Ashwini Kalsekar

Ashwini Kalsekar
Kalsekar in 2013
Born	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Education	Bachelor of Arts
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Notable work	Kasamh Se Jodha Akbar
Spouse(s)	Nitesh Pandey ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2002)​ Murali Sharma ​ (m. 2009)​

Ashwini Kalsekar is an Indian actress who works predominantly in the Marathi and Hindi television and film industry.

She has primarily worked with Sriram Raghavan, Rohit Shetty, Ram Gopal Varma and Ekta Kapoor. After playing a cop in the popular TV show CID, Kalsekar had her first lead role on television in Zee TV's 1999 series Mr. Gayab. She had her breakthrough as the "first Indian Catwoman" in the cult superhero serial Shaktimaan and rose to fame with negative characters in Kasamh Se,^[1] Afsar Bitiya, Jodha Akbar, Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar and Kavach. She also featured as a judge in the Marathi reality show "Fu bai fu" in 2011.

Kalsekar debuted in Tollywood like her husband Murali Sharma with Badrinath. Since 2019, she focused on OTT with Zee5's series "Chargesheet: The Shuttlecock Murder", in the MX Player web series "Cheesecake" as Chaaru, an animal communicator, which premiered in December 2019, in 36 Farmhouse on Zee5 and in the Hotstar Specials show Rudra: The Edge of Darkness.

Early life

Ashwini Kalsekar was born into a Marathi family in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Her father Anil Kalsekar was a bank employee. Ashwini completed her B.A. from Mumbai and graduated in 1991. She pursued theatre from 1991 to 1994 after her studies. From 1992 to 1993, she was studying under actress Neena Gupta to pursue her dream to become an actress. She also trained under Muzammeel Vakil, a theatre acting coach, from 1992 to 1995. Ashwini is also a trained Kathak dancer.^[2]

Personal life

Ashwini married Nitesh Pandey in 1998. They were divorced in 2002 due to undisclosed reasons.^{[citation needed]} In 2009, she married film and television actor Murali Sharma.^[3]

Career

In an interview to The Indian Express, she said that Shanti was her first acting project.^[4] She then worked in successful television serials such as CID, Anjaane, Siddhant and K. Street Pali Hill.^[5]

In 1996, Ashwini performed in the Marathi film Tula Jhapar La. This was followed by a number of films in Marathi where she appeared in supporting roles.

Ashwini Kalsekar with husband Murali Sharma at the sudio release of Kalsekar's 2012 film Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daal

Her biggest break came when she was approached by Ekta Kapoor to play the antagonist in her soap opera Kasamh Se, where she played the role of Jigyasa Walia. The role fetched her the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role,^{[citation needed]} the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role,^[6] and other major awards.

In 2012, Ashwini was again approached by Ekta Kapoor to play the role of Maham Anga,^[7] a foster mother of Emperor Akbar in her historical drama series Jodha Akbar. The role fetched her critical acclaim^[8][9] and major awards. She went on to win the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role,^[10] the Boroplus Gold Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role,^{[citation needed]} and other major awards.

In 2012, she was a part of a Marathi comedy reality show, Fu Bai Fu. She was the judge of the show, along with Swapnil Joshi and Sanjay Jadhav, for 2 seasons.

In 2014, Ashwini performed the role of Pam Khanna^[11] in Ekta Kapoor's soap opera Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar.^[12]

Filmography

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

Films

Year	Film	Role	Notes - 1990 Paradeshi Chadhei Odia film
1996	Tula Jhapar La		Marathi film
2003	The Hero: Love Story of a Spy	Intelligence officer under Major Arun Khanna
2004	Khakee	Kamlesh's wife
	Musafir	Angela
2005	Kisna	Rita
	Aashiq Banaya Aapne	Police Officer
	Apaharan	Anwar's wife
2006	Ankahee	Mrs. Shilpa Mehta
2007	Speed	Pam
	Johnny Gaddaar	Varsha
2008	Golmaal Returns	Munni
	Phoonk	Madhu
2009	Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye	Mrs. Kapoor
	All the Best: Fun Begins	Mary
	Ek Tho Chance
	Sumbaran		Marathi film
2010	Phoonk 2	Madhu
	Rakta Charitra	Inspector Ashwini
	Golmaal 3	Chintu
2011	Badrinath	Sarkar's wife	Tollywood debut
2012	Nippu	Raja Goud's wife	Telugu film
2013	Dehraadun Diary
2014	Singham Returns	TV journalist Meera Shori
	Poshter Boyz	Head of Health Department	Marathi film
2015	Rahasya	Remi Fernandes	She is Ayesha's real mother
	Badlapur	Detective Joshi
2016	Dongri Ka Raja	Raja's mother
2017	Golmaal Again	Damini
	Baghtos Kay Mujra Kar		Marathi film
2018	Mehbooba	Muntaz	Telugu film
	Andhadhun	Rasika Jawanda
	Simmba	Judge Mrs. Smita Parulkar
2019	Wedding Cha Shinema	Dr. Anagha Pradhan	Marathi film
2020	Laxmii	Ashwini
2021	Koi Jaane Na	Police Officer
2022	36 Farmhouse	Benny
	Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2	Panditayeen
	Cirkus	Shakuntala Devi
2023	Daak		Marathi film
2024	Merry Christmas	Scarlett	Hindi/Tamil; Tamil debut
	Monkey Man	Queenie Kapoor	English film; International debut
	Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video	Bulbul Didi
	Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3	Panditayeen
	Vanvaas

