Tisca Chopra (born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress, author and film producer who has appeared in over 45 feature films, predominantly in Hindi language.

Tisca Chopra
Chopra in 2017
Born (1973-11-01) 1 November 1973 (age 51)
Alma materHindu College, Delhi
Occupation(s)Actress, author and producer
SpouseSanjay Chopra
Children1

Taare Zameen Par, her best known feature film, was India's official entry to the Academy Awards.[1] It also won her Filmfare and other top nominations. Another feature film, Qissa,[2] premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2013, and won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film. The film has travelled to over 24 festivals, winning over almost all top awards and much appreciation from audiences and critics. Tisca did her bachelor's degree in English literature from University of Delhi and worked extensively in theatre. She has honed her craft with Naseeruddin Shah and theatre director Feroz Khan. Her performance in the Pulitzer Award-winning play, Dinner With Friends, that deals with the state of the modern marriage, was a hit in India, South East Asia and the Middle East, garnering praise from both critics and audiences. She has worked with Sam Pitroda on the National Knowledge Commission, to help with revamping the education system.

Her book Acting Smart (HarperCollins),[3] is a best seller and is being translated into Hindi. Her second book What's Up With Me? was released in March 2021.[4][5] This book is about demystifying menstruation and puberty for young girls.[6] Tisca has been nominated at the New York Indian Film Festival for Best Actress for her work in 10Ml Love,[7] a film based on A Midsummer Night's Dream. The series won Best Ensemble Cast. She's been on the Jury of the MAMI (Mumbai Academy Of Moving Images) film festival. Chutney, a short film she wrote and produced under her company, The Eastern Way won two Filmfare Awards (Best Actress & Best Short Film). She is now developing two feature film scripts.[8][9][10] Her upcoming projects are Bioscopewala, 3Dev and The Hungry (based on the Shakespeare play Titus Andronicus).Tisca has endorsed brands like Tanishq,[11] Titan eyewear,[12] Olay,[13] Horlicks,[14] Marks & Spencer,[15] Godrej,[16] Bajaj Motors and Kellogg's.[17]

Early life and education

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Tisca Chopra was born on 1 November 1973 in KasauliHimachal Pradesh[18] into a family of educationists. She grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan, as her father was posted as the principal of India International School and later moved back to Delhi.[19][20] She graduated from Apeejay School, Noida, where her father was the principal. Later she studied English literature at Hindu College, University of Delhi. She also started working actively with amateur theatre. While at college, she started writing for several publications and acting in plays for an amateur theatre group and college festivals. After finishing her education, she moved to Mumbai and trained in acting with notable theatre greats Feroz Abbas Khan and Naseeruddin Shah[21] She is the grand-niece of the prominent Indian writer Khushwant Singh.[22]

Career

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Chopra at Colors Indian Telly Awards in 2012

She has won two Filmfare Awards (Chutney (2016)- Best Actress and Best Short Film) Filmfare Short Film Awards#Winners' announcement. For her role in Taare Zameen Par (2007), her best known film, she won Filmfare nominations. In 2011, she appeared in the Love Breakups Zindagi with Dia Mirza and Zayed Khan. Rahasya (2015), won her The People's Choice and Best Actress at Big Star Entertainment Awards. She made her film debut with Platform (1993), opposite Ajay Devgan.[citation needed] She also starred in the hit play Dinner With Friends, where her character of Dia[23] is a complex role of a failed artist. In 2004 she played the role of Prabhavati Devi in Prakash Jha's Loknayak.[24][25][26][27] In 2007, she appeared in Taare Zameen Par with Aamir Khan, where her performance was much lauded. She acted in Nandita Das's directorial debut, Firaaq (2008).[28][29] In 2011, she appeared in Madhur Bhandarkar's Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji.

For 10ml Love, which is based on the Shakespearean play Midsummer Night's Dream, Tisca was nominated for Best Actress at the 11th Annual New York Indian Film Festival.[30][31] Her film Ankur Arora Murder Case, written and produced by Vikram Bhatt released in May 2013.[32][33] Her other notable films are Anup Singh's Qissa, with Irrfan Khan released in 2013,[34][35] has travelled to over 20 festivals, winning over almost all top awards and much appreciation from audiences and critics, and Rahasya, by UVI Film Production Pvt. Ltd. She has worked in the Marathi film Highway with Umesh Kulkarni and Hindi and Tamil remakes of the Marathi film Kaksparsh, directed by Mahesh Manjrekar.

Theatre

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She acted in various plays in Mumbai and soon her work was seen Feroz Abbas Khan's Mahatma vs Gandhi, All The Best and Satyadev Dubey's Inshah Allah. She also starred in Dinner With Friends,[36][37][38] a Pulitzer Award-winning play. The play and Tisca garnered a lot of praise from both critics and audiences and has travelled to many cities across the world.

Television

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Starting her Television stint with the immensely popular short film format called Star Bestsellers, Tisca starred in two popular films, Ek Shaam Ki Mulaqat[39] and Hum Saath Saath Hain Kya?. This paved the way for leading parts in shows like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii (Star Plus), Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani (Zee TV), Sarkarr:Rishton Ki Ankahi Kahani (Zee TV) and Mariyam Khan - Reporting Live (Star Plus). She hosted a consumer grievances show on (Star News) called Main Hoon Na.[40] Tisca hosted Prayschit - Gunahon Ke Zakhm on Sony Entertainment Television, where she got a chance to reveal the transformation that criminals go through after or during their prison sentence. She starred in 24,[41] in the year 2013. The series was a remake of the American series of the same name, produced by Anil Kapoor, directed by Abhinay Deo, which was premiered on Colors.[42]

