Juhi Chawla (born 13 November 1967) is an Indian actress, film producer and entrepreneur. She established herself as one of the leading actresses of Hindi cinema from the late 1980s through the early 2000s.
Recognised for her comic timing and vivacious on-screen persona, she is the recipient of
several accolades, including two
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
.
After winning the 1984
Miss India Miss India may refer to:
* Femina Miss India, the most prestigious and oldest surviving national beauty pageant in India that started in 1964. It sends its winner to Miss World.
* Miss Diva, the national beauty pageant that sends its winners to Miss ...
beauty pageant at age 16, Chawla made her acting debut with a brief appearance in the film ''
Sultanat'' (1986), and had her breakthrough role in the tragic romance film ''
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' (), also known by the initialism ''QSQT'', is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film, directed by Mansoor Khan, written and produced by Nasir Hussain, and starring Aamir Khan (in his leading film debut) a ...
'' (1988), which earned her the
Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut
The Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (previously known as Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year) is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films to recognise a performance by a female actor in their deb ...
. She propelled her career forward with starring roles in ''
Lootere
''Lootere'' (Translation: ''Robbers'') is a 1993 Bollywood action movie, written and directed by Dharmesh Darshan and produced by Suneel Darshan. The film featured Sunny Deol and Juhi Chawla, along with Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher and Chun ...
'' (1993), ''
Aaina'' (1993), ''
Darr
''Darr: A Violent Love Story'' ( ''Fear'') is a 1993 Indian romantic psychological thriller film directed and produced by Yash Chopra under his banner Yash Raj Films. The film stars Juhi Chawla, Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan with Anupam Kh ...
'' (1993), and ''
Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke
''Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke'' () is a 1993 Indian romantic comedy-drama film, directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Tahir Hussain, with screenplay written by Aamir Khan and Robin Bhatt, and with a musical score by Nadeem-Shravan. It stars Aamir ...
'' (1993), for which she won the
Filmfare Award for Best Actress
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Bollywood, Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first gi ...
. Further success came in 1997 with ''
Deewana Mastana
''Deewana Mastana'' is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by David Dhawan. The film stars Govinda (actor), Govinda, Anil Kapoor, and Juhi Chawla in pivotal roles. Johnny Lever, Anupam Kher, Reema Lagoo, Shakti Kapoor, Sae ...
'', ''
Yes Boss'', and ''
Ishq
Ishq ( ar, عشق, ''‘išq'') is an Arabic word meaning "love" or "passion", also widely used in other languages of the Muslim world and the Indian subcontinent.
The word ''ishq'' does not appear in the Quran, which instead uses derivatives o ...
''.
The following decade, Chawla was willing to play against type and began working with independent filmmakers in
art-house projects, garnering critical acclaim for her performances in ''
Jhankaar Beats
''Jhankaar Beats'' is a 2003 Indian musical comedy film written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh in his feature directorial debut and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications. It stars Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Suri, Rahul Bose, debutant Shayan Munshi, Rin ...
'' (2003), ''
3 Deewarein'' (2003), ''
My Brother Nikhil
My or MY may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* My (radio station), a Malaysian radio station
* Little My, a fictional character in the Moomins universe
* ''My'' (album), by Edyta Górniak
* ''My'' (EP), by Cho Mi-yeon
Business
* Mar ...
'' (2005), ''
I Am
I Am or I'm may refer to:
Language and literature
* " I Am that I Am", a common English translation of the response God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for His name
** I am (biblical term), a Christian term used in the Bible
* "I Am" (p ...
'' (2011) and ''
Gulaab Gang
''Gulaab Gang'' () is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action drama film centered on the struggle of women in India, directed by Soumik Sen and produced by Sohum Shah and Anubhav Sinha. It stars Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla in lead roles, marki ...
'' (2014). Moreover, she starred in several Punjabi films, including the biopics ''
Shaheed Udham Singh'' (2000), ''
Des Hoyaa Pardes
''Des Hoyaa Pardes'' is a 2004 Indian Punjabi language, Punjabi-language film, directed by Manoj Punj, starring Gurdas Maan, Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta and Anup Soni. It won the National Film Awards, National Award for National Film Award for Best ...
