Juhi Chawla

Some Lesser Known Facts About Juhi Chawla

• Juhi Chawla is an Indian actress, film producer, entrepreneur, and social activist. She was one of the leading actresses in Bollywood from the late 1980s until the early 2000s. She catapulted to fame after playing the role of Rashmi Singh in Mansoor Khan’s Hindi-language romantic musical film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). Known for her exceptional comedic skills and captivating charisma on screen, Juhi has received numerous prestigious awards, including two Filmfare Awards. She was crowned Miss India in 1984.

• She comes from a family with a military background.

• Juhi grew up in Ambala, Haryana, where her family relocated a few months after her birth.

  

• Following her graduation, Juhi participated in the renowned beauty pageant Femina Miss India in 1984 and emerged victorious, earning the prestigious crown. In addition, she achieved several titles at the pageant, including Miss Catwalk, Miss Perfect Ten, Miss Popular, and Miss Miraculous.

  

• Representing India, she then competed in the Miss Universe Pageant held in Miami the same year. While she did not secure the overall title, she was honoured with the Best Costume Award at the beauty pageant.

• In 1986, Juhi Chawla marked her entry into the world of acting with the Hindi film “Sultanat” where she portrayed the character of Zarina. However, the film did not fare well at the box office.

• It was in 1988 that Juhi attained stardom with her role as Rashmi in the Hindi-language romantic musical film “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak,” alongside Aamir Khan. The film was a contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare’s novel “Romeo and Juliet.”

  

• Subsequently, she starred in several blockbuster films alongside Aamir Khan. Their successful collaborations include “Daulat Ki Jung” (1992), “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” (1993), “Andaz Apna Apna” (1994), “Ishq” (1997), and “Deewana Mastana” (1997).

• In 1992, Juhi Chawla was seen in the Hindi film “Rishta Ho Toh Aisa,” where she shared the screen with Rishi Kapoor.

  

• Juhi Chawla has also graced the screen in numerous successful films alongside Shah Rukh Khan. Their notable collaborations include “Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman” (1992), “Darr” (1993), “Yes Boss” (1997), “Duplicate” (1998), and “Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani” (2000).

  

• Juhi Chawla has also been a part of several other popular Hindi films, including “My Brother… Nikhil” (2005) and “Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi” (1997).

• In 2014, she portrayed the character of Sumitra Devi (Bagrecha) in the Hindi-language action drama film “Gulaab Gang,” directed by Soumik Sen. The film shed light on the challenges faced by women in India. Although the movie did not fare well at the box office, Juhi Chawla’s performance garnered immense critical acclaim.

• In 2022, she took on the role of Veena Manchanda in the Hindi-language comedy-drama film “Sharmaji Namkeen.”

  

• She has also made notable appearances in the Kannada films “Ranadheera” (1988), “Kindari Jogi” (1989), “Shanti Kranti” (1991), “Pushpaka Vimana” (2017), and “Very Good 10/10.”

• Chawla has also ventured into Telugu cinema, featuring in films such as “Vicky Daada” (1989) and “Shanti Kranti” (1991).

• In 1991, Juhi appeared in the Tamil film Nattukku Oru Nallavan in which she played the role of Jyoti.

• A year later, she starred in the Bengali film Apan Por as Swapna.

• Some of her popular Punjabi films include Punjabi films Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris (2006), Sukhmani – Hope for Life (2010), and Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2014).

  

• In 1999, Juhi Chawla co-founded the production company Dreamz Unlimited along with Shah Rukh Khan and Aziz Mirza. Under the banner, she has co-produced the Hindi films Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), Asoka (2001), and Chalte Chalte (2003).

• She has also appeared in DD Metro’s mini-series Mahashakti (1995) in which she played the role of Kanchan.

• In 2009, Juhi appeared as a judge in season 3 of the reality TV dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa on Sony Entertainment Television.

• She has also hosted the kid’s chat-show Badmaash Company- Ek Shararat Hone Ko Hai (2011) on Colors TV.

