Khushbu Sundar

Some Lesser Known Facts About Khushbu Sundar

• Khushbu Sundar was given the stage name “Khushbu” by her parents when she began her career as a child artist in the song “Teri Hai Zameen Tera Aasman” from the movie “The Burning Train” ^[11]The News Minute

  

• As a child actor, she appeared in the Hindi films like Naseeb (1997), Laawaris (1981), Kaalia (1981), Dard Ka Rishta, and Bemisal (1982).

  

• In 1982, she performed in the fairy/pari song “Main Pariyon Ki Shehzaadi” from Dard Ka Rishta’s movie. This song was a hit and is still very popular in Indian children’s parties and the annual day functions at schools.

  

• Khushbu was using the surname Sundar since her marriage. She got married to Sundar C. in 2000. ^[12]The News Minute The couple named their film production company ‘Avni Cinemax’ after their daughters Avantika and Anandita.

• In 1985, Khushbu was seen dancing with Javed Jaffrey in the movie Meri Jung. The lyrics of the song were “Bol Baby Bol, Rock n Roll.” In the same year, Khushbu made her marking debut as a lead actress in the movie Jaanoo opposite Jackie Shroff.

  

• In 1986, she appeared against Govinda in the movie Tan-Badan. Soon, she appeared in a supporting role in the movie Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin, which also starred Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit. She performed a solo song in this movie, and this song was a blockbuster hit and is still popular at Indian marriage functions across North India.

  

• After the movie ‘Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin,’ she predominantly appeared in South Indian films.

• In 1986, Khushbu Sundar entered South Indian movies and made her marking debut opposite Venkatesh in the Telugu film Kaliyuga Pandavulu. Since then, she has been living in Chennai. ^[13]The News Minute Soon, she started focussing only on South Indian and Tamil movies. She worked and appeared in more than 150 South Indian movies after shifting to South cinema. She has performed opposite various renowned South Indian actors including Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, Tiger Prabhakar, Ravichandran, Suresh Gopi, Sathyaraj, Prabhu, Sarath Kumar, Chiranjeevi, Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh.

• Khushbu Sundar appeared in more than 100 Tamil films along with Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu films. Some of her noted Malayalam movies include Uncle Bun, Vrudhanmare Sookshikkuka, Independence, Manathe Kottaram, Kaiyoppu, and Mr Marumakan.

• Some of her prominent Kannada movies include Ranadheera (1987), Anjada Gandu, Shanthi Kranthi, Yugapurusha, Gagana Aunty Preetse, and Jeevanadhi.

• Khushbu Sundar performed mainly opposite Venkatesh and Nagarjuna in Telugu movies.

• At her peak in Indian Cinema, Khushbu Sundar was regarded as the leading actress in the Tamil film industry. Her fans built a temple with her idol in Tamil Nadu after her name and dedicated it to her. She became the first and only actress in the Indian film industry on receiving this honour. In 2001, in an interview, Khushbu said while answering a question related to the temple built after her name,
  

  I have not gone even once. They have shown me photographs.”

  However, this temple was demolished in 2005. The reason behind this demolition was that Khushbu Sundar commented on pre-marital sex and AIDS. ^[14]Gulf News

• Khushbu Sundar, along with Usain Bolt, is a respectable member of the Richmond Football Club in Melbourne, Australia. In 2016, she was regarded as the first Indian woman who held the ticket of the Richmond Football Club. Later, she was considered the first Indian celebrity who was given such an honour in the AFL (The Australian Football League). She learned the rules of football from the former Ministerial Adviser Nitin Gupta. Soon after getting this honour, Khushbu agreed to promote AFL Football in India after taking a guided tour of the Richmond Football Club in September 2017. This gesture was regarded as a good initiative to strengthen the relations between India and Australia.

• In 2017, during her peak in Tamil cinema, several dishes in Tamil Nadu were named after Khushbu by her fans. The most popular dish named Khushbu Idli, a rice cake is still a favourite dish item among Tamilians. Some other food items including Kushboo Jhumki, Kushboo Sarees, Kushboo Sharbet, Kushboo Coffee, Kushboo Cocktails were named after Khushbu. ^[15]The Hindu

• In 2017, Khushbu promoted Little India cultural precincts in Victoria, Australia. She was appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Little India. ^[16]The Indian Sun On becoming the Brand Ambassador of Little India, Khushbu said on this occasion,
  

  I’m happy to help the small businesses of Australian Indian community with additional profiling and exposure.”

• After a successful career in South Indian movies, Khushbu went on to join politics. In May 2010, Khushbu joined the Indian political party DMK. DMK leader Karunanidhi welcomed Khushbu at his party headquarters in Chennai. However, on 16 June 2014, she left DMK.

