Neha Devi Singh
Encyclopedia
Neha Devi Singh is an India
n television
actress and writer
, best known for her portrayal of Bijli in Ssshhhh...Koi Hai and Bhoomika Goenka in Saarrthi
. She is the first television actress in India to work as an action hero.
, India
. Singh received a degree in Economics
from St. Xavier's College. She set out to seek work in the television industry. She pursued a career behind the camera. However, with every successive interaction in her search for a suitable production or direction oriented job, she found herself being pointed in a direction which would find her in front of the camera instead. Not once but on various occasions she was asked to take a serious look at acting.
in 2003 portraying the superhero "Bijli" and alter ego "Sameera" opposite former cricketer Salil Ankola
and Jiten Lalwani. Bijli quickly became popular character within the children across India and Neha became an established actress. She played a sweet and innocent girl that worked at a salon by day and turned into a ghost busting super hero by night. She was clad in a purple cat suit complete with a mask and heels.
Bijli's popularity lead to Neha earning her first nomination in her first year in the Favourite Action Star category in Star Parivaar Awards
in 2004. Incidentally, she was also the first female action hero to hit Indian television screens. The popular drama Ssshhhh...Koi Hai ended in August 2004. Because of her portrayal of Bijli, Neha became known for her crime fighting stunts and was offered the role of Sub-Inspector Aditi in the popular crime show C.I.D. on Sony TV
. During this time, she was offered another role for a new television show Saarrthi
on STAR Plus. It was a lead role. Neha refused to work in C.I.D. and accepted her role in Saarrthi.
in 2004. Introduced in the afternoon band, Saarrthi surprised producers and the channel with its quick unmitigated success. Neha soon became a household name for her portrayal of Bhoomika that was completely different to her action hero role Bijli. Bhoomika was a homely and innocent servant girl with a rose tinted view of the world who was hopelessly in love with her master’s son Arjun. Neha's stardom had begun with Bijli but her more popular role was of Bhoomika. She quickly became a household name and won the Star Parivaar Award for Favourite Devrani in 2006.
After two and a half years of an extremely successful and fulfilling run with Saarrthi, Neha left the serial in 2007 and was replaced by Zalak Thakker as the protagonist Bhoomika Goenka.
. She had been a writer since her school days and was also a columnist for Channel Y–a youth page in Mumbai newsline. She has become a professional writer and has written the script for a film.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actress and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, best known for her portrayal of Bijli in Ssshhhh...Koi Hai and Bhoomika Goenka in Saarrthi
Saarrthi
Saarrthi is a Hindi television drama broadcast on STAR Plus and produced by Neela Telefilms. It aired from November 9, 2004 to February 15, 2008 and contained 679 episodes. It aired every Monday–Thursday at 2:30 pm IST on STAR Plus channel and eventually started airing every...
. She is the first television actress in India to work as an action hero.
Early life
Neha Devi Singh was born on August 13, 1981 in MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Singh received a degree in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from St. Xavier's College. She set out to seek work in the television industry. She pursued a career behind the camera. However, with every successive interaction in her search for a suitable production or direction oriented job, she found herself being pointed in a direction which would find her in front of the camera instead. Not once but on various occasions she was asked to take a serious look at acting.
2003–04: Ssshhhh...Koi Hai
Singh finally landed her first role in the popular fiction drama Ssshhhh...Koi Hai on STAR PlusSTAR Plus
STAR Plus is a Hindi language general entertainment television channel based in India. The channel is part of the STAR TV network's bouquet of channels...
in 2003 portraying the superhero "Bijli" and alter ego "Sameera" opposite former cricketer Salil Ankola
Salil Ankola
Salil Ashok Ankola is a former Indian cricketer who played in one Test and 20 ODIs from 1989 to 1997. He was a member of the Indian cricket team for the 1996 Cricket World Cup....
and Jiten Lalwani. Bijli quickly became popular character within the children across India and Neha became an established actress. She played a sweet and innocent girl that worked at a salon by day and turned into a ghost busting super hero by night. She was clad in a purple cat suit complete with a mask and heels.