'' (2004), ''
Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris'' (2006) and ''
Sukhmani – Hope for Life
''Sukhmani – Hope for Life'' () is a 2010 Indian Punjabi-language film directed by Manjeet Maan and starring Gurdas Maan, Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta and Bhagwant Mann. It was produced by Gurdas, Manjeet's husband, and their son Gurikk Maan. It ...
'' (2010).
Chawla has been married to industrialist
Jay Mehta
Jay Mehta (born 18 January 1961) is an Indian businessman and entrepreneur. He is the son of Mahendra Mehta and Sunayana Mehta and grandson of Nanji Kalidas Mehta, who own the Mehta Group which is spread over Africa, India, Canada and United ...
since 1995, with whom she has two children. Along with her husband and
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
, she is the co-owner of the
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League (IPL), also known as TATA IPL for sponsorship reasons, is a men's T20 franchise cricket league of India. It is annually contested by ten teams based out of seven Indian cities and three Indian states. The leagu ...
cricket team
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are a franchise cricket team representing the city of Kolkata in the Indian Premier League. The franchise is owned by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, actress Juhi Chawla and her spouse Jay Mehta. The Knight Riders ...
. Along with Khan, she co-founded the production company
Dreamz Unlimited
Red Chillies Entertainment is an Indian visual effects, production and distribution company established by actor Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan in 2002. It was transformed from the defunct Dreamz Unlimited. Based in Mumbai, the studio' ...
, which produced three films, starting with their self-starring ''
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani
''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language satirical film released by Dreamz Unlimited (now Red Chillies Entertainment). The producers derived the title from lines of the song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" from '' Shree 420'' ...
'' (2000). Among her television work, she was a talent judge on
the third season of the dance reality show ''
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa
''Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'' is an Indian Hindi-language reality television show and the Indian version of BBC's '' Strictly Come Dancing'' and '' Dancing with the Stars''. The show pairs celebrities with professional dancers. Each couple performs pr ...
''.
Early life
Juhi Chawla was born on 13 November 1967 and raised in
Ambala
Ambala () is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-are ...
,
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Her father was an officer of the
Indian Revenue Service
The Indian Revenue Service (IAST: ), often abbreviated as IRS, is an Indian government agency that is primarily responsible for collecting and administering direct and indirect taxes. As a central civil service under Group A of the executiv ...
(IRS). She completed her schooling at
Fort Convent School, Bombay (present-day Mumbai), and graduated from
Sydenham College
Sydenham College of Economics is a college located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is affiliated to the Dr. Homi Bhabha State University. The college offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in management. It was awarded a re-accreditat ...
,
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. Chawla was the winner of the
Miss India Miss India may refer to:
* Femina Miss India, the most prestigious and oldest surviving national beauty pageant in India that started in 1964. It sends its winner to Miss World.
* Miss Diva, the national beauty pageant that sends its winners to Miss ...
title in 1984.
[Juhi Chawla - Femina 1990-1981! Contestants - Indiatimes.com](_blank)
Feminamissindia.indiatimes.com (28 April 2011). Retrieved on 23 December 2013. She also won the Best Costume Award at the
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...
contest in
1984.
Career
1980s: Debut and breakthrough
Her first major role in Bollywood was in ''
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' (), also known by the initialism ''QSQT'', is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film, directed by Mansoor Khan, written and produced by Nasir Hussain, and starring Aamir Khan (in his leading film debut) a ...
'' in 1988, in which she starred with
Aamir Khan
Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian ci ...
. The film, a modern-day adaption of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Romeo and Juliet
''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
'', was both a major critical and commercial success, with Khan and Chawla becoming "overnight stars". It won the
Filmfare Award for Best Film
The Filmfare Award for Best Film is given by the '' Filmfare'' magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.
The award was first given in 1954. Here is a list of the award winners and the nominees of the respective years. E ...
, and Chawla became the first actress to win the
Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year, also receiving her first nomination for
Best Actress
Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...
