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Khushbu Sundar is a prominent South Indian actress, film producer, and television presenter who has joined Indian politics in 2010. She has performed in more than 200 Indian films. Khushbu has received three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards including the Kalaimamani award by the Tamil Nadu government for her excellent contribution to cinema. She also earned a Kerala State Film Award in 2006.
Wiki/Biography
Khushbu Sundar was born as Nakhat Khan on Tuesday, 29 September 1970 (age 52 years; as of 2022) in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. Her zodiac sign is Libra. She obtained her Upper Primary education at Swami Muktananda High School, Andheri, Mumbai.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Physical Transformation
In December 2021, she shared a ‘then and now’ photo on social media through which she talked about her body weight loss of 20 kgs. According to Khushbu, her incredible transformation began during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 when she weighed almost 93 kg. While sharing the milestone in her weight loss journey, she said that the transformation was the result of doing all the household chores and incorporating a fitness regimen that included yoga, planks, and diet control.
From there to here. 20kgs lighter, I m at my healthiest best. Look after urself,remember, health is wealth. N those who ask if I am sick, thanks for ur concern. I never been so fit ever before. If I inspire even 10 of u out here to lose weight n get fit,I know I have succeeded ❤️ pic.twitter.com/tbho2TRBxE
— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) December 5, 2021
Family
Parents & Siblings
Her mother’s name is Najma Khan.
Her father’s name is not known. Khushbu walked out of her father’s house when she was sixteen years old along with her mother and three brothers. In an interview, in 2018, she stated,
I rebelled very early when I decided to speak against my father and take my mother and brothers out of the family. Because I did not like the way he said that a woman’s position is somewhere. He was an abusive husband.”
She further explained her family circumstances,
I still remember the date. It was September 12, 1986. My father told me that one day, you will be crawling on all fours and come begging to us. I told him that I will kill my brothers and mother and jump in front of a running train, but I will never come back to you.”
In December 2020, in a video interview on national television Khushbu revealed that her father was sexually & physically abusive to Khushbu and her mother.
The name of her mother-in-law is Deivanai Chidambaram.
Khushbu has three brothers named Abdhuallh (an actor), Abu Bakker and Ali.
Husband & Children
Khushbu Sundar got married to Sundar C. in 2000.
Sundar C. is an Indian film director and actor.
Khushbu Sundar has two daughters named Avanthika and Ananditha.
Relationship/Affair
Khushbu Sundar was a domestic partner of Prabhu Ganesan from 1991 to 1994. On the sets of the movie Chinna Thambi, they both fell in love with each other. Prabhu Ganesan was already married at that time. The relationship of Khushbu and Prabhu was opposed by Sivaji Ganesan, the father of Prabhu, as Prabhu was already married to someone else. Hence, the couple mutually decided to end their relationship in 1994.
Religion
Muslim
Address
No.2, Leith Castle North street, Foreshore Estate, Santhome High Road, Chennai-600 028.
Career
Khushbu started working in Hindi movies as a child artist in 1978. Nakhat became Khushbu on the sets of her first film ‘The Burning Train’ in which she appeared singing the song ‘Teri Hai Zameen.’ In an interview, she told about changing her name,
Everyone would ask me the meaning of my name. It’s an Urdu name which means fragrance, or Khushbu in Hindi. So I became Khushbu.”
Soon, Khushbu Sundar appeared in various Hindi movies as a child actor including Naseeb (1997), Laawaris (1981), Kaalia (1981), Dard Ka Rishta, and Bemisal (1982).
In 1982, Khushbu became a popular child artist after performing in the fairy song “Main Pariyon Ki Shehzaadi” from Dard Ka Rishta movie. The song was a blockbuster hit and is still very popular at annual day functions at schools and children parties at home.
In 1985, Khushbu appeared in the song “Bol Baby Bol, Rock n Roll” opposite Javed Jaffrey in the movie ‘Meri Jung.’ In the same year, Khushbu made her first screen appearance as a lead actress in the movie ‘Jaanoo’ opposite Jackie Shroff.
