Here are Bollywood’s child artists of the 1990s and early 2000s, all grown up
Remember the little girl who stole our hearts in the 1997 super hit, Chachi 420? Well the young Fatima Sana Shaikh is all grown up now, and is set to make a comeback in Bollywood as Aamir Khan’s daughter in the upcoming biopic, Dangal. The 24 year old actress, dancer and photographer, will portray the role of Geeta Phogat, India’s first female wrestler to win a Gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, in Delhi.
All the little star performers of the 1990s and early 2000s have grown up, and while some have continued acting and modeling, others have moved on to different fields. Here, we take a look at ten child actors are back on screen:
Sana Saeed: She shone as Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter in the 1998 super hit film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hain. Mumbai girl Sana Saeed, who also starred in Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Badal (2000), and a few television series, made her adult debut in Karan Johar’s 2012 multi-starrer box office, Student of The Year. While her role in SOTY was not really significant, she got noted for her glamour quotient. Saeed has also appeared in dance based reality shows, Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, and a number of other TV shows.
Hansika Motwani: As a child artist, Motwani acted in the 90s show Shaka Laka Boom Boom and Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, and also appeared as Hrithik Roshan’s little friend in the 2003 Bollywood science fiction, Koi… Mil Gaya. While her Hindi venture as an adult did not work out well – she made her Bollywood debut in Aap Ka Surroor opposite Himesh Reshammiya - she has had a much better outing down south, and has an ardent fan base in Tamil Nadu, where a temple has even been built in her name, in Madurai.
Shweta Banu Prasad: The talented girl started her career at the age of 11 in in Vishal Bharadwaj’s 2001 film, Makdee, where she went on to win the National Award for Best Child Artist. Prasad also gained much acclaim for her performance as Khadija, in the 2005 film Iqbal, which won her the Best Supporting Actress award at the 5th Karachi International Film festival. However, lady luck did not shine on her, and apart from a few low budget films in Telugu, not many significant roles came her way. Things went downhill for her, after she was arrested in 2014, in Hyderabad, during a police raid of a prostitution racket, post which she spent two months in a rescue home. After coming out, Prasad blamed the media for making up stories of her having admitted her guilt. She will next be seen in Hindi historical drama, Chandragupta Maurya.
Kunal Khemu: While Khemu made his television debut in the 1987 Doordarshan TV series, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam as a child actor, his debut film was the 1993 movie, Sir. Khemu also acted in Raja Hindustani. Zakhm, Bhai, and Hum Hein Rahi Pyar Ke, before making his entry as the male lead in Mohit Suri’s Kalyug (2005). While he has been a part of other films such as Go Goa Gone, Golmaal 3, Bhaag Johnny, his journey in the industry has not been really noteworthy. On the personal front, Khemu is married to actress Soha Ali Khan.
Omkar Kapoor: Kapoor begin his Bollywood journey as a child artist in the 1996 film Masoom, and featured in a few popular films of the 90s and early 2000s such as Hero No.1, Judaai, Judwaa and Mela, before making his adult debut as a lead actor in the film, Pyaar Ka Punchnaama 2. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, it became a box office hit. Kapoor has also assisted directors Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Farah Khan.
Alia Bhatt: One of the most popular among the 90s child actors is Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter, Alia Bhatt, who made her debut as a child artiste in the 1999 crime thriller, ‘Sangharsh’, at the age of six. As an adult, she tasted success in her first leading role in the 2012 film, Student of the Year, and has gone on to do many more films, making her presence felt among the top actors in the industry.
Sunny Singh: The little boy from the 1990’s Hindi sitcom, Dekh Bhai Dekh, has grown up to become a handsome actor. Singh has also appeared in the 2010 Hindi drama, Paathshaala, starring Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh, Nana Patekar and Ayesha Thakia. Singh was also reportedly supposed to star in director Priyadharshan’s next venture, but nothing more has been said about it.
Karishma Acharya: She played the role of Vishal Singh’s younger sister in the Dekh Bhai Dekh. Karishma Acharya, who graduated from the National institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, is now a costume designer and fashion stylist, based in Mumbai. Her portfolio includes designing costumes for films such as Happy Ending, Shootout at Wadala, Shor in the City and the mythological drama series, Dharmakshetra.
Pooja Ruparel: Though her debut film as a child actress was the 1993 film, King Uncle, Pooja Ruparel is best known for her portrayal of Chutki, Kajol’s cherubic little sister, in the 1995 cult film, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, one of Indian cinema’s longest running films. Post DDLJ, Ruparel has done a number of television commercials and theatre, and was last seen in the Indian remake of the American series, 24, starring Anil Kapoor.
Malvika Raaj: The younger Poo of the Chandu Ke Chacha fame, from the 2001 hit movie, Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham, has grown up to become a glamorous model and is doing a number of commercials. Raaj, who has walked in almost all of the leading fashion weeks, has also won the India Model Star Award at the Asia Model Festival, Seoul South Korea.
