Kasthuri Shankar is an Indian actor, model, television host and activist working in the South Indian film industry. She is known for her work in films like Indian (1996), Soggadi Pellam (1996) and Tamilarasan (2023).
Wiki/Biography
Kasthuri Shankar was born on Tuesday, June 15, 1976, in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India (47 years old; as of 2023). Her zodiac sign is Gemini. She graduated from Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai.
Kasturi Shankar, 1993
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Weight (approximately): 60kg
Hair color: dark brown
Eye color: dark brown
Body measurements (approximately): 34-30-34
family
parents
Her father PS Shankar is an engineer and studied at the Indian Institute of Technology, while her mother Sumathi Shankar is a lawyer.
husband and children
Kasthuri Shankar married doctor Ravikumar in 2000. She has a son, Sankalp Ravikumar, and a daughter, Shobini Ravikumar, who is a leukemia survivor.
Kasthuri Shankar and her son Sankalp
Kasthuri Shankar and her daughter Shobini Ravikumar
religion
Kasthuri Shankar believes in Hinduism.
caste
While participating in a debate on the language controversy in Tamil Nadu, Kasturi Shankar revealed that she considers herself to be both a Brahmin and a Shudra. She highlighted her connection with the Shudra community and said “I am a proud Shudra”.
Profession
Model
Kasthuri Shankar was crowned Miss Chennai in 1992. In the same year, she won the Femina Miss Madras beauty pageant.
actor
Movie
tamil
Kasthuri Shankar made her debut in the Tamil film industry (also known as Kollywood) in 1991 with the film “Aatha Un Koyilile”; she played the role of “Kasthuri” in the film.
Kasthuri Shankar as ‘Kasthuri’ in a still from the film Aatha Un Koyilile (1991)
In 1996, she played the role of “Kasthoori” in the police action film “Indian”. Shankar has also acted in many other films including “Suyamvaram” (1999), “Naan Rajavaga Pogiren” (2013), “Tamizh Padam 2” (2018) and “Tamilarasan” (2023).
Malayalam
Kasthuri made her debut in the Malayalam film industry (also known as Mollywood) in 1991 with the film Chakravarthy. She plays the role of ‘Praseetha’ in the film.
Kasthuri Shankar (playing Praseetha) in a still from the film Chakravarthy (1991)
In 1998, she appeared in a comedy film called “Mangalya Pallakku”, playing the role of Seethalakshmi. Kasturi played the role of “Princess Adheena” in the 2002 film “Adheena”. She also appeared in many other films, including Radholsavam (1995), Sneham (1998) and Panchapaandavar (1999).
telugu
Kasthuri Shankar made her Tollywood debut in 1992 with the film Gang War, where she played the role of Kaveri. In 1993, she played the role of “Bharathi” in the action film “Nippu Ravva”. Kasthuri played the role of ‘Aruna’ in the 1995 film ‘The Godfather’. She has also appeared in many other films including Soggadi Pellam (1996), Chilakkottudu (1997), Akasa Veedhilo (2001), Gudu Gudu Gunjam (2010) and Shamantakamani (2017).
kannada
Kasthuri Shankar made her debut in the Kannada film industry with the 1994 romantic drama film “Jaana”, in which she played the role of “Kasturi”.
Kasthuri Shankar as ‘Kasturi’ in a still from the film ‘Jaana’ (1994)
She plays the role of “Dr.” In 1998, she played the role of ‘Seema’ in the romantic drama film ‘Thutta Mutta’. She also acted in many other films including “Ibbara Naduve Muddina Aata” (1996) and “Premakke Sai” (2001).
television
Malayalam
In 2010, Kasturi appeared as a special judge on the singing reality show “Star Singer”. According to reports, she appeared in a TV series titled “Eshtadanam” aired on DD Malayalam channel.
tamil
In 1995, she played the role of Vani in the TV series “Kaiyalavu Manasu”. The series airs on Sun TV channel.
Kasthuri Shankar in the TV series “Kaiyalavu Manasu” (1995)
In 2019, she appeared as a contestant in the reality show Bigg Boss Tamil 3; the show was aired on Star Vijay channel. Shankar was evicted from the show on the 63rd day.
Kasthuri Shankar stars in reality show “Bigg Boss Tamil Season 3” (2019)
Kasturi has hosted several television shows including Sun Kudumbam Awards (also known as Sun Kudumbam Viruthugal) (2010), Vina Vidai Vettai (2013) and Vina Vidai Vettai Juniors (2014).
