Bipasha Basu Biography – an Indian Actress and a Scream Queen
Bipasha Basu Singh Grover is an Indian actress. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and English films. Basu is the recipient of numerous accolades, including one Filmfare Award.
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| Real Name: | Bipasha Basu Singh Grover |
| Profession: | Indian actress |
| Birthplace: | New Delhi, India |
| Spouse: | Karan Singh Grover |
| Age: | 44 |
Bipasha Basu Singh Grover (born 7 January 1979) is an Indian actress. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and English films. Basu is the recipient of numerous accolades, including one Filmfare Award. Particularly known for her work in the thriller and horror film genres, and for several item numbers, she is frequently cited in the media as a sex symbol and a scream queen.
Born in Delhi and raised in Kolkata, Basu pursued a successful career as a fashion model. She then began receiving offers for film roles and made her acting debut with the thriller Ajnabee (2001), which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Basu’s first leading role was in the horror film Raaz (2002), which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her career progressed with a leading role in the erotic thriller Jism (2003) and with her roles in the top-grossing films No Entry (2005) and Dhoom 2 (2006).
Basu’s other commercially successful films include the drama Corporate (2006), the comedies Phir Hera Pheri (2006) and All the Best: Fun Begins (2009), the action thriller Race (2008), and the romantic comedy-drama Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008). In the 2010s, she primarily starred in the horror films Raaz 3D (2012), Aatma (2013), Creature 3D (2014), and Alone (2015). This was followed by a hiatus, during which her sole appearance was in the web series Dangerous (2020).
In addition to acting in films, Basu is a fitness enthusiast and has been featured in several fitness videos. She also hosted the horror series Darr Sabko Lagta Hai in 2015. Following a high-profile relationship with actor John Abraham, Basu married actor Karan Singh Grover in 2016, with whom she has one child.
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Bipasha Basu Biography
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| Born | 7 January 1979
New Delhi, India
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| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1996–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse |
Karan Singh Grover (m. 2016)
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| Partners |
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| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
Table of Contents
Early life and modeling career (Bipasha Basu Biography)
Bipasha Basu was born on 7 January 1979 to a Bengali family in Delhi. Her father, Hirak, is a civil engineer, and her mother, Mamta, is a homemaker. She has one elder sister, Bidisha, and one younger sister, Vijayeta. According to Basu, her name means “dark deep desire”, and is also a river’s name.
In Delhi, Basu lived at Pamposh Enclave, Nehru Place, till the age of eight and studied at Apeejay High School. Her family then shifted to Kolkata, where she attended Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir, located in Bidhannagar. In her school, Basu was appointed as the head girl and was fondly called ‘Lady Goonda‘ due to her short and commanding personality.
In 1996, Basu was spotted at a hotel in Kolkata by the model Mehr Jesia Rampal, who suggested she take up modeling. That year, she participated in and eventually won the Godrej Cinthol Supermodel Contest (organized by Ford), thereby representing India at the Ford Models Supermodel of the World contest in Miami. She later appeared in the Calida commercial with her then-boyfriend Dino Morea, which was controversial for picturing them sultrily; she had some protesters outside her house after that. With appearances on several magazine covers, Basu continued to pursue a career in fashion modeling during her late teens, until she became an actress.
Acting career (Bipasha Basu Biography)
Debut: 2001–02
One of the judges of the Godrej Cinthol Supermodel Contest in which Basu participated, Vinod Khanna, wanted to launch her alongside his son Akshaye Khanna in Himalay Putra, but she felt she was too young and declined the role, which eventually went to Anjala Zaveri. After returning home, she was convinced by Jaya Bachchan to star opposite her son Abhishek Bachchan in J. P. Dutta’s Aakhari Mughal. However, the film was canceled, and Dutta instead changed the script and made Refugee with Kareena Kapoor. Basu was also offered a role in Refugee opposite Sunil Shetty, which she declined.
