Khushbu

Khushbu Sundar (born Nakhat Khan; 29 September 1970) is an Indian politician, actress, film producer and television presenter. She is known for her works predominantly in Tamil films. [4]

Khushbu Sundar
Khushbu during an election campaign in Thousand Lights constituency during TN legislative assembly elections 2021
Member of the National Commission for Women
Assumed office
28 February 2023
ChairpersonRekha Sharma
National Executive Committee Member of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Assumed office
7 October 2021
PresidentJ. P. Nadda
Personal details
Born
Nakhat Khan[1][2]

(1970-09-29) 29 September 1970
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party (2020–present)
Other political
affiliations		Indian National Congress (2014–2020),
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (2010–2014)
Spouse(s)Prabhu (1993–1994)[3]
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2
Profession
  • Politician
  • film producer
  • Actress
  • television presenter

Early life

Khushbu was born as Nakhat Khan on 29 September 1970 into a Muslim family in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.[1][5] Her parents gave her the stage name Khushbu when she started her career as a child actress.[5] She has been living in Chennai for nearly 40 years now.[6][7]

Personal life

She dated actor Prabhu while filming Chinna Thambi (1991). Khushbu started seeing Prahbu in 1989, and by 1991 she had fallen in love with him.[8] In 1996, Khushbu gave an interview to an English film magazine where she revealed that she and Prabhu had been in a live-in relationship for four and a half years before getting married. Their wedding took place on September 12, 1993, at the house they had bought in Poes Garden.[3] Sivaji Ganesan, father of Prabhu, strictly opposed the relationship and finally Khushbu and Prabhu decided to break up their relationship and ended it within four months.[9]

In 2000, she married film actor, director and producer Sundar C.[10] She has been using the married name Khushbu Sundar since then.[2] They have two daughters, Avantika and Anandita,[8] after whom they named their production house, Avni Cinemax.

Khushbu added her husband's name Sundar to her name after marriage. In 2018, she was accused by BJP of hiding her name Nakhat Khan.[11][12]

Film career

Khushbu started her career as a child artist in the Hindi film The Burning Train (1980) in the song "Teri Hai Zameen Tera Aasman". Between 1980 and 1985 she performed as a child actor in the Hindi films Naseeb, Laawaris, Kaalia, Dard Ka Rishta, and Bemisal.[13]

Her sensitive performance in the emotional film 1982-Hindi movie, Dard Ka Rishta was appreciated by audiences. The Fairy song "Main Pariyon Ki Shehzaadi" from the movie is still a very popular song at Annual Day School performances, children's parties and Fairy themed parties in India.[8]

She made her adult role acting debut in the much acclaimed 1985 Hindi film Meri Jung in a supporting role as Anil Kapoor's younger sister. Her duet dance with Javed Jaffrey to the famous song "Bol Baby Bol, Rock'n Roll" became a craze. In the same year, she got her first lead role in the film Jaanoo cast opposite veteran actor Jackie Shroff. This was followed byTan-Badan (1986) paired with Govinda. Khushbu played a significant supporting role in Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin (1990), alongside Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit.

Khushbu was introduced to South Indian screens by D Ramanaidu and K Raghavendra Rao through the Telugu film Kaliyuga Pandavulu (1986), opposite Venkatesh who also made his film debut with this film. The film was a box office hit. Khushbu moved her base to Chennai and started focussing on Tamil and other South Indian film industries.

Prabhu and Khushbu rocked as the most loved pair in Tamil cinema during the nineties and almost all their films together were blockbuster hits including Dharmathin Thalaivan (1988), Vettri Vizhaa (1989), My Dear Marthandan (1990), Chinna Thambi (1991), Pandithurai (1992), Uthama Raasa (1993), Maravan (1993) and Chinna Vathiyar (1995).[14]

Among regional South Indian films, she acted in over 100 Tamil films and became the most sought-after actress of Tamil film industry. She in her illustrious acting career has worked alongside all the superstars of South Indian film industry. After sparkling through the '90s, the number of films reduced in the 2000s. Khushbu forayed into television, plunged into politics and also devoted time as a homemaker.[15]

In 2021, she made a comeback with Rajinikanth in Annaatthe.[16]

Political career

Khushbu joined the DMK on 14 May 2010. She was welcomed by DMK Leader Karunanidhi at the party headquarters in Chennai.[17][18] Khushbu quit DMK on 16 June 2014.[19]

Khushbu joined the Indian National Congress on 26 November 2014 after meeting with then Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, and then Vice-president Mr. Rahul Gandhi. She was the National Spokesperson of the INC.[20] Khushbu was very critical of Narendra Modi's policies and has often taken to Twitter to criticise the ruling dispensation.[21]