. Chawla's pairing with Aamir Khan and their on-screen chemistry was often cited by the media as successful.
The film has since attained a cult status, with ''
The Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
'' ranking it amongst 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". Premankur Biswas of ''
First Post
''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC-TV18.
The ''Network 18'' group was originally owned by Raghav ...
'' 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".
1990s: Success and stardom
In 1990, she starred in ''
Pratibandh
''Pratibandh'' is a 1990 Hindi-language action film directed by Ravi Raja Pinisetty and starring Chiranjeevi, Juhi Chawla and Rami Reddy (actor), Rami Reddy. The film marked the Bollywood debut of leading Telugu cinema, Telugu film star Chiranjeev ...
''. She also received her second Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for the film. Her other releases that year included the family drama ''
Swarg
''Swarg'' () is a 1990 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by David Dhawan, released in 1990. It stars Rajesh Khanna, Govinda, Juhi Chawla, Madhavi in lead roles. Swarg is the fourth last certified hit of Rajesh Khanna, as this was follo ...
'' alongside
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna () (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. He is called as the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema", he consecutively starred in a record ...
and
Govinda
Govinda (), also rendered Govind and Gobind, is an epithet of Vishnu which is also used for his avatars such as Krishna. The name appears as the 187th and the 539th name of Vishnu in '' Vishnu Sahasranama''. The name is also popularly addresse ...
, which marked the first of several collaborations with director
David Dhawan
David Dhawan (born Rajinder Dhawan; 16 August 1951) is an Indian director of Hindi films. A member of the Dhawan family, he has directed over 42 films. The 1993 action thriller '' Aankhen'' and 1999 comedy '' Biwi No.1'' earned him two Filmfar ...
. In 1992, she appeared in ''
Bol Radha Bol
''Bol Radha Bol'' is a 1992 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film directed by David Dhawan, starring Juhi Chawla and Rishi Kapoor. Chawla received her third Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination for her performance.
Plot
Kishen Malho ...
'' alongside
Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Raj Kapoor (4 September 1952 — 30 April 2020) was an Indian actor, film director and producer who worked in Hindi films
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry base ...
, for which she received her third Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Another pairing with Aamir Khan in ''
Daulat Ki Jung'' resulted in negative reviews.
In 1993, Chawla appeared in four films.
Her first release was ''
Lootere
''Lootere'' (Translation: ''Robbers'') is a 1993 Bollywood action movie, written and directed by Dharmesh Darshan and produced by Suneel Darshan. The film featured Sunny Deol and Juhi Chawla, along with Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher and Chun ...
'', directed by
Dharmesh Darshan
Dharmesh Darshan is an Indian filmmaker, film director and writer who works in Bollywood.
Early life
Dharmesh was born Dharmesh Sabharwal, the son of film producer Darshan Sabharwal by his wife Sheila, who is the elder sister of filmmakers Mah ...
and starring
Sunny Deol
Ajay Singh Deol (born 19 October 1956), better known by his stage name Sunny Deol, is an Indian actor, film director, producer, politician and current Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur (Lok Sabha constituency) of Punjab, India. As an actor, ...
,
Naseeruddin Shah,
Chunkey Pandey
Suyash Panday (born 26 September 1962), better known by his stage name Chunky Panday, is an Indian actor who works in Bollywood films. He has appeared in over 100 films in a career that has spanned over three decades.
His most successful film ...
and
Anupam 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. She was cast in two movies produced by
Yash Chopra
Yash Raj Chopra (27 September 1932 21 October 2012) was an Indian film director and film producer who worked in Hindi cinema. The founding chairman of the film production and distribution company Yash Raj Films, Chopra was the recipient of ...
. The first was ''
Aaina'', which saw Chawla and
Amrita Singh play sisters falling for the same man, played by
Jackie Shroff. Her third film that year was
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is ''Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
's romantic comedy ''
Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke
''Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke'' () is a 1993 Indian romantic comedy-drama film, directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Tahir Hussain, with screenplay written by Aamir Khan and Robin Bhatt, and with a musical score by Nadeem-Shravan. It stars Aamir ...
'' opposite
Aamir Khan
Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian ci ...