In 2002, Basu starred in the year’s most successful horror thriller, Raaz. Directed by Vikram Bhatt, it established Basu in the Hindi film industry. Her portrayal of a woman who is pursued by a spirit received positive reviews. One review in The Tribune noted, “… it is Bipasha Basu who steals the show with her fine performance.” She was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Raaz. She was appreciated in a supporting role in Sanjay Gadhvi’s Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, a moderate critical and commercial success. However, David Dhawan‘s Chor Machaaye Shor was her first commercial failure. She appeared in a supporting role opposite Mahesh Babu and Lisa Ray in the Telugu film, Takkari Donga. Gunaah, which was released later that year, was also a box-office failure. She played the role of a cop who loves a convict and tries to reform him. Derek Elley of Variety observed that Basu was a miscast as the “idealistic cop”.
2003–05
In 2003, Basu starred in Pooja Bhatt’s erotic thriller film, Jism alongside John Abraham, which was well received by critics and fared well at the box office. She played the role of the seductive, ambitious wife of a millionaire who indulges in an extramarital affair with an alcoholic lawyer and plots to kill her husband. The film ranked 92 in the top 100 sexiest movie scenes poll conducted by Channel 4. Film critic Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama commented, “… the real show stealer is Bipasha Basu; her sexy look and seductive deep voice, in contrast with her cold and calculating personality, makes her the most impressive femme fatale since Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi.” She received a Filmfare Best Villain Award nomination for Jism. Her next release, Zameen, failed to make an impact among audiences.
In 2005, she appeared in the love triangle Barsaat alongside Bobby Deol and Priyanka Chopra. Taran Adarsh commented, “As an actor, she [Bipasha Basu] does show sparks only towards the end.” She starred in the Tamil film, Sachein, which was a hit, and then in Prakash Jha‘s Apaharan, which won the National Film Award for Best Screenplay. In this period, she refused to act in art films due to salary problems.
Besides acting, Basu did the video “Tu” for Sonu Nigam‘s album, Kismat. She made a guest appearance in Jay Sean’s music video “Stolen”.
2005–09
Basu established herself as a leading actress in 2005 and 2006 with the subsequent success of No Entry, Corporate, and Dhoom 2. No Entry grossed 750 million at the box office and was the highest-grossing film of 2005. Basu played the role of a bargirl who acts as the wife of two men. She earned a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film. 2006 saw her star in four major releases — Phir Hera Pheri, Corporate, Omkara, and Dhoom 2 — performing well critically and commercially. Phir Hera Pheri became the ninth highest-grossing film of the year. She was featured opposite Akshay Kumar in a significant role of a con woman who steals 10 million from the protagonists. In Madhur Bhandarkar‘s Corporate, she gave up her glamorous look for the role of a businesswoman who has no qualms about taking advantage of her sexuality to con the CEO of a rival company. Her performance received praise from critics and she earned her second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for the film.
Her first release in 2009, Aa Dekhen Zara failed to do well at the box office. Rohit Shetty‘s All The Best: Fun Begins performed well and her comic role was appreciated by fans. Later that year, Basu surprised everybody with Rituparno Ghosh‘s Bengali film, Shob Charitro Kalponik. “I love saris and I’m wearing a lot of them in Ritu’s film,” she said. She gave up her glamorous look and was praised by critics for her performance. Critic Subhash K. Jha spoke highly of her. He said, “Bipasha [Basu] pulls out all stops to deliver her career’s best performance. Her moments of anguish before and after her screen husband’s death are expressed in tones of cathartic conviction that we never knew existed within Bipasha.” He also compared her with the multiple-award-winning actress, Shabana Azmi, commenting that Basu’s anguished portrayal of bereavement can be equaled by Azmi only.