  

• On 26 November 2014, Khushbu joined the Indian National Congress. Soon after joining the Congress party, she was appointed as the National spokesperson of the Indian National Congress. On her appointment in INC, Khushbu exclaimed,
  

  This is the most delightful moment in my life. I feel I am at home. I am proud of joining the Congress as it is a secular party. I will work for the good of the country, not just for Tamil Nadu alone.”

  

• Khushbu left her father’s house with her mother and three brothers. She was sixteen years old when she walked out of her father’s home. In 2018, In an interview, she explained,
  

  I rebelled very early when I decided to speak against my father and take my mother and brothers out of the family. Because I did not like the way he said that a woman’s position is somewhere. He was an abusive husband.”

  She further added about that time when she left her house,

  I still remember the date. It was September 12, 1986. My father told me that one day, you will be crawling on all fours and come begging to us. I told him that I will kill my brothers and mother and jump in front of a running train, but I will never come back to you.”

• In a video interview, Khushbu Sundar shared her emotions related to her mother and father and her childhood memories, and she also shared her views on pre-marital sex and live-in relationships.

• In April 2019, Khushbu Sundar slapped a man who allegedly misbehaved with her. The incident happened when she was campaigning for her party. A video went viral on social media after the incident. Several renowned personalities and the general public praised her for “not putting up with any misbehaviour” by commenting on the viral video.

• Khushbu is an active supporter of the Indian Bull-taming sport named ‘jallikattu.’ At several national and international platforms, she has been often seen supporting the sport. Khushbu once visited a cattle station in Warrnambool, Australia to learn how cattle are raised and treated on farms outside India. ^[17]Deccan Chronicle

• Khushbu often shares her homemade recipes for healthy hair and skin on her social media account.
  

  

  

• Khushbu often shares pictures of her pet dogs Kulfi, Nila, and Snoopy on her social media account.

  

• Various Indian news channels often invite Khushbu Sundar to their shows to address the general public.

  

• On 12 October 2020, Khushbu resigned INC. On the same day, she joined Bharatiya Janata Party. Her resignation was ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021. She contested from the Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai. However, she lost the elections by a margin of 32200 votes. The opposition candidate, Ezhilan N of the DMK party won the elections by a percentage of 52.87.

  

• After joining BJP in 2020, Khushbu strongly stated against the Gandhis ruling in Indian National Congress. She said Gandhis were in a myth that they would defeat the Modi government in future elections. In an interview with a media house, she spelt out,
  

  Gandhis have to come out of the bubble they have built for themselves. Till they don’t burst the bubble, they are going to be defeated. They will not find themselves in opposition also. It’s a myth that they think… forget ruling the country… they are living under false hope that they will be in opposition all the while. They will not be part of an opposition also.”

• In an interview, Khushbu Sundar shared her parenting principle with a media house. She said,
  

  Being friends with the children is our first parenting principle. We have always treated them as our friends and they have absolute liberty to share their views, opinions, challenges they face, and so on with us.”

• In 2020, the PPC (Pradesh Congress Committee ) chief stated to Khushbu that she was just like a droplet on a lotus flower and not made for politics, and she was an actress, not a leader. In an interview, Khushbu replied to his statement and said,
  

  This is the attitude they have against women who are intelligent and eloquent. To hell with modesty. I am bold, I am beautiful, and I am daring.”

• In December 2020, Khushbu revealed that her father was sexually & physically abusive to Khushbu and her mother.

• Khushbu protested against Ananda Vikatan in January 2021 for insulting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  

• In March 2021, Khushbu Sundar met the local people in Tamil Nadu and prepared a dosa while campaigning for her political party.

  

• In July 2021, Khushbu Sundar’s Twitter account was hacked and all the posts were deleted by the anonymous hacker. ^[18]The Times of India

• In 2021, Khushbu Sundar spoke about the women reservation in India at Conclave South 2021 event.

• On 27 February 2023, she was nominated as a member of the National Commission for Women. ^[19]The Hindu

• In March 2023, in an interview, she revealed that she was sexually abused by her father since she was eight years old, and it was only when she turned 15 that she could speak up against him. She said,
  

  I think when a child is abused, it scars the child for life and it’s not about a girl or a boy. My mother has been through the most abusive marriage. A man who probably thought it was his birthright to beat up his wife, beat up his children, sexually abuse his only daughter. When my abuse started I was just 8 years old and I had the courage to speak against him when I was 15.” ^[20]Hindustan Times

• On 25 June 2024, the National Commission for Women (NCW) appointed her to lead an inquiry into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.