, which was a success with both critics and audiences.
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.
Writing for ''
The Indian Express
''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split betw ...
'',
Udaya Tara Nayar noted that she played her role "to perfection".
She won a
Filmfare Award for Best Actress
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Bollywood, Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first gi ...
for her work.
The last film she appeared in that year was the thriller ''
Darr
''Darr: A Violent Love Story'' ( ''Fear'') is a 1993 Indian romantic psychological thriller film directed and produced by Yash Chopra under his banner Yash Raj Films. The film stars Juhi Chawla, Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan with Anupam Kh ...
'', 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 the
. 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.
Subsequently, she played leading roles in several films, most notably as Saraswati in
David Dhawan
David Dhawan (born Rajinder Dhawan; 16 August 1951) is an Indian director of Hindi films. A member of the Dhawan family, he has directed over 42 films. The 1993 action thriller '' Aankhen'' and 1999 comedy '' Biwi No.1'' earned him two Filmfar ...
's ''
Andaz'' (1994), Laxmi in Surendra Kumar Bohra's ''
Saajan Ka Ghar
''Saajan Ka Ghar'' is a 1994 Indian Bollywood film directed by Surendra Kumar Bohra. It stars Juhi Chawla and Rishi Kapoor in pivotal roles.
The whole film revolves around Juhi's character. Juhi has once again proved her acting talent in the fi ...
'' (1994), Bela in Rajiv Mehra's ''
Ram Jaane
''Ram Jaane'' () is a 1995 Indian Hindi action thriller film directed by Rajiv Mehra about an unnamed kid (portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan) who grows up to become a gangster. He uses the name Ram Jaane after meeting with a priest who in response t ...
'' (1995), Sandhya in ''
Naajayaz
''Naajayaz'' () is a 1995 Indian action thriller film directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced on a budget of 26.8 million. It was a critical and commercial success. It stars Ajay Devgn, Naseeruddin Shah, Juhi Chawla, Deepak Tijori, Gulshan Grover, ...
'' (1995), which marked one of her rare collaborations with
Ajay Devgn
Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi cinema. Devgn has appeared in over a hundred films and has won numerous accolades, including four ...
, and Kiran in
David Dhawan
David Dhawan (born Rajinder Dhawan; 16 August 1951) is an Indian director of Hindi films. A member of the Dhawan family, he has directed over 42 films. The 1993 action thriller '' Aankhen'' and 1999 comedy '' Biwi No.1'' earned him two Filmfar ...
and
Boney Kapoor
Achal Surinder "Boney" Kapoor (born 11 November 1955) is an Indian producer primarily associated with Hindi cinema in addition to Tamil and Telugu cinema.
Early life
Kapoor was born as Achal Surinder Kapoor in 1955, the son of Surinder Kapoor ...
's ''
Loafer
Slip-ons are typically low, lace-less shoes. The style which is most commonly seen, known as a loafer or slippers in American culture, has a moccasin construction. One of the first designs was introduced in London by Wildsmith Shoes, called the W ...
'' (1996), and all of them emerged as critical and commercial successes. She received critical acclaim for her performance as a battered wife in
Abbas Mustan
Abbas may refer to:
People
* Abbas (name), list of people with the name, including:
**Abbas ibn Ali, Popularly known as Hazrat-e-Abbas (brother of Imam Hussayn)
**Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, uncle of Muhammad
** Mahmoud Abbas (born 1935), Palest ...
's thriller ''
Daraar'' (1996), and she received a nomination of
Filmfare Award for Best Actress
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Bollywood, Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first gi ...
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 offered
Karisma Kapoor
Karisma Kapoor (born 25 June 1974) is an Indian actress, who works in Hindi films. A member of the Kapoor family, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards.
Kapoor made her acting d ...
's role in ''
Dil To Pagal Hai
''Dil To Pagal Hai'' (; ), is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language musical romance film directed by Yash Chopra. The film follows the love lives of the members of a musical troupe, in which two dancers played by Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor get ent ...
