
attention!" (Cine Bliitz magazine, July 2005)
"If a chemical drug like Viagra is accepted by society and
by the world to ignite desire, then what is the problem
with my audio-visual drug called cinema which ignites
desire? Both are basically doing the same thing!" (Cine
Blitz magazine, May 2006)
On being criticized for doing kissing scenes: "For God's
sake, I am a young girl. Do I look like a nun to you? If
the hero can enjoy the kiss, why can't I? And to top it
all Himanshu (Khwahish (2003)) is very good looking." |
