Kirron Kher, the extremely talented actress was born on 14th June in Mumbai in a Sikh family. She was brought up in Chandigarh, in the Indian state of Punjab, where she did her schooling and later joined Punjab University`s English Department to pursue her Masters in English Literature. She was also a fervent sportsperson and participated in various sports events. Her sister captained the Indian badminton team and won several prestigious awards. Kirron had a brother, artist Amardeep Singh, who died in 2003.
Early Life of Kirron Kher
Kirron`s acting career took off when she was in the first year of her Masters. The renowned Punjabi playwright Mr. Balwannt Gargi came from America to set up the department of Indian Theatre in Punjab University. When he came to the English department to audition for the lead role of a woman of 35, Kirron managed to bag the same being just 19. Soon after she joined the Indian theatre and won a gold medal. Then she went to pursue a course in acting in National School of Drama. She married Gautam Berry and they had a son, Sikander Kher. Later the couple got divorced and Kirron married Anupam Kher.
Film Career of Kirron Kher
Kirron Kher made her debut in a Punjabi movie Aasra Pyar Da (1983). Thereafter she took a break During the fifteen years break that she took from the industry she brought her son up and did some acting in the form of a small cameo in the film called `Pestonjee` opposite Anupam Kher and then another serial titled `Isi Bahne` which in spite of being a very haphazard production ran successfully. She also appeared in soaps like Dil Na Jaane Kyon (Zee TV), Isi Bahane, and Chausath Panne. After that they both together appeared in the play called `Saalgirah`. Following that Kirron Kher did a chat show called `Purukshetra`. After that she hosted another show for Doordarshan titled `Jagtey Raho with Kirron Kher`. Then she appeared in a dark film titled `Darmiyaan` which is based on the life of transgender.
Kirron`s next film Sardari Begum won her the National Award which was her long cherished dream. Subsequently she won rave reviews for the Bengali film `Bariwali` by Rituparno Ghosh. After the stunning performance in `Bariwali` and then the colourful mother of Parvati in the Bollywood blockbuster Devdas she again created waves in the film industry and collected many accolades and awards with Khamosh Pani. She has also done Main Hoon Na (2004), Hum Tum (2004) Veer-Zaara (2004), Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) Rang De Basanti (2006), Fanaa (2006) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). Adding to her list of commercial roles she appeared in Singh is Kinng, Saas Bahu aur Sensex, Dostana and Kurban. In 2009, she appeared as judge on India`s Got Talent reality talent show along with Sonali Bendre and Sajid Khan.
Awards and Honours of Kirron Kher
In 1997 Kirron got the Special Jury Award at the 1997 National Film Awards. In 2000 she received the National Film Award for Best Actress for the movie Bariwali. The year 2003 won her the IIFA Best Supporting Actress Award for Devdas. At the Locarno International Film Festival in 2003 Kirron got the Bronze Leopard Award for Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters) in the same year the actress got the Karachi International Film Festival for Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in the movie Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters). She again got the Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress: Rang De Basanti in 2006. In 2010 Kirron got the Apsara Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kurbaan.
Filmography of Kirron Kher
2011 Mummy Punjabi
2010 Action Replayy
2010 Right Yaa Wrong
2009 Kurbaan
2009 Kambakkht Ishq
2008 Dostana
2008 Saas bahu aur Sensex
2008 Singh Is Kinng
2007 Mummy-Ji
2007 Om Shanti Om
2007 Apne
2007 Just Married
2007 I See You
2006 Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
2006 Fanaa
2006 Rang De Basanti
2005 Mangal Pandey: The Rising
2004 Veer-Zaara
2004 Hum Tum
2004 Main Hoon Na
2004 Khamosh Pani: Silent Waters
2004 Karz: The Burden of Truth
2002 Devdas
1999 Bariwali
1997 Darmiyan
1996 Sardari Begum
1988 Pestonjee
1983 Aasra Pyaar Da (Punjabi)
Personal Life of Kirron Kher
Kirron first married to businessman and actor Gautam Berry, which ended in the year 1985. From her first marriage, Kirron gave birth to Sikandar Kher, and later she married actor Anupam Kher in the year 1985.
In the year 2003, due to Faith in numerology she changed her name from "Kiron" to "Kirron".
She has an immense liking for collecting sarees and jewellery. In most films she wears her own jewellery and clothes. She recently acted as a judge in India`s Got Talent