Shamita Shetty is an Indian actress and interior designer. She is well known for appearing in the films Mohabbatein (2000), Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002), and Zeher (2005). She is also known for being the sister of popular Bollywood celebrity Shilpa Shetty.
Wiki/Biography
Shamita Shetty was born on Friday, 2 February 1979 (age 42 years; as of 2021), in Mangalore, Karnataka. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius.
Childhood picture of Shamita Shetty and Shilpa Shetty with their father
She did her schooling at St. Anthony’s Girls’ High School, Mumbai. Thereafter, she pursued a degree in commerce from the Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai. Fascinated by colours and designs, she made a switch from commerce when she pursued a three-year course in fashion designing at SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai. After working as an actress for a while, she first enrolled herself in the Inchbald School of Design, and later in Central Saint Martins, both in London, where she studied interior design and decoration.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 6″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family & Ethnicity
Shamita Shetty was born in a Tulu family that hails from the Bunt community of Udupi. Tulu people or Tuluva people are an ethnolinguistic group belonging to Southern India. Shamita Shetty father’s name is Surendra Shetty and her mother’s name is Sunanda Shetty; both are manufacturers of tamper-proof water caps in the pharmaceutical industry.
Shamita Shetty with her parents
Her sister, Shilpa Shetty, is an established Indian actress who is well known for starring in the Bollywood films Dhadkan (2000), Rishtey (2002), and Phir Milenge (2004).
Shamita Shetty with Shilpa Shetty
Relationships/Affairs
On the show Bigg Boss OTT, she got close to Indian actor Raqesh Bapat. After the show, the couple started dating and were spotted together on various dates.
On the show, she also revealed that her first boyfriend had died in a car accident after which left her heartbroken. After the incident, she remained single for many years.
Address
Aditya Apartment, 701 D-Wing, opposite Versova Telephone Exchange, S.V.P. Nagar, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400053.
Career
After completing her degree in fashion designing, she interned with the celebrated fashion designer Manish Malhotra, who suggested she try a hand at acting.
Film
Shamita Shetty came into the limelight when she made her Bollywood debut with the romantic drama film ‘Mohabbatein’ (2000) in which she played the role of Ishika Dhanrajgir. In the film, Vicky, a student of the prestigious all-boys college Gurukul, falls in love with Ishika, a student at the neighbouring all-girls college. The critically acclaimed film won numerous accolades and earned Shamita the 2001 IIFA Award for Star Debut of the Year – Female.
Shamita Shetty in Mohabbatein (2000)
In 2002, she ventured into the Tamil film industry with ‘Raajjiyam’ in which she played the role of Geeta Karthikeyan, the wife of protagonist Karthikeyan, who runs a secret agency.
Raajjiyam (2002)
In the same year, she gained massive popularity when she made a special appearance in the Hindi language film ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’ for the chartbuster song “Sharara Sharara.”
Shamita Shetty in the song Sharara Sharara (2002)
In 2003, she made her Tollywood debut with ‘Pilisthe Palukutha’ in which she played the lead role of Shanti, a college student and devotee of Indian spiritual master Sai Baba who develops a brain tumour.
In 2005, she played one of the protagonists named Sonia Mehra in the Bollywood mystery thriller film ‘Zeher: A Love Story.’ For the film, she was nominated for Star of the Year – Female at Stardust Awards (2006). The film follows Sonia Mehra, a special police force officer, and her husband Siddharth, who engages in an extramarital affair with a local married woman named Anna.
Shamita Shetty in the film Zeher: A Love Story (2005)
Other films credits under her belt include Wajahh: A Reason to Kill (2004), Fareb (2004), Bewafaa (2005), and Cash (2007). In 2021, she starred in the film ‘The Tenant’ in which she played the lead role of an alluring cosmopolitan woman named Meera, whose arrival in a middle-class housing society attracts everyone’s attention.
OTT/Web Series
After a nine-year-long break from acting, in 2017, she made her digital debut with MX Player’s ‘Yo Ke Hua Bro’ in which she played one of the female lead Suman Rao. The storyline of the series revolves around two young boys, Mahendra and Piyush, who are seeking their dream girls.