Bijli's popularity lead to Neha earning her first nomination in her first year in the Favourite Action Star category in Star Parivaar Awards
Star Parivaar Awards
STAR Parivaar Awards is a platform on which STAR Plus channel awards the best members of its family for entertaining its audiences and it takes place on a larger & grander scale every year following its launch.M.Haris-History:...
in 2004. Incidentally, she was also the first female action hero to hit Indian television screens. The popular drama Ssshhhh...Koi Hai ended in August 2004. Because of her portrayal of Bijli, Neha became known for her crime fighting stunts and was offered the role of Sub-Inspector Aditi in the popular crime show C.I.D. on Sony TV
Sony Entertainment Television (India)
This article is about the SET channel in India. For the Indian version broadcasted worldwide, see Sony Entertainment Television Asia.Sony Entertainment Television, or SET, is a Hindi-language based general entertainment television channel in India. It was launched in October 1996 and is owned by...
. During this time, she was offered another role for a new television show Saarrthi
Saarrthi
Saarrthi is a Hindi television drama broadcast on STAR Plus and produced by Neela Telefilms. It aired from November 9, 2004 to February 15, 2008 and contained 679 episodes. It aired every Monday–Thursday at 2:30 pm IST on STAR Plus channel and eventually started airing every...
on STAR Plus. It was a lead role. Neha refused to work in C.I.D. and accepted her role in Saarrthi.
2004–07: Saarrthi
After becoming popular as Bijli, Neha landed the daily soap Saarrthi as Bhoomika opposite the debuting Karan GroverKaran Grover
Karan V Grover is an Indian actor, who is best known for his portrayal of Arjun Goenka in Saarrthi that aired on STAR Plus.-Career:...
in 2004. Introduced in the afternoon band, Saarrthi surprised producers and the channel with its quick unmitigated success. Neha soon became a household name for her portrayal of Bhoomika that was completely different to her action hero role Bijli. Bhoomika was a homely and innocent servant girl with a rose tinted view of the world who was hopelessly in love with her master’s son Arjun. Neha's stardom had begun with Bijli but her more popular role was of Bhoomika. She quickly became a household name and won the Star Parivaar Award for Favourite Devrani in 2006.
After two and a half years of an extremely successful and fulfilling run with Saarrthi, Neha left the serial in 2007 and was replaced by Zalak Thakker as the protagonist Bhoomika Goenka.
Post–acting
After leaving Saarrthi in 2007, Neha retired from acting. She became a writerWriter
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. She had been a writer since her school days and was also a columnist for Channel Y–a youth page in Mumbai newsline. She has become a professional writer and has written the script for a film.
Television shows
| Year: | Serial: | Role: | Channel: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–2004 | Ssshhhh...Koi Hai | Sameera/Bijli | STAR Plus STAR Plus STAR Plus is a Hindi language general entertainment television channel based in India. The channel is part of the STAR TV network's bouquet of channels... |
| 2004–2007 | Saarrthi Saarrthi Saarrthi is a Hindi television drama broadcast on STAR Plus and produced by Neela Telefilms. It aired from November 9, 2004 to February 15, 2008 and contained 679 episodes. It aired every Monday–Thursday at 2:30 pm IST on STAR Plus channel and eventually started airing every... |
Bhoomika Goenka | STAR Plus |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Drama Serial | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | STAR Parivaar Awards Star Parivaar Awards STAR Parivaar Awards is a platform on which STAR Plus channel awards the best members of its family for entertaining its audiences and it takes place on a larger & grander scale every year following its launch.M.Haris-History:... |
Favourite Action Star | Ssshhhh...Koi Hai | |
| 2006 | STAR Parivaar Awards | Favourite Devrani | Saarrthi Saarrthi Saarrthi is a Hindi television drama broadcast on STAR Plus and produced by Neela Telefilms. It aired from November 9, 2004 to February 15, 2008 and contained 679 episodes. It aired every Monday–Thursday at 2:30 pm IST on STAR Plus channel and eventually started airing every... |
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