Television

Year	Show	Role	Notes
1995–1997	Shanti	Shasha
1997	Farz
1997	Ek Aur Mahabharat	Draupadi[13]
1997	Ghar Jamai	Rohini Amma	Guest
1997	Aahat	Police Inspector Smita	Episode 86,87 Asli Yaa Naqli
1998–2004	CID	Inspector Asha	Supporting role
1998	Ji Sahab	Doctor	Special appearance
1999	Naya Zamana	Kiran Indrayani
1999	Mr. Gaayab	Nisha	Lead role
2001	Shaktimaan	Shalaka Black Cat
2001–2002	Anjaane
2002–2003	Achanak 37 Saal Baad	Malini
2002-2004	Kittie Party	Natassha
2004	Siddhanth	ACP Netra Menon
2006; 2007–2009	Kasamh Se	Jigyaasa Walia Bali	Main Antagonist
2007	Jeete Hai Jiske Liye	Adira Dhanrajgir
2007–2008	Virrudh	Devyani
2007-2008	Parrivaar	Manorma	Supporting role
2010	Jhansi Ki Rani	Heera Bai
2010	Ganga Kii Dheej	Maha Mai
2011	Hitler Didi	Rani Bhatija	Guest
2012	Afsar Bitiya	Sikka Thakurayin
2013	Fu Bai Fu	Judge	Marathi comedy show
2013–2014	Jodha Akbar	Maham Anga	Antagonist
2014–2015	Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar	Poonam Khanna
2016	Adaalat (season 2)
2016	Kavach... Kaali Shaktiyon Se	Saudaamini (pisachini)
2017	Partners Trouble Ho Gayi Double	Neena Nadkarni	Supporting role

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Platform	Notes
2019	Booo Sabki Phategi	Amma	ALTBalaji	Digital debut
	Hutatma		ZEE5	[14]
2020	The Chargesheet: Innocent or Guilty?	Abha Abhyankar		[15]
2022	Rudra: The Edge of Darkness	Commissioner Deepali Handa	Disney+ Hotstar
2023	Pop Kaun?	Satwant Kaur

Awards

Year	Award	Category	For	Result	Ref(s)
2006	6th Indian Telly Awards	Best Actress in Negative Role	Kasamh Se	Won	[6]
2007	7th Indian Television Academy Awards	Best Actress in Negative Role		Won	[16]
2014	13th Indian Telly Awards	Best Actress in Negative Role	Jodha Akbar	Won	[10]
	7th Boroplus Gold Awards	Best Actress in Negative Role (Critics)		Won	^[citation needed]

See also

• List of Hindi television actresses
• List of Indian television actresses

References

1. "Jaya is a pal: Ashwini Kalsekar". The Times of India. 29 June 2007. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
2. "Ashwini Kalsekar:An Actress & a Trained Kathak Dancer". 9 October 2007. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012.
3. "Murali Sharma And Ashwini Kalsekar's Love Story Started On Sets Of Apaharan". News18. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
4. Shekhar, Mimansa (6 May 2020). "First of Many: Ashwini Kalsekar revisits Shanti". The Indian Express.
5. "Ashwini Kalsekar: No one remembers that I have also played positive characters". The Times of India. 28 March 2015. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
6. Wanvari, Anil. "Indiantelevision.com > News Headlines > Winners at The Indian Telly Awards 2006". indiantelevision.org.in. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
7. "Ekta Kapoor's Jodha Akbar starring Ashwini Kalsekar to go on air in May?". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
8. "Ashwini Kalsekar Bids a Tearful Goodbye to Jodha Akbar". The Times of India ►. 4 December 2014. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
9. "It isn't easy to let go: Ashwini Kalsekar". 24 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
10. Winners List:Indian Telly Awards, 2014 Archived 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
11. "Ashwini Kalsekar is the biggest prankster on the sets of Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyar". The Times of India. 10 February 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
12. "Ashwini Kalsekar to play Ronit Roy's sister". The Times of India ►. 4 December 2014. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
13. Of Grit and Determination^{[dead link‍]}
14. "Hutatma, a web series on the creation of Maharashtra". India Today. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
15. Bamzai, Kaveree (25 December 2019). "Politics, sports, royalty, sex: 'Chargesheet' will be brutal reminder of Syed Modi murder". Theprint.in. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
16. Winners List:Indian Television Academy Awards, 2007 Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Ashwini Khalsekar at IMDb
• Ashwini kalsekar on Instagram