Anju Mahendru


Anju Mahendru is an Indian actress and former fashion designer. She is best known as Kamini Gupta in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Neelam in Kohi Apna Sa, Reeva in Kahiin to Hoga and Beeji in Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai.

Personal life

Anju Mahendru's mother is the sister of the music director Madan Mohan.
Mahendru was briefly engaged to West Indies cricketer Garfield Sobers in 1967.
Mahendru and Rajesh Khanna met in 1966 and she dated him till 1972. Khanna later married Dimple Kapadia in March 1973. Mahendru and Rajesh did not speak with each other till 1987. Mahendru dated Imtiaz Khan from 1972 to 1979 but Anju broke off from Imtiaz in 1979.
Mahendru became friends again with Khanna from 1988 and Mahendru remained his close friend till Khanna's death and was by his side when he died. She confessed in an interview that it was because of her immaturity that she frivolously declined Khanna's offer of marriage to her in 1971 and had she accepted marriage she would have remained his wife.

Career

Mahendru started modelling at the age of 13. She was discovered by poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi who recommended her to Basu Bhattacharya. Basu cast her in Uski Kahani in 1966. Uski Kahani was the debut film for Mahendru as well as the first directorial venture of Basu Bhattacharya. She later went on to act in films such as Jewel Thief, Bandhan, Intaqam and Dastak. She never made it as a leading lady and moved to character roles. She was also featured in Nari Hira's television films featuring up and coming Aditya Pancholi in the mid-1980s.
She made a comeback in the 1990s in television acting in various soaps. She played Trishna's mother-in-law in the TV serial Hamari Betiyoon Ka Vivaah on Zee TV. She acted as Maan's daadi in Geet – Hui Sabse Parayi. She also played the role of Jeevika, Maanvi, and Daboo's daadi in Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai, of Sujatha in StarPlus' Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, and of Gayatri Singh, the grandmother of the female lead, Anami, in Rishton Ka Chakravyuh on StarPlus.
Other popular Hindi TV serials she acted in are Shingora, Swabhimaan, and Kasautii Zindagii Kay.

Filmography

Kasautii Zindagii Kay as Kaamini Gupta