Monica Bedi

Monica Bedi (born 18 January 1975) is an Indian actress and television presenter who primarily appears in Hindi films. She has also worked in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Bengali films. Bedi debuted in Hindi films in the mid-1990s, with notable works including "Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat" and "Jodi No.1." She is known for participating in reality TV shows such as "Bigg Boss 2" and "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 3," and for her role as Gumaan Kaur Vyas in Star Plus's "Saraswatichandra." Bedi has received several accolades including Gold Awards, PTC Awards, TSA Awards, Bharat Ratna Dr. Ambedkar Award. In 2002, Bedi was convicted for using a forged document.^[1]

Monica Bedi
Monica Bedi at the 8th Aap Ki Awaz Media Excellence Awards,2013
Born	(1975-01-18) 18 January 1975 (age 49) Chabbewal, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India
Education	Borresen School, Norway
Alma mater	University of Oxford
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1994- Present
Notable work	Suraksha Jodi No.1 Bigg Boss 2 Saraswatichandra

Early life

Bedi is a Punjabi and was born 18 January 1975^[2][3] to Prem Kumar Bedi and Shakuntala Bedi in the village Chabbewal, Hoshiarpur district, Punjab. Her parents moved to Drammen, Norway in 1979. She studied English Literature and completed her education at Oxford University.^[2]

Prison Sentence

In September 2002, Bedi and Abu Salem, an Indian gangster were arrested and later served prison sentences in Portugal^[4] for entering the country on forged documents.^[5][6] In 2006, an Indian Court convicted Bedi for procuring a passport on a fictitious name.^[7][8] In November 2010, the Supreme Court of India upheld her conviction but reduced the prison sentence to the period that she had already served.^[9][10] Various newspaper including magazines had reported that Abu used his criminal power to get roles for Monica Bedi in Bollywood.

Career

Bedi got her first role in Telugu language film Taj Mahal (1995), produced by D. Ramanaidu. Ramanaidu also cast her in Sivayya and Speed Dancer.^[11] She debuted in Bollywood in 1995 with Surakshaa.

Bedi was a participant in Bigg Boss Season 2, a television reality show.^[12] She was one of the contestants of the reality shows Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 3 and Desi Girl.

She sang the chants "EkOnkar" for a spiritual music album on Universal Music.^[13]

Bedi acted in the Punjabi movie Sirphire (2012), directed by Harjit Singh Ricky.

From 2013 to 2014, Bedi portrayed the negative role of Ghumman in the Star Plus television series Saraswatichandra, produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. ^[14]

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Language	Notes
1994	Main Tera Aashiq		Hindi
1995	Taj Mahal		Telugu
1995	Surakshaa	Kiran	Hindi
1995	Aashique Mastane		Hindi
1996	Khilona	Kajal	Hindi
1996	Soggadi Pellam	Tulasi	Telugu
1996	Subash	Anitha	Tamil
1997	Ek Phool Teen Kante	Monica Sinha	Hindi
1997	Jeeyo Shaan Se		Hindi
1997	Tirchhi Topiwale	Sanam Oberoi	Hindi
1997	Circus Sattipandu		Telugu
1998	Jabab Dihi		Bengali
1998	Janto Kobor		Bengali	Bangladeshi Movie
1998	Sivayya	Inspector Roja	Telugu
1998	Choodalani Vundi		Telugu
1998	Zanjeer		Hindi
1999	Drona	Swetha	Kannada
1999	Yamajathakudu		Telugu
1999	Kalicharan		Hindi
1999	Nannaseya Hoove	Lakshmi	Kannada
1999	Sikander Sadak Ka		Hindi
1999	Jaanam Samjha Karo	Monica	Hindi
1999	Kaala Samrajya	Monica K. Singh	Hindi
1999	Speed Dancer	Monika	Telugu
1999	Lohpurush		Hindi
2001	Jodi No.1	Rinky	Hindi
2001	Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat	Maya Dhillon	Hindi
2003	Tada		Hindi
2011	Devadasiyin Kathai	Swathi Varma	Tamil
2012	Parichaya	Rekha	Nepali
2012	Hridoye Lekho Naam		Bengali
2012	Sirphire	Simran	Punjabi
2014	Romeo Ranjha	Reet Kaur	Punjabi
2017	Bandookan	Balwinder	Punjabi

Television

Year	Title	Role
2008	Bigg Boss 2	Contestant
2009	Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 3
2010	Dil Jeetegi Desi Girl 1
2013–14	Saraswatichandra	Guman Vyas/Roopmati
2015	Bandhan	Narayani Deshpande

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Film/Show	Result
2013	Gold Awards	Best TV Actor (Female)		Won
	PTC awards	Best Debut (Female)	Sirphire	Won
	Media excellence Awards	Most Popular Media Face (Female)		Won
2014	Bharat Ratna Dr. Ambedkar Award	Outstanding Performer (Female)		Won
	TSA Awards	Most Stylish Actor (Female)		Won
	Lions Gold Awards	Best Actor in a Negative Role (Female)	Saraswatichandra	Won
2023	International Iconic Awards	The Most Fit Actress		Won

References

1. "Monica Bedi admits her past with Abu Salem has affected her dating and professional prospects". The Times of India. 18 July 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
2. "The tale of Monica Bedi". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
3. "जेलर पर लगा था इस एक्ट्रेस के बाथरूम में कैमरे लगाने के आरोप, अंडरवर्ल्ड डॉन से भी जुड़ा नाम". Rajasthan Patrika (in Hindi). 19 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
4. Kumar, Vinay (29 November 2003). "Abu Salem, Monica Bedi sentenced to jail in Portugal". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 December 2003. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
5. "Monica Bedi writes pardon letter to PM". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 7 November 2004. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
6. "The tale of Monica Bedi". The Times of India. 10 August 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
7. "Monica Bedi lives tough life in jail". CNN-IBN. 1 October 2005. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
8. "Top 10 Celebrities and Their Run-ins With the Law". The New Indian Express. 25 February 2016. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
9. "Fake Passport Case: SC Upholds Bedi's Conviction". Outlook. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
10. "Supreme Court upholds Monica Bedi's conviction in fake passport case". Daily News and Analysis. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
11. "Monica Bedi makes Telugu producers wary". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
12. IANS (6 September 2008). "Monica Bedi bids adieu to Bigg Boss". Sify. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
13. "Monica Bedi turns singer!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
14. "On Sanjay Leela Bhansali's birthday, revisiting his first show Saraswatichandra". The Indian Express. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2024.

External links

• Monica Bedi at IMDb
• Monica Bedi on Facebook