'' (1997), but she turned it down. Chawla's career had hit its peak, and she regained mainstream success in 1997 with the romantic comedies ''
Yes Boss'', ''
Deewana Mastana
''Deewana Mastana'' is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by David Dhawan. The film stars Govinda (actor), Govinda, Anil Kapoor, and Juhi Chawla in pivotal roles. Johnny Lever, Anupam Kher, Reema Lagoo, Shakti Kapoor, Sae ...
'' and ''
Ishq
Ishq ( ar, عشق, ''‘išq'') is an Arabic word meaning "love" or "passion", also widely used in other languages of the Muslim world and the Indian subcontinent.
The word ''ishq'' does not appear in the Quran, which instead uses derivatives o ...
'', all becoming box office hits.
''Ishq'' became one of the top-earners of the year, and earned critical praise for the performances of its four leads.
In the romantic comedy ''Yes Boss'', she played a model who becomes the love interest of an ad agency owner and his ambitious employee, played by
Aditya Pancholi
Aditya Pancholi (born 4 January 1965) is an Indian actor, producer and playback singer working in Hindi cinema.
Acting career
1985–87: Television movies and serials
He was signed for a few television video films produced by Hiba, which ...
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 by ''
Screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
'' as "spirited". In a 1998 retrospective review for ''The Times of India'', Khushboo Tiwari called it "a quintessential ‘90s romcom" and took note of Chawla's chemistry with Khan. In the comedy ''Deewana 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 was ''
Mr and Mrs Khiladi'' alongside
Akshay Kumar
Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
. The film turned out to be an average grosser.
In 1998, she appeared once again alongside
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
in ''
Duplicate
Duplication, duplicate, and duplicator may refer to:
Biology and genetics
* Gene duplication, a process which can result in free mutation
* Chromosomal duplication, which can cause Bloom and Rett syndrome
* Polyploidy, a phenomenon also known ...
'', the film was produced by
Yash Johar
Yash Johar (6 September 1929 – 26 June 2004) was an Indian film producer and the founder of Dharma Productions. His films featured lavish sets, were often set in "exotic" locations, and incorporated Indian traditions and family values. H ...
and directed by
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is ''Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
. The film though was the 12th highest grosser of the year, but underperformed at the box office upon its release. The same year, she appeared in
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his ca ...
's swan song ''
Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate'' alongside
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kapo ...
; the film was received well by critics for its reminiscence of Mukherjee's films, with one critic calling it a "a classy comedy". The same year, she also appeared in
Priyadarshan
Priyadarshan (born 30 January 1957) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Hindi films, while also having done six films in Tamil and two films in Telugu. He has done about 31 films in Hi ...
's rural drama ''
Saat Rang Ke Sapne
''Saat Rang Ke Sapne'' () is a 1998 Indian Hindi film directed by Priyadarshan and produced by Amitabh Bachchan. It is a remake of Priyadarshan's own 1994 Malayalam film ''Thenmavin Kombath''. The film stars Arvind Swamy and Juhi Chawla. This ...
'' opposite
Arvind Swamy
Arvind Swamy (born 18 June 1970) is an Indian actor, model, entrepreneur and television presenter known for his work in Tamil cinema and a few Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam films. He was introduced as an actor by Mani Ratnam with the blockbuster ...
. 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." The same year, she starred in the
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
detective comedy ''
Harikrishnans
''Harikrishnans'' is a 1998 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Fazil. The film was produced and distributed by Suchitra Mohanlal under the production company Pranavam Arts, starring Mammootty and Mohanlal in ...
'' opposite
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeare ...
and
Mammootty
Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail (; born 7 September 1951), known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty (), is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam films. He has also appeared in Tamil l ...
. ''Harikrishnans'' was a commercial success.
In 1999, she appeared in ''
Arjun Pandit'' alongside Sunny Deol.
She played a woman who seeks revenge in the film and described her character as "a role with negative shades".