Advertising

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Tisca has appeared in advertisements for big brands like Tanishq,[43] Titan Eyewear,[12] Dish TV,[44][45] Kelloggs-All Bran,[46][47] Horlicks-Gold,[48] and Olay.[49][13]

Personal life

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Chopra is married to Capt. Sanjay Chopra who is a pilot with Air India.[50] She lives in Mumbai with her husband and her daughter, Tara.[51][52] She works with several NGOs, supporting education and women's rights.[53]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Language Notes
1993 15th August Kiran Solanki Hindi Credited as Priya Arora
Platform Tina Hindi Credited as Priya Arora
I Love India Priya Tamil Credited as Priya
1994 Baali Umar Ko Salaam Nikitha Hindi
1995 Gunehgaar Priya Hindi
Taqdeerwala Lataa Hindi
1998 Dandnayak Priya Hindi
2000 Karobaar: The Business of Love Neelam Hindi
2004 Hyderabad Blues 2 Menaka English, Telugu,
Hindi
2005 Sau Jhooth Ek Sach Hindi
2007 Cape Karma Kamini English
Taare Zameen Par Maya Awasthy Hindi
2008 Firaaq Anuradha Desai Hindi
Mayabazar (2008 film) Neena Kurian Malayalam
2010 10ml Love Roshni Hindi
Khushiyaan Julie Verma Punjabi
2011 Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji Anushka Anu Narang Hindi
404 (film) Dr. Mira Hindi
Love Breakups Zindagi Sheila Thappar Hindi
2012 OMG: Oh My God! Interviewer Hindi Special Appearance
2013 Ankur Arora Murder Case Nanditha Arora Hindi
Qissa Mehar Punjabi
2015 Rahasya Dr. Arthi Mahajan Hindi
Nirnnayakam Sreeprada Malayalam
Highway Film actor Marathi
Bruce Lee - The Fighter Malini Telugu
2016 Ghayal Once Again Sheethal Bansal Hindi
Sardaar Gabbar Singh Geetha Devi Telugu
2017 The Hungry Tulsi Joshi Hindi
2018 3 Dev Savitri Hindi
Bioscopewala Wahida Hindi
Lashtam Pashtam Mother of Siddhant Hindi
2019 Good Newwz Dr. Sandhya Joshi Hindi
2022 Jugjugg Jeeyo Meera Hindi
2023 Dono Anjali Malhotra Hindi
2024 Murder Mubarak Roshni Batra Hindi [54]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Star Bestsellers Sarla episode "Ek Shaam Ki Mulakaat"
2002 Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani Rhea
2003–2004 Karishma Kaa Karishma Sheetal (Karishma's mother)
2004–2005 Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii Mallika Doshi [55]
2005–2006 Sarkarr:Rishton Ki Ankahi Kahani Urvashi[55]
2007 Main Hoon Na[55] Host/presenter
2011 Prayschit - Gunahon Ke Zakhm Host/presenter
2013 24 Trisha Rathod
2018 Mariam Khan - Reporting Live Arts Teacher
2019 Hostages Season 1 Dr. Mira Anand[56]
2019 Beecham House Empress British television series
2021 Ramyug Mata kaikayi Mx Player original
2022 Dahan Avni Raut

Short films

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Year Title Role Director Notes Ref.
2016 Chutney Vanita Jyoti Kapur Das also producer and co-writer [57]
2017 Chhuri Meera Mansi Jain also co-producer and co-writer [58]
2020 Rubaru Radha Tisca Chopra also director, co-producer and co-writer [59]

Awards and nominations

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Won

Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Rockstah Media. "Review: Taare Zameen Par may change your life | Rajeev Masand – movies that matter : from bollywood, hollywood and everywhere else". www.rajeevmasand.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Qissa Movie Review - NDTV Movies". NDTVMovies.com. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  3. ^ Cinecurry (29 January 2014), 'Acting Smart' Book Launch│Tisca Chopra, Imtiyaz Ali, archived from the original on 15 December 2021, retrieved 12 April 2017
  4. ^ IANS (15 March 2021). "Tisca Chopra unveils cover of new book". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  5. ^ NDTV (29 January 2021). "In Conversation With Actor Tisca Chopra Banega Swasth India". YouTube. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  6. ^ Deb Roy, Lachmi (16 March 2021). "Tisca Chopra On Her Book 'What's Up With Me' And OTT Censorship". Outlook. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Review: 10 ml Love is silly but sweet". Rediff. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  8. ^ "'Chutney' review: Tisca Chopra's short film will leave you wanting more - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  9. ^ Ghosh, Sankhayan (5 December 2016). "Short film review: Chutney". livemint.com/. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  10. ^ "Tisca Chopra's short film Chutney is understated and creepy: Watch it here". Firstpost. 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  11. ^ Tisca Chopra Assistant (10 June 2014), Tanishq Solitaires Reel, archived from the original on 15 December 2021, retrieved 12 April 2017
  12. ^ a b Tisca Chopra Assistant (10 June 2014), Titan Eye Wear, archived from the original on 15 December 2021, retrieved 12 April 2017
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  21. ^ 'I enjoyed working with Aamir' Archived 2 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Rediff.com, 8 June 2007.
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  28. ^ On a roll: Post Taare Zameen Par, expectations have only risen for Tisca Chopra who now plays a key role in Firaaq Indian Express, 20 March 2009.
  29. ^ Tisca Chopra of Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Astitva Ek Prem Kahani Indian Express, 20 December 2004.
  30. ^ "New York Indian Film Festival 2011". Iaac.us. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
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  32. ^ "'Ankur Arora Murder Case' review: The film hits the conscience". Ibnlive.in.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
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  41. ^ YouTube. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013.
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