In 2020, she played the role of Kavita Tharoor in the ZEE5 original dark comedy series ‘Black Widows.’ The film follows three women Veera, Jayati, and Kavita, who plan to get rid of their abusive husbands to end the misery in their wed-locked lives.
Shamita Shetty in Black Widows (2020)
From 8 August 2021 to 18 September 2021, she contested in the reality show Bigg Boss OTT, which was released exclusively on OTT Platforms Voot and Voot Select. She secured the position of the second runner up in the show.
Television
She made her television debut in 2009 when she appeared in the popular Indian reality game show Bigg Boss (Season 3) on Colors TV. She walked out of the show during the sixth week to attend her sister Shilpa Shetty’s wedding. Shamita Shetty, along with her partner Deepak Singh, secured the third position in the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 8 (2015), which aired on Colors TV.
Shamita Shetty in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 8 (2015)
In 2019, she contested in the Indian stunt-based reality television show ‘Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi’ (Season 9), which aired on Colors TV; she secured fourth place in the show.
Shamita Shetty in Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi 9 (2019)
In 2021, she appeared as a contestant in Colors’ ‘Bigg Boss 15,’
Shamita Shetty’s introduction banner as a contestant for the show Bigg Boss 15 (2021)
Interior Designing
While she was on a break from the entertainment industry, she landed an opportunity to design a nightclub acquired by her family named Royalty in Mumbai.
Interiors of Royalty club, Mumbai, designed by Shamita Shetty
In an interview in 2017, she revealed had designed the interiors of a nightclub even before she pursued the course. She said,
I just happened to do interiors of a night club and I did it with no technical knowledge… That’s when I decided when I am doing something… I would want to be technically sound with what I do.”
After the completion of her interior designing course in London, she came back to India and worked with an architect for a year. Thereafter, she established her own company, Golden Leaf Interiors. She also designed IOSIS spa in Chandigarh and a few properties abroad.
Others
On 30 April 2008, she became a director of the S-2 Global Productions Private Limited company, along with her parents and sister, Shilpa Shetty. She was also the director of the now-defunct company Esco Closures Private Limited.
Favourites
- Dessert: Dark Chocolate Pastry
Facts/Trivia
- Believer of quality over quantity, the actress confessed that she started rejecting film offers when four of her films did not release due to various reasons. Consequently, the offers became scarce; hence, she ventured into interior designing. In an interview, she said,
I shot for four films but none of them released because of various reasons. So, I started becoming conscious about the kind of films I do. I realised that a film has to have the right backing and then I started saying no to lot of work that came my way and people started thinking that I was not interested.”
- In an interview, she revealed that ever since her childhood she wanted to run a business named Golden Leaf. While talking about her interior designing company, she said,
Ever since I was a child I wanted to run a business called Golden Leaf. I guess everything happens at the right time.”
- She rejected the epic musical sports film ‘Lagaan’ (2001), starring Aamir Khan, to play the role of Ishika in ‘Mohabbatein’ (2000).
- She is a fitness enthusiast, who introduced her sister, Shilpa Shetty to the concept of fitness. While is Shilpa actively performs yoga, Shamita is more inclined towards kickboxing and functional training. The Shetty sisters are among the fittest celebrities in Bollywood. Also, she eats lactose and gluten-free food to maintain her physique.
- In 2015, Shamita Shetty fractured her nose when dashed into her choreographer and partner, Deepak Singh, while rehearsing for her performance in ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.’
A picture of Shamita Shetty, exhibiting her fractured nose
- She follows a non-vegetarian diet.
- In an episode of the second season of the interview-style show ‘No More Secrets’ (2020), Shamita revealed that she had buck teeth during her childhood for which she had to get braces. Also, during her childhood, her mother gave her a bowl haircut, which she detested. Therefore, after growing up she tore the childhood picture, which featured Shamita between the age of eight to fourteen, the time period in which she felt ugly.
- She has two pet cats.
Shamita Shetty with her cats
- In 2018, she joined hands with HelpAge India to promote awareness about Elderly Abuse.
Shamita Shetty at the HelpAge India event in 2018