Neha Pendse
Nehha Pendse Bayas is an Indian actress and producer known for her work primarily in Marathi and Hindi films and television, along with appearances in other language films.
Pendse started her career as a child artist in Ekta Kapoor's horror show Captain House in 1995, when she was ten years old. She rose to prominence through notable roles in Hindi TV shows like Padosan and Hasratein. Her film debut happened in 1999 with an uncredited appearance in Daag: The Fire, followed by playing Sunny Deol's sibling in Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin. Her first role as an on-screen adult came in 2002, at age 17, in the Telugu romantic comedy Sontham and the Tamil romantic drama Mounam Pesiyadhe. Next, she acted in the romantic film Inidhu Inidhu Kadhal Inidhu, the suicidal drama Nothing but Life, and the action-thriller Abraham & Lincoln.
Notably, she gained recognition in the Marathi film industry during the late 2000s, starring in films like Agnividya and the family drama daily soap Bhagyalakshmi, portraying complex characters. Although she appeared in various Marathi films thereafter, including the fictional biopic Dusari Goshta, the comedy Premasathi Coming Suun, the inspirational drama Balkadu, and the drama Natsamrat. Despite her success in Marathi cinema, she also made notable appearances on Hindi television, notably in the sitcom May I Come In Madam? in 2016 and participated in Bigg Boss season 12. In 2021, Pendse's performance in the Marathi film June, which she co-produced, garnered critical acclaim, earning her a Filmfare Award Marathi for Best Actress. She also replaced Saumya Tandon in Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! for a brief period of time, from 2020 to 2022. She reprised her role in the second season of May I Come In Madam? from mid-2023 to 2024.
In 2020, she married businessman Shardul Singh Bayas.
Early life
Pendse was born on 29 November 1984 in Bombay to Vijay Pendse and Shubhangi Pendse.Career
1995–2004: Career beginnings and acting debut
Pendse began her acting journey at the tender age of ten, making her debut as a child actor in the television series Captain House in 1995, under the production of Ekta Kapoor. Her talent broke through, and she rose to prominence in the Hindi entertainment industry as a child actor, featuring in notable shows such as Padosan '', Hasratein, Ghunghat Ke Pat khol, Meethi Meethi Baatein, and the Marathi series Pimpalpaan. Venturing into episodic television, she showcased her versatility through various roles in Rishtey–The Love Stories, delving into the complexities of human relationships with nuance and depth.In 1999, she marked her Hindi film debut, although uncredited, in Daag: The Fire, and the same year, she portrayed Sunny Deol's sister in Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin. Throughout this period, she often portrayed the roles of siblings to the main protagonists in Hindi cinema, featuring in films like Deewane, Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller, Tum Se Achcha Kaun Hai. Particularly noteworthy was her role as Madhuri Dixit's friend, Chaurangi, in Devdas, which she secured without an audition while still in tenth grade. In 2002, she ventured into the Telugu film industry with her leading role debut in the romantic comedy Sontham, where she was the sole female lead among three friends. Her performance was deemed "promising" by critics, and the film proved to be a box-office success. Additionally, during the same year, she made her debut in Tamil cinema with the romantic drama Mounam Pesiyadhe, starring alongside Suriya, Trisha and Nandha.
The following year, Pendse appeared alongside J. D. Chakravarthy in the Telugu comedy Golmaal, which was a remake of the 1994 Malayalam film Malappuram Haji Mahanaya Joji. Critics observed that her roles in these films were somewhat limited. However, her performance in her next venture, Inidhu Inidhu Kadhal Inidhu in 2003, received acclaim. Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu praised her portrayal, stating, "Neha, whom we saw as the second heroine in Mounam Pesiyathe is apt as the bold, belligerent Mamathi later softened by love." Similarly, Malini Mannath for Chennai Online noted, "Neha has charming demeanour and the talent to go with it. Vadivelu tries hard to make you laugh," mentioning her noticeable presence even in a supporting role in Mounam Pesiyathe.'"
