Meghna Kothari

Meghna Kothari is one of Bollywood's most intriguing talents, bringing classical training and artistic pedigree to every role she takes on. She made her film debut opposite Fardeen Khan in *Prem Aggan*, but really captured international attention in Gurinder Chadha's *Bride and Prejudice*, where she played Maya Bakshi and delivered the unforgettable cobra dance choreographed by the legendary Saroj Khan. Coming from a family deeply rooted in Indian classical arts—her father was secretary of the Sangeet Natak Akademi—Meghna trained extensively in Kathak dance under maestro Birju Maharaj and studied theatre under the iconic Ebrahim Alkazi, giving her performances a rare depth and sophistication that stands out in Hindi cinema. What makes Meghna special is her commitment to keeping cinema thoughtful and experimental. She's not just an actor who picks roles and moves on—she's actively invested in nurturing the next generation of filmmakers through workshops with her collective 'Ctrl Alt Cinema', proving she cares deeply about the craft. Her recent years have seen a fun resurgence thanks to internet culture (thanks, Biswa Kalyan Rath and Kanan Gill!), and she continues to collaborate on meaningful projects while married to director Sandeep Chattopadhyay. Whether it's appearing in music videos with Hansal Mehta or her work off-screen, Meghna embodies the kind of artist who refuses to be boxed in by commercial demands, keeping indie and classical sensibilities alive in Bollywood.