Recent work: 2010–present
In the 2010 film Pankh, Basu returned as an imaginary character who exists in the protagonist’s mind. She was then featured as a Kashmiri girl in Rahul Dholakia’s Lamhaa, which explored socio-political problems in Kashmir. Principal photography of Lamhaa was disrupted many times by the locals due to the controversial theme. During the shooting of Lamhaa, she left the sets at Anantnag and headed back to Mumbai citing she was afraid of the crowd there. Producer Bunty Walia thought of replacing her with Vidya Balan, but she returned for the shoot later with the necessary security arrangements. NDTV Movies wrote, “Bipasha sinks herself into her character imparting a dramatic resonance into the role without resorting to stock expressions. The sequence where she gets mauled by militant women is as traumatic to watch as it must have been for Bipasha to shoot.” Basu then appeared as the wife of a ruthless cop in Priyadarshan‘s Aakrosh who helps the police with an investigation of honor killings in their village. She met with mixed reviews for the film. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India commented, “Bipasha actually doesn’t have much to do and does seem to be miscast as the much-abused, bruised, and battered wife of Paresh Rawal“.
In 2014 Bipasha Basu was seen in numerous roles in different types of movies. She appeared in Humshakals, a comedy movie directed by Sajid Khan opposite Saif Ali Khan. Humshakals was a box office disaster. She even didn’t participate in the film’s promotions because she was “extremely disturbed by the end result” and stated, “Humshakals was the worst experience of my life”. She was also seen in the horror film Creature 3D, which was again a box-office failure. Basu had completed work on her first English film, Roland Joffé’s epic drama The Lovers in which she portrayed a Maratha warrior. The film was released on 13 March 2015. In 2015, Basu featured in Bhushan Patel‘s romance horror film Alone opposite her future husband Karan Singh Grover. India TV reviewed the movie and wrote that, “With some genuinely scary moments and Bipasha-Karan’s scorching chemistry, Alone stands apart from numerous horrible horror flicks made in the past.” and also stated that, “Bipasha just takes her act to another level.” The film performed moderately well at the box office.
As of 2020, Basu is committed to starring opposite her husband Karan Singh Grover for the second time in the crime drama web series Dangerous.
In the media
Basu is frequently cited in the media as a sex symbol. In the Times 50 Most Desirable Women list, she ranked 8th in 2011, ranked 13th in 2012, and ranked 7th in 2013. Eastern Eye named her the “Sexiest Woman in Asia” in 2005 and 2007. In 2009, she topped the Maxim‘s “Hot 100” list. Basu was placed 6th in Rediff.com‘s “Top Bollywood Actresses” list of 2006. She appeared in Forbes India‘s Celebrity 100 list of 2012, where she was placed 25th with an estimated annual income of ₹268.5 million (US$3.4 million). Basu is a celebrity endorser for brands such as Dabur, Pantene, Emami, and Alkermes. She is known by a variety of nicknames in the media that play on her name including Bonnie, Bips, Bip, B, BB, and Bona.
Other ventures (Bipasha Basu Biography)
Fitness DVD launch
Aside from films, Basu is an advocate of physical fitness. In 2005 she released her first fitness DVD jointly with John Abraham, titled Bollywood Bodies. In 2010 she released her first solo fitness DVD called Love Yourself: Fit & Fabulous You, which emphasized being strong, healthy, and loving one’s self. The DVD consisted of a 60-day routine for weight loss, including a beginner’s workout, an advanced workout, and an “easy tone” workout. She was also the brand ambassador of Sugar-Free, which helped her promote the DVD. Hiren Gada, director of Shemaroo Entertainment said, “A celebrity like Bipasha Basu, genuinely believes in staying healthy. She is also passionate about fitness.” Basu later launched her second fitness DVD in September 2011 named Break Free, a 30-minute dance routine, and the follow-up to Bipasha Basu’s first workout video, continuing the Love Yourself series. In January 2014 Bipasha Basu launched the much-awaited third installment of her Love Yourself DVD fitness series, Unleash, an advanced training routine that includes plyometrics and focuses more on power and speed, while strengthening the bones and improving muscle coordination. Later in 2014, many of her fitness workout videos were released for free on distributor Shemaroo Entertainment‘s health-focused YouTube channel, Shemaroo Good Health 24/7.