The critical reception to the film was lukewarm, but Chawla's work was better received. The film was the thirteenth highest grossing film of 1999, and emerged as a moderate critical and commercial success. The same year, she also starred opposite
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
in the adventure film ''
Safari'', a critical and commercial failure. She worked free of charge in the Punjabi-language biographical film ''
Shaheed Udham Singh'', based on the life of
Udham Singh
Udham Singh (born Sher Singh; 26 December 1899 — 31 July 1940) was an Indian revolutionary belonging to Ghadar Party and HSRA, best known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India, on 13 M ...
.
2000s: Production and Parallel Cinema
In 2000, alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Aziz Mirza, she opened a production company called
Dreamz Unlimited
Red Chillies Entertainment is an Indian visual effects, production and distribution company established by actor Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan in 2002. It was transformed from the defunct Dreamz Unlimited. Based in Mumbai, the studio' ...
. The romantic comedy ''
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani
''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language satirical film released by Dreamz Unlimited (now Red Chillies Entertainment). The producers derived the title from lines of the song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" from '' Shree 420'' ...
'' was the company's first production starring Chawla and Khan. Upon release, the film underperformed at the box office,
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. Rediff critic Swapna Mitter wrote, "This is probably one of Juhi's best performances. She has never looked better... and once again, like ''Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke'', she shows a flair for comedy." Her other release of the year was
Rakesh Roshan
Rakesh Roshan (born 6 September 1949) is an Indian film producer, director, screenwriter, and actor who works in Hindi films. He is the son of Indian music director Roshan and Indian Bengali singer Ira Roshan. He had appeared in 84 films thr ...
's delayed ''
Karobaar: The Business of Love'', which was in the making for over five years and failed upon release. She played a small role in ''Gang''.
In 2001, she appeared in the action comedy ''
One 2 Ka 4
''One 2 Ka 4'' is a 2001 Indian Hindi language action drama film directed by Shashilal K. Nair. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Jackie Shroff. The score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. This film is now own ...
'' 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.
Vinayak Chakravorty wrote, "But the winner here is Juhi — that vintage comic flair of ''Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke'' almost comes back from the dead." Similarly,
Nikhat Kazmi
Nikhat Kazmi ( hi, निखत काजमी; 1958/59 – 20 January 2012) was a senior correspondent and well-known film critic from, born Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, who had been writing for ''The Times of India'' since 1987. She died of breast ...
of ''The 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."
''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'' agreed with this observation, further noting her "unfailing sense of humour" and timing, which "few can match". Another release of the year was the comedy ''
Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa'' opposite Govinda. Around the same time, she signed a
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
film ''Adhishesha'', in which she was to star opposite her ''
Premaloka
''Premaloka'' in Kannada (), ''Paruva Ragam'' in Tamil (), is a 1987 bilingual romantic musical film, written and directed by V. Ravichandran in his directorial debut based on the 1982 movie ''Grease 2''. He additionally served as the lead actor ...
'' co–star
V. Ravichandran
Veeraswamy Ravichandran (born 30 May 1961), known mononymously as Ravichandran, is an actor, director, producer, music director, lyricist and editor in the Kannada Film Industry. He is the son of film producer N. Veeraswamy. As producer, Ravi ...
. But due to uncanny reasons, the film was later shelved.
![Juhi Chawla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Juhi_Chawla.jpg)
Having taken a one-year break from film work, Chawla started appearing in independent and art films, and her work included critically acclaimed films ''
Jhankaar Beats
''Jhankaar Beats'' is a 2003 Indian musical comedy film written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh in his feature directorial debut and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications. It stars Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Suri, Rahul Bose, debutant Shayan Munshi, Rin ...
'', ''
3 Deewarein'' (both 2003), ''
7½ Phere'' and ''
My Brother Nikhil
My or MY may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* My (radio station), a Malaysian radio station
* Little My, a fictional character in the Moomins universe
* ''My'' (album), by Edyta Górniak
* ''My'' (EP), by Cho Mi-yeon
Business
* Mar ...
'' (both 2005), and ''
Bas Ek Pal
''Bas Ek Pal'' () is a 2006 Bollywood romantic crime thriller film directed by Onir. It stars Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Suri, and Urmila Matondkar with Jimmy Sheirgill, Rehaan Engineer, and Yashpal Sharma in supporting roles. The film's storyli ...
