Prachi Desai

Prachi Desai (born 12 September 1988 ), is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films and television. Desai is a recipient of several accolades including an IIFA Award and four Indian Telly Awards, as well as two Filmfare Awards nominations.

Desai marked her acting debut with the successful television drama Kasamh Se (2006–2008). In 2007, she emerged as the winner of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 2. Following this, Desai made her film debut with Rock On!! (2008), receiving the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut nomination. Desai received the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a gangster's lover in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010). After appearing in the action comedy Bol Bachchan (2012), which remains her biggest commercial success, the romantic comedy I, Me Aur Main (2013) and the biographical sports drama Azhar (2016), she took a break from acting.

Desai returned to films in 2021 with the thriller Silence... Can You Hear It? and then expanded to web with the Telugu series Dhootha (2023). Alongside her acting career, Desai is a celebrity endorser for brands and products.

Early life Desai was born on 12 September 1988 She has one sister named Esha Desai. She studied in St. Joseph Convent School, Panchgani and completed her schooling until ninth grade in Surat. She studied at Sinhagad College, Vadgaon, Pune.

Career Television career and breakthrough (2006-2008)

In 2006, Desai got selected to play the lead role in Ekta Kapoor's television drama, Kasamh Se. Desai played Bani Dixit Walia, opposite Ram Kapoor. In her acting debut, Desai won her praises and earned several awards, including the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role. In the same show, she also played Anamika Dixit Randheria opposite Sumeet Vyas.

In 2007, Desai entered Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, the Indian version of BBC Strictly Come Dancing with choreographer Deepak Singh. Desai was eliminated on 10 November 2007, but entered the contest again via a wildcard entry and ultimately won the competition. Desai also appeared in two episodes of the Star Plus television series Kasauti Zindagi Ki in a cameo. She portrayed a student at Prerna's school.

Expansion to films and success (2008-2017) Desai then made the transition to the film industry in 2008. She made her film debut with Rock On!! (2008), directed by Abhishek Kapoor, where she played Sakshi, a band singer wife opposite Farhan Akhtar. Next year, she played Prachi opposite Tusshar Kapoor in Life Partner, a box office average.

Desai's career marked a significant turning point in 2010, when she appeared in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. The film saw her play Mumtaz, a character based on Mehjabin Shaikh, opposite Emraan Hashmi. It emerged a box office success and earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress. Kaveree Bamzai from India Today opined, "Prachi Desai as Shoaib's girlfriend, is suitably tremulous and pleading."

In 2012, she appeared in Teri Meri Kahaani as Radhika, opposite Shahid Kapoor. Taran Adarsh found her cameo appearance to be "sparkling". Desai then played Radhika, an educated modern girl in Bol Bachchan, opposite Abhishek Bachchan. The film proved to be Desai's biggest box office success until date. Devesh Sharma of Filmfare noted, "Prachi Desai is reduced to sisterly bits".

Desai had two releases in 2013. She first played a stylist Gauri, in I, Me Aur Main, opposite John Abraham. Nishi Tiwar of Rediff.com said that Desai went "overboard" in her portrayal of a girl-next-door. She next appeared opposite Sanjay Dutt, in Policegiri. The film received negative reviews and Sarit Ray of Hindustan Times found her role to be "irrelevant". In 2014, Desai appeared in a special number for Ek Villain, in a song named "Awari".

Post a small hiatus, Desai played former cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin's wife, Naureen in his biopic film, Azhar opposite Emraan Hashmi. The film emerged a commercial failure, but Anna MM Vetticad of Firstpost found her Naureen to be "controlled" and her heartbreak "believable". In the same year, Desai reprised Sakshi, opposite Farhan Akhtar in Rock On 2, a sequel to Rock On!!. In 2017, Desai played a robot in the short film Carbon: The Story of Tomorrow opposite Jackky Bhagnani.

Hiatus, return and streaming projects (2017-present) In 2021, Desai returned to films after a break of four years with Silence... Can You Hear It?, where she played a police inspector Sanjana alongside Manoj Bajpai. That year, she appeared in a music video, Rihaee with Rohit Khandelwal. The song was well appreciated by the audience. Pragati Awasthi of WION was appreciative of Desai's decent portrayal of a psychiatrist. In 2023, Desai appeared alongside Naga Chaitanya, in Dhootha , playing his PA, Amrutha. The series released in Telugu, marked her web debut. Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times noted, "Prachi get a character that is anything but run-of-the-mill, even then she sink her teeth into it and does a good job."

In 2024, Desai reprised Inspector Sanjana in Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout, sequel to the 2021 film. Saibal Chatterjee opined, "Prachi Desai manages to make the most of the limited bandwidth accorded to her." Desai is committed to star as a lead actress in the dark fantasy movie - Kosha, which is directed by Amman Advaita and produced by Abhay Raj Kanwar.

In the media

Post her debut with Kasamh Se, Rediff.com placed her fourth in its "Top TV stars of 2006" list. Desai was placed 32nd in The Times of India''s Most Desirable Woman list. Desai is an endorser, spokesperson and brand ambassador of Goa Tourism and Neutrogena products in India. Desai is also a celebrity endorser for brands such as Lux Lyra, Relaxo, and Gillette. In 2016, Desai refused to be a part of an advertisement in Pakistan. Desai shared about her casting couch experience in an interview in 2021.

Filmography

Films Years Title Role Notes Ref.2007Big BrotherDebut film 2008 Rock On!! Sakshi Shroff 2009 Life Partner Prachi Jadeja Patel 2010 Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Mumtaz Bol Bachchan Radhika Raghuvanshi 2013 I, Me Aur Main Gauri Dandekar Policegiri Sehar Al Ameri 2014 Ek Villain Dancer Special appearance in song "Awari" 2016 Azhar Naureen Azhar Rock On 2 Sakshi Shroff 2017 Carbon: The Story of Tomorrow Pari Short film 2021 Silence... Can You Hear It? Inspector Sanjana Bhatia 2022Forensic Dr. Ranjana / Shashi Gupta2024 Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout Inspector Sanjana Bhatia Filming Sonia Sawant Delayed

Television Years Title Role Notes Ref. 2006–2008 Kasamh Se Bani Dixit Walia / Anamika Dixit Randheria2007 Kasautii Zindagii Kay Prachi Chauhan Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 2 Contestant Winner 2010 CIDHerselfGuest appearance 2012 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2016 Naagin 2023 Dhootha Amrutha Telugu series

Music video appearances Years Title Singer Role Ref. 2021 "Rihaee" Yasser Desai Preeti

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2006 Indian Telly Awards Best Fresh New Face (Female) Kasamh Se Best Onscreen Couple (Shared with Ram Kapoor) 2007 Best Actress in a Lead Role 2008 Special Recommendation 2009 Screen Awards Most Promising Newcomer – Female Rock On!! Stardust Awards Superstar of Tomorrow – Female International Indian Film Academy Awards Star Debut of the Year – Female Anandalok Puraskar Awards Best Actress (Hindi) Filmfare Awards Best Female Debut 2011 Best Supporting Actress Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai International Indian Film Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress Producers Guild Film Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Screen Awards Best Supporting Actress Zee Cine Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female Stardust Awards Best Actress in an Ensemble Cast 2013 Best Breakthrough Performance – Female Bol Bachchan 2023Iconic Gold Awards Best Actress in a Negative Role – OTT Forensic