She is also the face of the Delhi Marathon, which has been inspired by her interest in fitness.
Lifestyle brand
In 2015, Basu, Malaika Arora, and Sussanne Khan launched their own shopping portal “The Label Life”. Basu had the section of Make-up, statement jewels, shoes, and bags – The Trunk Label with her.
Personal life (Bipasha Basu Biography)
Basu was in a relationship with actor Dino Morea from 1996 to 2002. During the filming of Jism in 2002, Basu began to dating her co-star John Abraham, with whom she had a very high-profile relationship from 2002 to 2011. She briefly dated Harman Baweja, but they broke up in 2014.
Basu met co-star Karan Singh Grover on the sets of Alone in 2014 and they fell in love. The couple got married on 30 April 2016. In August 2022, the couple announced that they are expecting their first child. Their daughter, Devi Basu Singh Grover, was born on 12 November 2022.
Filmography (Bipasha Basu Biography)
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Ajnabee | Sonia Bajaj/Neeta | Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut |
| 2002 | Takkari Donga | Panasa | Telugu film |
| Raaz | Sanjana Dhanraj | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress | |
| Aankhen | Raina | Special appearance | |
| Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai | Ria | ||
| Chor Machaaye Shor | Ranjita | ||
| Gunaah | Prabha Narayan | ||
| 2003 | Tujhe Meri Kasam | Girija | Special appearance |
| Jism | Sonia Khanna | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Villain | |
| Footpath | Sanjana Srivastav | ||
| Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula | Herself | Special appearance | |
| Zameen | Nandini Rai | ||
| 2004 | Ishq Hai Tumse | Khusboo | |
| Aetbaar | Ria Malhotra | ||
| Rudraksh | Gayatri | ||
| Rakht | Drishti Nair | ||
| Madhoshi | Anupama Kaul | ||
| 2005 | Chehraa | Megha Joshi | |
| Sachein | Manju | Tamil film | |
| Viruddh… Family Comes First | — | Special appearance | |
| Barsaat | Anna Virvani | ||
| No Entry | Bobby Saluja | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress | |
| Apaharan | Megha Basu | ||
| Shikhar | Natasha | ||
| 2006 | Humko Deewana Kar Gaye | Sonia Berry | |
| Darna Zaroori Hai | Varsha | ||
| Phir Hera Pheri | Anuradha | ||
| Alag | Herself | Special appearance in the song “Sabse Alag” | |
| Corporate | Nishigandha Dasgupta | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress | |
| Omkara | Billo Chamanbahar | ||
| Jaane Hoga Kya | Aditi | ||
| Dhoom 2 | Shonali Bose/Monali Bose | ||
| 2007 | Nehlle Pe Dehlla | Pooja | |
| No Smoking | — | Special appearance in the song “Phoonk De” | |
| Om Shanti Om | Herself | Special appearance | |
| Goal | Rumana | ||
| 2008 | Race | Sonia Ranveer Singh | |
| Bachna Ae Haseeno | Radhika/Shreya Rathore | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress | |
| Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi | — | Special appearance in the song “Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte” | |
| 2009 | Aa Dekhen Zara | Simi Chatterjee | |
| All the Best: Fun Begins | Jhanvi Chopra | ||
| Shob Charitro Kalponik | Radhika Mitra | Bengali film | |
| 2010 | Pankh | Nandini | |
| Lamhaa | Aziza | ||
| Aakrosh | Geeta | ||
| 2011 | Dum Maro Dum | Zoey Mendonca | |
| 2012 | Players | Riya Thapar | |
| Jodi Breakers | Sonali Agnihotri | ||
| Raaz 3D | Shanaya Shekhar | ||
| 2013 | The Lovers | Tulaja Naik | Belgian film |
| Aatma | Maya Verma | ||
| Race 2 | Sonia Ranveer Singh | Guest appearance | |
| 2014 | Humshakals | Mishti | |
| Creature 3D | Ahana Dutt | ||
| 2015 | Alone | Sanjana/Anjana | |
| 2018 | Welcome to New York | Herself | Cameo appearance |
Television (Bipasha Basu Biography)
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2015–2016 | Darr Sabko Lagta Hai | Host |
| 2020 | Dangerous | Neha Singh |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Album | Singer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | “Tu” | Kismat | Sonu Nigam |
| 1999 | “Sauda Khara” | Hai Energy | Sukhbir |
| 2000 | “Tera Milna Pal Do Pal Ka” | Jaan | Sonu Nigam |
| 2004 | “Stolen” | Me Against Myself | Jay Sean |
Music Song
- 2003:Appeared in Hum Ko To Hai Poora Yakeen made by msn cricket and Sports (MSN India) to support The Indian Cricket team for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003.