'' (2006).
''Jhankaar Beats'', a musical comedy and a tribute to music director
R. D. Burman
Rahul Dev Burman (27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) was an Indian music director who is considered one of the most influential composers of India. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman composed musical scores for 331 films. Burman did major work w ...
, saw her play the wife of an aspiring musician. She won a
Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Screen Award for Best Actress is one of the Screen Awards of merit presented annually by a distinguished panel of judges from the Indian "Bollywood" film industry, to recognise an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a Sup ...
for ''
3 Deewarein'', which earned her positive reviews. Director Kukunoor wrote the film with Chawla in mind, aspiring to change her image. Robert Koehler of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' wrote, "Chawla gradually settles into a role that contains at least three different character layers to it." Chawla said ''3 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. She acted opposite
Gurdas Mann
Gurdas Maan is an Indian playback singer, songwriter and actor mainly associated with Punjabi and Hindi language music and films. He gained national attention in 1980 with the song "Dil Da Mamla Hai". Since then, he had gone on to record over ...
in the Punjabi-language feature ''
Des Hoyaa Pardes
''Des Hoyaa Pardes'' is a 2004 Indian Punjabi language, Punjabi-language film, directed by Manoj Punj, starring Gurdas Maan, Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta and Anup Soni. It won the National Film Awards, National Award for National Film Award for Best ...
'' (2004) which was warmly received. She said she chose the part because upon reading the script, she identified a "tremendous scope for performance". The film won the
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Punjabi.
Set in
Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
between 1986 and 1994,
Onir
Onir (born Anirban Dhar, 1 May 1969) is an Indian film and TV director, editor, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his film ''My Brother…Nikhil'', based on the life of Dominic d'Souza, starring Sanjay Suri and Purab Kohli ''it'' ...
's ''My Brother Nikhil'' centers on the character of Nikhil (played by
Sanjay Suri
Sanjay Suri (born 6 April 1971) is an Indian actor and film producer of Hindi cinema. He made his debut in the film '' Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi (1999)''. He went on to star in many supporting roles, but finally got his big break with '' Jhankaar ...
), 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.
Khalid Mohamed
Khalid Mohamed is an Indian journalist, editing, editor, Film criticism, film critic, screenwriter and film director. He formerly worked for the ''Hindustan Times'' and was the lead editor for ''Filmfare'' magazine. He is the son of Bollywoo ...
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." She starred alongside
Irfan Khan Irfan Khan may refer to:
*Irrfan Khan
Irrfan Khan () (born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan; 7 January 196729 April 2020), also known simply as Irrfan, was an Indian actor who worked in Indian cinema as well as British and American films. Widely reg ...
in ''7½ Phere''. ''Hindustan Times'' commended her comic performance.
In 2006, she appeared in the ensemble drama ''
Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love'' directed by
Nikhil Advani
Nikhil Suresh Advani (born 28 April 1971) is an Indian film and television director, writer and producer who works in Hindi cinema. He along with his sister, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani, co-founded the entertainment company Emmay Entert ...
. She collaborated with Onir once again with in the drama ''
Bas Ek Pal
''Bas Ek Pal'' () is a 2006 Bollywood romantic crime thriller film directed by Onir. It stars Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Suri, and Urmila Matondkar with Jimmy Sheirgill, Rehaan Engineer, and Yashpal Sharma in supporting roles. The film's storyli ...
'' (2006) alongside
Urmila Matondkar
Urmila Matondkar (born 4 February 1974) is an Indian actress and politician. Known for her work primarily in Hindi films, in addition to Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi and Tamil films, she has received numerous accolades, including the Filmfar ...
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.
Subhash K. Jha wrote of Chawla that she "uses her ability to portray hurt and guilt with minimum effort." The same year she starred in another Punjabi film, the historical drama ''
Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris'', which won a National Film Award. According to the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, the film "bears the hallmarks of a quality production". The film is based on the life of Punjabi poet
'' (2007), which follows their financial struggles to secure proper education for their intelligent son. Reviews of the film were varied. 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."
Chawla then appeared in Ravi Chopra's ''
, 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 from
...