Namrata Shirodkar

Namrata Shirodkar ( born 22 January 1972 in Mumbai, India) is an Indian actress and model. Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, an elite suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar.

She is the granddaughter of famous Marathi actress Meenakshi Shirodkar, who starred in Brahmachari (1930s), and was the first actress to wear a swimsuit and gambol in a pool, albeit to depict Lord Krishna bathing in the Yamuna river with his gopis.

Namrata worked as a model, and was crowned Miss India in 1993. She represented India in the Miss Universe pageant and came in sixth place. She was featured on VH1's The Greatest: 40 Dumbest Celebrity Quotes Ever for her answer at the 1993 Miss Universe contest to a question asked by Michael Dorn: "I would not want to live forever because I don't believe that one can live forever.

And so, I don't think I would want to live forever!" The same year, she also represented India in the Miss Asia Pacific contest and was chosen first runner-up.

She made her debut with a small role in super hit film Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai (1998), along with Salman Khan and Twinkle Khanna. She then went on to star in the hit Vaastav. Her performance was appreciated and she became a known name in Bollywood.

She has played mainly supporting roles in films. Films like Pukar, Hera Pheri and Astitva went on to do well. She was nominated for the IIFA Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in Pukar. Since then her films have not done well at the box office. In 1999, she starred opposite Megastar Mammootty in the Malayalam film Ezhupunna Tharakan.