She resigned from Congress on 12 October 2020,[22] and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party the same day[23] ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021.[24] The congress secretary of Media said that Khushbu was being pressurized by her husband Sundar C to join the BJP.[25] She claimed that her previous party "does not want an intelligent woman" and there is no freedom to speak the truth within the party and called the Congress as "mentally retarded".[26] The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) filed 30 complaints at different police stations in the state over her statements for allegedly making derogatory remarks against people with disabilities.[27]

2021 Tamil Nadu assembly election

The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Khushbu for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election from Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai.[28][29] She lost the election by a margin of 32,200 votes to Ezhilan N of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[30]

Elections Constituency Party Result Vote percentage Opposition Candidate Opposition Party Opposition vote percentage
2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionThousand LightsBJPLost28.99Ezhilan NDMK52.87

Popularity

Temple built for Khushbu

During her peak, Khushbu was the leading actress of Tamil cinema. She became the first Indian actress for whom her fans built a dedicated temple.[13][31]

Involvement with Australian Football (AFL)

Khushbu and sprinter Usain Bolt are honorary members of Richmond Football Club, based in Melbourne, Australia.[32] Khushbu was made the number-one ticket holder of Richmond Football Club in 2016. She became the first Indian, and is the only Indian female to be bestowed with such an honour in the AFL.[33][34]

Khushbu was introduced to Australian Rules Football by former Ministerial Adviser Mr. Nitin Gupta. She had agreed to help promote AFL Football in India after taking a guided tour of the Richmond Football Club.[35][36] This offer was a goodwill gesture to further strengthen Australia–India relations.[37]

Food dishes, products named after Khushbu

During her peak in Tamil cinema, many dishes in Tamil Nadu were named after Khushbu. Kushboo Idli, a rice cake, was the most popular food item named after the actress.[38] Kushboo Jhumki, Kushboo Sarees, Kushboo Sharbet, Kushboo Coffee, Kushboo Cocktails and various other food items were named after her. Many items still retain those names.[39]

Offer to promote Little Indias in Melbourne

Khushbu has offered to help in the promotion of Little India cultural precincts in Melbourne by becoming its Brand Ambassador.[40]

Social issues

Opposition by Hindutva groups

Kushbu stirred controversy in December 2012 when she wore a saree that had images of the Hindu gods Rama, Krishna and Hanuman. The Hindu Makkal Katchi demanded an apology from her and threatened to start agitations. She responded by saying that "I am not going to answer every Tom, Dick and Harry. Why should I? There is no need at all. Why are they worried about what a woman sports. Don't they have any other worthwhile work?".[41]

The Hindu Munnani and the Hindu Makkal Katchi filed several cases against Khushbu, accusing the actress that she had disrespected Hindu gods by sitting cross-legged with her slippers in front of the idols of the goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati during a puja for the muhurta at Chennai on 22 November 2007.[42]

Support for Jallikattu

Khushbu has been a very vocal supporter of the bull-taming sport jallikattu, and has voiced her opinion at various national and international platforms.[43] She even visited a cattle station in Warrnambool, Australia to get a better understanding of how cattle is treated, and raised on farms outside India.

Comments on pre-marital sex

In 2005, she said in an interview it was fine for girls to indulge in pre-marital sex if they safeguard themselves and take precautions to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Later, she justified her statement by saying no educated man could expect his partner to be a virgin. Dalit Panthers of India stormed the office of the South India Film Artistes' Association in Chennai demanding an apology from her. The Pattali Makkal Katchi said it will protest outside her house.[44] 22 complaints that she was "defaming Tamil womanhood and chastity" were brought against her, but in 2010 the Supreme Court dismissed all cases.[45][46]

Accusations against IFFM, Melbourne

In August 2017, Khushbu accused Mitu Bhowmick Lange (Behen Jee), the tender provider and director of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) of discriminating against non-Hindi films and film stars.[47]

Khushbu has been very vocal about getting more recognition for South Indian cinema, and the non-Hindi cinema from India on global platforms and film festivals. She has always maintained that Indian cinema is not just about Bollywood movies.

Maxim morphed photo case

In January 2006, in their first Indian edition,[48] Maxim magazine featured a full-page composite photograph with her head pasted onto the body of a model wearing a bikini. Khushbu filed two complaints: defamation and the indecent representation of women against the editor and four others involved with the magazine.[49][50][51] The proceedings were later stayed by the Madras High Court in December 2007 based on a plea filed by one of those charged.[52]

Filmography
Main article: Khushbu filmography

References
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