In 1986, in the movie ‘Tan-Badan,’ she appeared opposite Govinda. Soon, in the movie ‘Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin,’ she was seen in a supporting role along with Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit. In this movie, Khushbu appeared in a solo song, which was a megahit and is still popularly played at several Indian marriage functions.
Khushbu chiefly performed in South Indian movies after her final screenplay in the Hindi movie ‘Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin.’ Since then, she has been living in Chennai. In 1986, she made her marking debut in the Telugu film ‘Kaliyuga Pandavulu’ opposite Venkatesh, a Telugu actor. Soon, she also started signing Tamil movies. Since then, she has appeared in more than 150 South Indian films. Khushbu Sundar romanced various South Indian actors including Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, Tiger Prabhakar, Ravichandran, Suresh Gopi, Sathyaraj, Prabhu, Sarath Kumar, Chiranjeevi, Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh. Khushbu did more than 100 Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu films. Uncle Bun (1991), Vrudhanmare Sookshikkuka (1995), Independence (1999), Manathe Kottaram (1994), Kaiyoppu (2007), and Mr Marumakan (2012) are some of her noted Malayalam movies. Ranadheera (1987), Anjada Gandu (1988), Shanthi Kranthi (1991), Yugapurusha (1989), Gagana (1989), Aunty Preetse (2001), and Jeevanadhi (1996) are some of her prominent Kannada movies. In Telugu movies, Khushbu Sundar worked mainly opposite Venkatesh and Nagarjuna, the South Indian actors. In May 2010, Khushbu joined the Indian political party DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and left her flourishing career in South Indian cinema. DMK leader Karunanidhi welcomed Khushbu Sundar in his party’s Chennai headquarters.
Khushbu quit DMK on 16 June 2014 and joined the Indian National Congress on 26 November 2014. She was designated as the National spokesperson of the Indian National Congress on her joining day. On her entry in INC, Khushbu exclaimed,
This is the most delightful moment in my life. I feel I am at home. I am proud of joining the Congress as it is a secular party. I will work for the good of the country, not just for Tamil Nadu alone.”
Khushbu Sundar quit the Indian National Congress on 12 October 2020. Sundar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on the same day. She resigned from INC ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021. In Chennai, she contested from the Thousand Lights constituency. However, Khushbu lost the election by a margin of 32200 votes from Ezhilan N of the DMK party. Ezhilan N won the polls by 52.87 per cent.
Controversies
- In 2005, Khushbu attracted controversy when she gave a public statement that girls can indulge themselves in pre-marital sex but only with the protection from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. She further stated that after marriage, no educated Indian man could expect that his spouse would be a virgin only. The office of the South India Film Artistes’ Association was pulled down by the Dalit Panthers of India after this statement given by Khushbu Sundar. The activists protested against her and demanded an apology from her. The Pattali Makkal Katchi, a political party, also protested against the statement given by Khushbu while sitting in front of her house. Later, more than 22 complaints were filed against her for “defaming Tamil womanhood and chastity.” The Supreme Court of India dismissed all the cases against Khushbu Sundar in 2010.
- In January 2006, Khushbu Sundar lodged two complaints against the Maxim magazine for featuring a model who was shown wearing a bikini with her head pasted onto her body on the cover page of the magazine. The complaint was filed against the editor of the magazine along with his four co-workers. The two cases were – the defamation and the indecent representation of women. This case stayed at the Madras High Court till December 2007 until a plea was filed by any of the accused.
- In December 2012, Khushbu wore a saree on which the images of Hindu Gods i.e. Ram, Krishna and Hanuman were printed. Her pictures went viral in media soon after the incident. An apology was demanded from her by the Hindu Makkal Katchi, a political party in Tamil Nadu. Khushbu replied to the Hindu Makkal Katchi and said,
I am not going to answer every Tom, Dick and Harry. Why should I? There is no need at all. Why are they worried about what a woman sports. Don’t they have any other worthwhile work?”
Later, various cases were filed against her by several political parties including the Hindu Munnani and the Hindu Makkal Katchi. The complaints stated that Khushbu Sundar sat cross-legged with her slippers in front of the idols of Goddesses Lakshmi, Sarswathy and Parvathy during a pooja at Chennai.