Awards and nominations (Bipasha Basu Biography)
Filmfare Awards
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Ajnabee | Best Female Debut | Won |
| 2002 | Raaz | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2003 | Jism | Best Villain | Nominated |
| 2005 | No Entry | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2006 | Corporate | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2008 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
Stardust Awards
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Ajnabee | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2008 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Nominated | |
| — | Fashion Icon | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Aakrosh | Best Actress in a Thriller or Action | Nominated |
| Lamhaa | Best Actress in a Drama | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Dum Maaro Dum | Best Actress in a Thriller or Action | Won |
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Nominated | |
| — | Style Icon of the Year | Won |
Star Screen Awards
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Ajnabee | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2003 | Raaz | Jodi No. 1 (along with Dino Morea) | Nominated |
| 2007 | Corporate | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2009 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2009 | Race | Best Actress (Popular Choice) | Nominated |
| 2010 | All the Best: Fun Begins | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Best Villain | Nominated |
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Best Actress (Popular Choice) | Nominated |
| 2016 | Alone | Nominated |
Zee Cine Awards (Bipasha Basu Biography)
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Ajnabee | Best Female Debut | Nominated |
| 2003 | Raaz | Dynamic Duo (with Dino Morea) | Won |
| 2007 | Corporate | Best Actor – Female | Nominated |
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Best Villain | Nominated |
International Indian Film Academy Awards
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Ajnabee | Best Debut (shared with Arjun Rampal and Gracy Singh) | Won |
| Fresh Face of the Year | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | Jism | Best Performance in a Negative Role | Nominated |
| 2007 | Dhoom 2 | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2009 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Nominated | |
| Race | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| — | Style Diva of the Year | Won | |
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Best Performance in a Negative Role | Nominated |
Bollywood Movie Awards
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Raaz | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2003 | Jism | Best Villain | Won |
| 2007 | Corporate | Best Actress | Won |
Star Guild Award (Bipasha Basu Biography)
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Race | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated |
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Best Actor in a Negative Role | Nominated |
BIG Star Entertainment Award
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Raaz 3 | Most Entertaining Actress in a Thriller Film | Nominated |
| Most Entertaining Film Actor – Female | Nominated |
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Alone | Best Actress | Nominated |
Anandalok Puraskar Awards
| Year | Film | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Corporate | Best Actress | Won |
| 2009 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Won |
Other Awards and Recognitions
| 2009 | Durban Film Festival Award for Best Actress – Shob Charitro Kalponik | Nominated |
| 2011 | Bramptonshire Walk of Fame – Contribution to Indian Cinema | Won |
| 2013 | Kolkata International Film Festival – Pancha Kanya Memorial Honour | Won |
| 2009 | European Bollywood Awards for Best Supporting Actress – Bachna Ae Haseeno | Won |
| 2005 and 2007 | Sexiest Woman of Asia by Eastern Eye | Won |
| 2009 | Sexiest Woman of Asia by FHM | Won |
| 2013 | NDTV Fittest Icon of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | Scariest Performer of the Year – South African Horror Fest – Aatma | Won |
