Birth Date:09 November 1969
About Me
Neelam Kothari: The 90s Actress and Modern-Day Entrepreneur
Neelam Kothari, an Indian retired actress and a successful jewelry designer, captured hearts with her charming screen presence in the 1980s and 90s. While she stepped away from the spotlight of acting for a while, she has made a notable comeback in recent years, proving her enduring appeal.
Biography
Neelam Kothari Soni was born on November 9, 1969, in Hong Kong to a Gujarati Jain father, Shishir Kothari, and an Iranian mother, Parveen Kothari. Her family has a traditional jewelry-making business. Growing up, she learned to play the keyboard and took up Jazz ballet. She was educated at Island School in Hong Kong. As a teenager, her family relocated to Bangkok. While on vacation in Mumbai, she was approached by a director, which led to her acting debut.
Neelam married Rishi Sethia, the son of a UK-based businessman, in October 2000, but they later divorced. She then married actor Samir Soni on January 24, 2011. In 2013, the couple adopted a daughter named Ahana.
Filmography and Career Highlights
Neelam's acting career began with her debut film Jawaani (1984). While the film was not a major commercial hit, her performance was noticed. She gained significant popularity with her role in Ilzaam (1986), where she was paired with debutant Govinda. This pairing became a favorite with audiences, and they went on to star in 14 films together, including hits like Love 86 (1986), Khudgarz (1987), Hatya (1988), and Taaqatwar (1989).
She also had successful collaborations with actor Chunky Pandey, starring in five hits together out of eight films, including Aag Hi Aag (1987) and Paap Ki Duniya (1988).
Some of her other notable films include:
- Ghar Ka Chiraag (1989)
- Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), where she played herself as a VJ.
- Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), a family drama where she had a pivotal supporting role.
After her last film, Kasam (2001), Neelam pursued her passion for jewelry design, a field she had been interested in since her acting career. She followed a formal course in Mumbai and later launched her own commercial line, opening a showroom in Mumbai in 2004. In 2011, she launched a jewelry store named Neelam Kothari Fine Jewels.
In recent years, Neelam has made a comeback to the screen, but this time in reality television. She has appeared in three seasons of the Netflix reality series, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives (2020-2022), alongside Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey, and Seema Sajdeh, which has brought her newfound popularity.