In 2004, Pendse got into the English-Malayalam experimental bilingual film Nothing but Life. In the film, she starred opposite R. Madhavan, portraying the character of a suicidal girl born in the US but with Malayalee roots. The movie was showcased at various film festivals, including the 12th Kerala International Film Festival, before its theatrical release. Unfortunately, upon its commercial release, the film failed to make an impact at the box office. Nonetheless, this project served as Pendse's debut in the Malayalam cinema industry. Also, she acted in the Malayalam delayed release Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and played a supporting role in the Kannada action drama Inspector Jhansi in 2005. That same year, she got her first lead role in a Hindi movie titled Dreams, but it didn't do well with critics or at the box office.
Following that, she featured in the Malayalam film Abraham & Lincoln, directed by Pramod Pappan, portraying the character of Nancy, Lincoln's sister, who faced challenges and dealt with mental health issues stemming from an incident during her studies. The film received positive reviews from both critics and audiences, particularly praising her performance. Subsequently, she appeared in the Hindi drama Swami, directed by Ganesh Acharya, alongside Manoj Bajpayee and Maninder Singh, portraying the role of Bajpayee's daughter-in-law. While Swami received mixed reviews from critics, her performance was highlighted. She then starred opposite Upendra in the Kannada action film Parodi, playing the role of a journalist. Despite the film's lackluster performance at the box office, critics commended her performance and the chemistry between her and Upendra. Moviebuzz critics commented that Neha's portrayal of a journalist indicates room for improvement, while RG Vijayasarathy of Rediff.com wrote, "Upendra and Neha are the saving graces of this otherwise weak film." In 2008, she once again collaborated with Upendra and director Om Sai Prakash in Veedhi Rowdy.''
2009–2015: Expansion in films and other success
In 2009, she portrayed the teenage daughter of a divorced mother, played by Gracy Singh, in Aseema: Beyond Boundaries. That same year, she made her debut in Marathi cinema with Agnidivya, where she starred alongside Subodh Bhave, Reema Lagoo, Mohan Agashe, and Mohan Joshi. The film, based on Chintamani Tryambak Khanolkar's novel Agochar, centers around the conflict between her character, Nandini, who is married to Bhave's character, a cruel man, and Anandrao, the autocratic leader. Nandini must confront a challenging ordeal known as the cleansing fire, 'Agnidivya.' It received critical acclaim in the Marathi film industry in 2009 and was also recommended for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 82nd Academy Awards.In 2010, she gained widespread acclaim for her role in the Marathi family drama series Bhagyalakshmi. Portraying the lead character of a troubled woman named Kashi, she starred alongside Vikram Gokhale, Priya Berde, and Surekha Kudachi. The storyline revolves around Kashi, the daughter of a devdasi, who marries Sanjay, a politician's relative. However, the village head, Bappaji, becomes apprehensive about Kashi's strong devotion to Goddess Bhirai, fearing it might challenge his authority. This marked her return to television after an eight-year.
In 2013, her role in the internationally acclaimed drama film Touring Talkies, directed by Gajendra Ahire, once again brought attention, as the film was considered for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 86th Academy Awards. In the movie, she portrayed a brief role as an actress working with an indie filmmaker, who is shocked to discover some unexpected moments in the film. Keyur Seta of The Common Man Speaks praised her performance, stating that "Pendse shines in a cameo." The following year, she had a busy schedule with appearances in five films. She played a supporting role in Rajendra Talak's A Rainy Day and took on the female lead in the fictional biopic Dusari Goshta, directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni, based on the life of former Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. Additionally, she was part of two multi-starrer films: Hu Tu Tu directed by Kanchan Adhikari, alongside Jitendra Joshi, Hemant Dhome, and Mansi Naik, and Bol Baby Bol alongside Aruna Irani, Makarand Anaspure, and Aniket Vishwasrao. In Premasathi Coming Suun, she played the main protagonist, a prospective bride with a hidden agenda opposite Adinath Kothare. Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India complimented her appearance, stating that "Neha looks ravishing after having lost those extra kilos."
In 2015, she starred opposite Umesh Kamat in Balkadu, a film inspired by the ideologies of the late Indian politician Bal Thackeray. In the movie, she portrayed the childhood sweetheart of Kamat's character, reuniting with him after a long separation and providing unwavering support in his endeavors. Keertikumar Kadam of Marathi Movie World praised her performance, stating that "Pendse does what was expected of her and looks ravishingly stunning, on screen." Following this, she appeared in Anant Mahadevan's biographical film Gour Hari Dastaan, which depicts the life of an Indian freedom fighter from Odisha.