• In the year 2022, Juhi Chawla played the role of Ishi in the web series “Hush Hush,” available on Amazon Prime Video.

  

• Juhi Chawla, along with her husband Jay Mehta and Indian actor Shahrukh Khan, secured the ownership rights of the Kolkata-based Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise for a sum of US$ 75.09 million. They named their team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2008. Notably, KKR emerged victorious in the Twenty20 cricket tournament in both 2012 and 2014.

• In addition, Juhi Chawla is a co-owner of a restaurant called Pizza Metro Pizza, located at Kemps Corner in Mumbai.

• Juhi loves to dance and play badminton in her spare time.

• She is a trained Kathak dancer. She has also honed her skills in classical singing for about six years.

• Juhi Chawla is good friends with Nita Ambani.

• Reportedly, Juhi Chawla has made the decision to donate her eyes to an eye donation organization upon her demise. She actively advocates for and encourages individuals to contemplate organ donation as a meaningful option for the future.

• Despite her background as a beauty queen, Juhi Chawla skillfully evaded being stereotyped into a solely sexy image. Instead, she carved her own path by becoming synonymous with innocence, captivating audiences with her vibrant charm and distinctive pigtails. Juhi consciously made choices to turn down roles that would have portrayed her as a glamorous and seductive star, solidifying her reputation as an actress who embraced a different kind of on-screen persona.

• Initially, Juhi Chawla had hesitations about accepting the role in the Hindi film “Lootere” (1993) due to concerns about potentially tarnishing her wholesome image. However, after being persuaded by friends, she ultimately embraced the opportunity and showcased her versatility, earning recognition for her glamorous persona as well.

• During an interview, Salman Khan disclosed that he had approached S. Chawla, Juhi Chawla’s father, with a marriage proposal for Juhi. However, Juhi’s father declined the proposal.

• In a poignant moment during a televised interview, Juhi Chawla became overwhelmed with emotions and tearfully broke down on national television. The incident occurred when the show’s host inquired about the medical condition of her brother, Bobby Chawla, who had slipped into a coma.

• During the early stages of her career, Juhi Chawla experienced an exceptional demand, resulting in an impressive total of 29 film releases between 1990 and 1993.

• In 1998, Juhi Chawla, along with Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Akshay Kumar, embarked on a concert tour titled ‘Awesome Foursome.’ Their captivating performances took place across the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

• According to reports, Juhi Chawla graciously chose not to charge any remuneration for her participation in the patriotic Punjabi film “Shaheed Udham Singh” (1999).

• During her remarkable career, Juhi Chawla has had the opportunity to work alongside acclaimed actors Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in several blockbuster films. Interestingly, despite the popularity of both Salman Khan and Juhi during the same era, they have never had the chance to collaborate and share the screen in any film.

• During an interview, Bollywood actress Kiara Advani disclosed that her father and Juhi Chawla were childhood friends.

• Juhi Chawla and Aamir Khan began their careers around the same time, with Aamir gaining a reputation for his playful behavior on set. However, a particular prank crossed the line, causing Juhi to reach her limit. The incident took place during the filming of the song ‘Ankhiyan Tu’ for the Hindi film “Ishq.” Juhi’s irritation grew, leading her to confront both Aamir and Ajay, ultimately refusing to continue shooting. Her frustration persisted, causing her to miss the next day’s shoot as well. Aamir, too, was upset by her reaction, resulting in a communication gap between the two for approximately 4-5 years following the incident.

• During an interview, Juhi Chawla asserted that she played a significant part in elevating Karishma Kapoor’s stardom. According to Juhi, the Bollywood films “Raja Hindustani” (1996) and “Dil To Pagal Hai” (1997), which firmly established Karishma’s position in the Hindi film industry, were initially offered to her. However, Juhi declined these offers, ultimately paving the way for Karishma to shine in those roles. While talking about it, she said,
  

  When you are riding high on success, ego often influences your decisions. In my case, I inadvertently played a part in making Karisma Kapoor a star. I was the first choice for Raja Hindustani, and she went on to do Dil To Pagal Hai, which was originally offered to me.”

