Personal details
- Birth Date: 1989-07-18
- Height: 5′ 1¾″ (1.57 m)
- Birth Location: Bombay, Maharashtra, India
- Parents: Satish Pednekar
- Professions: Actress
Bhumi Pednekar, born to late Satish (a Maharashtra home and labor minister) and activist Sumitra, took a pretty unconventional route to stardom. She worked at Yash Raj Films as a casting director for six years before landing her breakout role in Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015). That film—a story about an overweight wife and her insecure husband—bagged her a bunch of awards, including Filmfare and IIFA for Best Female Debut. Fast forward to 2017, she starred in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha with Akshay Kumar, where she played a feisty rural woman fighting for sanitation. That film raked in over 3 billion rupees globally, which is wild. She kept the momentum going with Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, diving into the taboo topic of male impotence, scoring her first Best Actress Filmfare nod. She didn’t shy away from bold roles: in Lust Stories (Netflix), she played a maid in a complicated relationship, then switched gears to become a runaway housewife in Sonchiriya (2019). There was also Saand Ki Aankh, where she nailed the role of sharpshooter Chandro Tomar, and Bala, where she tackled colorism head-on. Bhumi’s not afraid to mix things up—be it comedy, drama, or horror (Bhoot, Durgavati). Her role in Badhaai Do (2022), about a lavender marriage, got people talking, and her chemistry with Akshay Kumar in Raksha Bandhan stood out too. She’s picked up plenty of awards along the way, proving she’s not just a one-hit wonder. Plus, she’s done her bit off-screen, backing campaigns for women’s health and gender equality.
So, Rani Mukerji, who’s literally Bollywood royalty by marriage—being with Aditya Chopra and all—ended up pretty taken with Bhumi Pednekar’s performance. Word is, Rani caught some scenes from Bhumi’s debut flick and, honestly, she was blown away. Bhumi’s screen presence? Off the charts. Her confidence? Yeah, that too. Rani didn’t just stop at being impressed from afar; she actually wanted to meet Bhumi in person just to tell her, “Girl, you nailed it.” That’s not something you hear every day, especially coming from someone as seasoned as Rani. She’s seen her fair share of newcomers, but Bhumi’s way of owning her role apparently stood out enough to spark a face-to-face congratulations. Kinda wild, right? Goes to show, sometimes raw talent just cuts through all the noise, even in an industry packed with big names and even bigger egos.
July 18, 1989
5′ 1¾″ (1.57 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Satish Pednekar and Surekha
35 years old