Pallavi Joshi

Pallavi Joshi (born 4 April 1969) is an Indian actress, writer, and film producer who works primarily in Hindi films and television. In a career spanning across films and television, Joshi is the recipient of such accolades as three National Film Awards, and a nomination for the Filmfare Awards.

Born in Mumbai to Marathi parents who were stage actors,[citation needed ] Joshi made her acting debut at age four with a minor role in the Hindi film Naag Mere Sathi (1973). Following numerous film appearances as a child artist, Joshi garnered recognition and acclaim when she ventured into the parallel cinema movement, with roles in critically acclaimed films like; Bhujangayyana Dashavathara (1988), Rihaee (1988), Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991), and Woh Chokri (1992), for which she won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award (Feature Film). Joshi also appeared in several commercial films, including Insaaf Ki Awaaz (1986), Andha Yudh (1987), which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress, Mujrim (1989), Saudagar (1991), Panaah (1992).

Joshi's career further expanded with her venture into television, garnering praise and popularity for revered Doordarshan shows as; Talaash (1992), Aarohan (1996-1997), Alpviram (1998), Justujoo (2002-2004). In recent years, Joshi has mainly collaborated with her husband, director Vivek Agnihotri, most notably for the films; The Tashkent Files (2019), and The Kashmir Files (2022), both of which she co-produced and won her two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress.

Joshi started performing on stage at an early age. She acted in films like Badla (1976) and Aadmi Sadak Ka (1977) as a child artist. She played a blind child who reforms a notorious gangster in Dada (1979). In the 1980s and early 1990s she acted in art films like Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991), Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda (1992), Trishagni (1988), Vanchit, Bhujangayyana Dashavathara (1991) and Rihaee (1988). She also played supporting character roles as a sister or the heroine's friend in commercial big budget films including Saudagar, Panaah, Tehelka and Mujrim. Her performance as a disabled girl in Andha Yudh (1988) earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award (Feature Film) for Woh Chokri (1992). She also appeared as Kasturba Gandhi in Shyam Benegal's The Making of the Mahatma, (1995). She acted with Madhavan in a thriller titled Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum, which was stopped abruptly.

Joshi has also worked in regional films, She has played the central character ‘Shantha’ in the critically acclaimed Malayalam movie Ilayum Mullum (1994), directed by K. P. Sasi and a pivotal role in the Kannada film Bhujangayyana Dashavathara (1991) enacted and directed by Lokesh. She has also played a lead role in Rita, a Marathi film directed by Renuka Shahane.

She is also the recipient of the Excellence In Cinema Award at the 7th Global Film Festival, Noida. She co-produced and starred in her husband, director Vivek Agnihotri's directorials, The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022), winning two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress for her performances in the films. Joshi was nominated as a member of Film and Television Institute of India society, but she refused to take up the position in view of the students' protest against appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as the chief of the institute's governing council.

Joshi's most significant hosting stint was co-anchor for popular music show Zee Antakshari for 5 years. Joshi also hosted a televised singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi L'il Champs on Zee Marathi. She also acted in some episodes of Rishtey, aired on Zee TV during 1999 and 2001. Her TV appearances include Mr. Yogi, Bharat Ek Khoj, Justujoo, Alpviram, Mriganayani, Talash and Imtihaan and her most famous Doordarshan serial has been Aarohan, a youth serial based on the navy. Justujoo was a weekly serial on Zee TV in 2002, which also starred Harsh Chhaya and Arpita Pandey. Joshi is also a producer of Marathi serials and has produced serials including Asambhav and Anubandh on Zee Marathi.

Joshi was born on 4 April 1969.[10] She married Indian film maker Vivek Agnihotri in 1997 and has two children.[11] She is the sister of child actor Master Alankar (Joshi).[citation needed ]