• During the height of her career, Juhi Chawla received numerous offers to work alongside Madhuri Dixit in films. However, she turned down these opportunities as she didn’t want to play second fiddle to her. The anticipation in the film industry grew when Juhi and Madhuri finally collaborated in the Hindi film “Gulaab Gang” (2014). In an interview, when asked about the rumoured rivalry between them, Juhi expressed her thoughts by saying,
  

  I was apprehensive of taking a film (Dil To Pagal Hai) with Madhuri earlier when we were all rising up in our careers. At that time I did not take on a film because she was in it. I had just done Darr with Yash ji and was used to all the attention. So when I was offered Dil To Pagal Hai, I said I don’t want to be second to her.”

  She added,

  That was not a clever decision of mine.”

• Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh Khan were once closely bonded, to the extent that they co-founded a production house named ‘Red Chillies’ together. Juhi’s brother, Bobby, even served as the CEO of the company. However, their relationship experienced strain when Shah Rukh made the decision to replace Bobby with Venky Mysore as the CEO of Red Chillies, without prior communication or consultation with Juhi. This incident created tensions between SRK and Juhi. Revealing the same in an interview, Juhi said,
  

  I don’t know if I was informed before or after Venky assumed office, but it was Venky who called me and told me about the development. In fact, I told Venky ‘please go ahead and take up your new assignment’. But suddenly I started feeling bad because it struck me that the job, which my brother did so efficiently for the longest time, will now be done by someone else.”

• Juhi Chawla has appeared in more than 86 films until 2023.

• According to reports, Juhi Chawla was offered the role of Draupadi in Zee TV’s show “Mahabharat.” However, she had to turn down the opportunity as the shooting schedule of the series overlapped with her commitments to the film “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak” (1988).

• Juhi Chawla maintains an active presence on various social media platforms and has garnered a significant fan following, particularly on Instagram.

• In 1998, while Juhi was filming for her movie “Duplicate,” she received the devastating news of her mother’s tragic passing in an accident.

• Juhi’s brother, Sanjeev, passed away on 9th March 2014 at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. Apparently, he experienced a severe brain stroke in 2010 which resulted in him falling into a coma.

• Before getting married, Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta dated for several years. In a candid interview, Juhi fondly reminisced about their courtship days, sharing delightful anecdotes about Jay’s romantic gestures. She recalled moments when he would surprise her with heartfelt gifts, beautiful flowers, and handwritten notes. One particular memory that stood out was when Jay overwhelmed her with an extravagant delivery of a truckload of roses, leaving her pleasantly surprised and deeply touched by his affectionate gesture. Juhi said,
  

  Everywhere I looked, he was there with flowers and notes and gifts. Every day! On my birthday, I remember he sent me a truckload of red roses. I was like, ‘What do you do with a truckload of flowers?’ He really did all he could. After a year, he proposed.”

• Initially, Juhi Chawla chose to keep her marriage with Jay Mehta under wraps. During an interview, she reflected on the reasons behind her decision to conceal her wedding from the public eye for a considerable period of time. Juhi explained that she was at the peak of her career and had recently attained stability in her professional life. However, she had concerns that disclosing her marriage could potentially disrupt the hard-earned progress she had achieved. Thus, she made the deliberate choice to prioritize privacy and keep her marital life separate from her public persona. She said,
  

  At that time, you did not have the internet and you did not have cameras on every phone, so you could do it that way. I was just about established and doing well. That’s the time Jay was serenading me and I was afraid of losing my career just when I had kind of got there. I wanted to carry on and this seemed the midway.”

• In October 2024, Juhi was featured in the Hurun Rich List of 2024 as the richest Indian actress.

Juhi Chawla in Ishq (1997)