Kasthuri Shankar hosts the show ‘Vina Vidai Vettai’ (2013)
She has acted in several daily soaps including Agni Natchatiram (playing Rudra) (2020) and Aruvi (2022).
telugu
Kasthuri Shankar plays the role of ‘Tulasi’ in the daily soap opera ‘Intinti Gruhalakshmi’ (2020); the series is aired on Star Maa channel.
Kasthuri Shankar stars in the TV series Intinti Gruhalakshmi (2020) with a co-star
She has appeared in various reality and game shows, including ETV’s Cash (2020) and The Sixth Sense (2021). In 2021, Kastura played the role of ‘Indira’ in Disney+ Hotstar’s ‘Parampara’. In 2022, she appeared in ETV’s “Sridevi Drama Company”.
Kasthuri Shankar performs in ‘Sridevi Drama Company’
verbal quarrel
Kasthuri Shankar is known for his candid discussions on various topics, especially social issues, often sparking controversy and controversy. In 2017, her doubts about Rajinikanth’s abilities as a potential politician sparked a backlash from his fans. In 2018, she publicly criticized Rajinikanth for his lack of knowledge about the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, leading to further confrontations with his supporters. An advocate of the #MeToo movement in India, Kasturi shared her experience of resisting patriarchal expectations in the film industry, which cost her roles in multiple projects. She also revealed how a male actor retaliated against her for rejecting his advances, making it difficult for her to find work. In April 2019, she criticized Tamil film directors Bharatiraja and S. Shankar for preferring light-skinned North Indian or foreign actresses in their films. In January 2020, Kasturi faced sexist remarks from an individual who claimed to be a fan of actor Ajith Kumar. She strongly refuted his remarks and used the hashtag #dirtyajithfans, which quickly gained traction in India. This prompted some of Ajith’s fans to create the hashtag #DirtyKasthuriAunty in retaliation, sparking ongoing exchanges and sparking further controversy. In 2023, Kasturi criticized AR Rahman’s wife Saira Banu on Twitter for not being fluent in Tamil after he encouraged her to speak in Tamil instead of Hindi at an event. Kasturi’s tweet translated as follows:
Why AR Rahman’s wife can’t speak Tamil? What is their native language? What did she say to her family back home? “
However, Rahman responded to Kasturi’s tweet in a smart and loving way, accepting his partner’s differences and choices. His response prompted positive comments from his followers. Rahman’s tweet translated as follows:
Respect for love. “
காதலுக்குமரியாதை🌺😍 https://t.co/8tip3P6Rwx
— ARRahman (@arrahman) April 27, 2023
Awards
She received HMTV Nari Puraskar in April 2023 in Hyderabad.
Kasthuri Shankar accepts HMTV Nari Puraskar (2023)
Facts/Trivia
- Her name is also “Kasturi”.
- Kasturi has been a sports enthusiast since childhood. As a testament to her skills, she became a state field hockey champion.
Photos of Kasturi Shankar as a child
- She was actively involved in various National Cadet Corps (NCC) activities during school and college. She had attended the National Cadet Corps Republic Day Camp in Delhi.
- While in college, Kasturi discovered a keen interest in fashion. She eagerly participated in many fashion shows, paving the way for her future in the industry.
- Kasthuri is passionate about cooking and she often showcases her cooking talents on social media.
- She is a foodie who loves a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.
- In the late 1990s, Kasthuri wrote a weekly column for Kumudam magazine titled “KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid”.
- Shankar enjoys quizzes and has participated in various quizzes including Mastermind India (2002), an Indian television quiz show based on the British quiz show Mastermind; she was a finalist on the show.
- In 2014, Kasthuri participated in a bold shoot for renowned photographer Jade Beall’s book, Mother Bodies: The Beautiful Bodies Project. She posed semi-nude, embracing the project’s celebration of motherhood and body positivity.
- Kasthuri Shankar is actively involved in social contribution and works closely with several non-profit organizations for various reasons.
Kasthuri Shankar’s Instagram posts
- She is an avid animal lover. She often shares photos of herself with animals on social media.
Kasturi Shankar and a dog
- Kasturi’s heart beat to the beat of the dance. She keeps her finger on the pulse of the latest dance trends and shares her dance videos on social media.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education