Apara Mehta is an Indian actress. She is known for playing the role of Savita Mansukh Virani in the popular StarPlus television show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000).
Wiki/Biography
Apara Mehta was born on Saturday, 13 August 1960 (age 62 years; as of 2022) in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. Her zodiac sign is Leo. Not much is known about Apara Mehta’s educational qualifications. Apara was inclined towards acting since childhood.
Apara Mehta’s childhood photo
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 1″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Apara Mehta belongs to a Gujarati family.
Parents & Siblings
Apara Mehta’s father’s name is Usshakant Mehta. Her mother’s name was Mandakini Mehta. On 5 July 2022, Apara Mehta’s mother passed away.
Apara Mehta’s parents
Husband & Children
In 1980, Apara Mehta got married to Darshan Jariwala, who is also an actor. Then, in 1981, Darshan Jariwala remarried Apara Mehta as their family members wanted a grand scale wedding. According to reports, the couple has decided to part ways after 40 years of marriage; however, they are not legally divorced and are still in touch.
Apara Mehta with her husband
In an interview, Apara Mehta talked about this and said,
Darshan is a fellow theatre actor, chartered accountant and has also been a stock broker at the National Stock Exchange. We got married when I was 18 and he was 21. We have different ideas and believe in different things. After the birth of our daughter, we have not worked together. But that’s because we had decided that one of us would look after her. He needs his own space and time but whenever we need him, he is there. I have never spoken about my personal life and never will. I don’t think even Darshan will like to speak about it.”
They have a daughter named Khushali Jariwala, an actor and a playwriter.
Apara Mehta with her daughter
Career
Theatres
While Apara Mehta was a ninth-grade student, she received an offer to take on a small role in the Gujarati play Sasuji Ni Sawari. She then performed in many Gujarati theatre plays, including ‘Khalel’, ‘Ajatshatru’, and ‘Pati Name Patangyu’. In an interview, Apara Mehta talked about her journey in theatres and said,
“I have always enjoyed doing Gujarati plays and really admire people like Asit Modi, whom I know due to my association with Gujarati theatre. He is a maker with a vision. It is thriving, and something with more than a century old history won’t vanish overnight. But I feel that the new stage actors, in particular, should come to Mumbai and explore more options, which will help.”
Apara Mehta in a Gujarati Comedy play, ‘Masti ma marriage, marriage ma masti’
Television Shows
In 1998, Apara Mehta made her debut with the SONY television show Alpviram (1998), in which she portrayed the role of Sunita Amit Bakshi. In 2000, she worked on the popular television show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000) as Savita Mansukh Virani.
Apara Mehta in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000)
Later, she appeared in various Hindi television shows, including Khichdi (2004), Saat Phere (2006), Karam Apnaa Apnaa (2006), Parrivar (2007), Dhak Dhak in Dubai (2007), Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat (2009), Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo (2009), Jamai Raja (2014), Firangi Bahu (2013), Woh Tere Bhabhi Hai Pagle (2016), Tu Mere Agal Bagal Hai (2014), and Maddam Sir (2022). In an interview, Apara Mehta talked about her roles in different TV shows and said,
I did some great work even after my character died on Kyunki. I had a pivotal role in Saat Phere,and then I was back with Balaji for Karam Apna Apna. But yes,people still see me as Savita and it is something I’m proud of. After all,there hasn’t been a TV serial on the scale of Kyunki and that show has given me a lot.”
Apara Mehta in Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo (2009)
Films
In 2001, Apara Mehta made her debut with the Hindi film Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar (2001). Some of her other Hindi films are Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001), Devdas (2002), Just Married (2007), and Tees Maar Khan (2010).
Web Series/OTT
In 2021, Apara made her digital debut with a Gujarati web series Kshadyantra in which she portrayed the role of Chief Minister. In the same year, she worked in the Netflix series Decoupled, in which she played the role of Madhu Sharma. She is also a part of an English web series. In an interview, she talked about this and said,
I’m part of an English web series which is a nice, surprise comedy. People are going to be surprised as far as I’m concerned.”
Apara Mehta as Panna Patel in the Gujarati web series Kshadyantra
Awards
- 2012: Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the Hindi television show Kya Huaa Tera Vaada
- 2010: Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Comic Role for the SAB television show Saajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo
Favourites
Facts/Trivia
- Apara started her career at the age of fifteen as an anchor in a kid’s program called Santakukdi.
- She follows a vegetarian diet.
- In an interview, Apara Mehta said that she wants to play a full-fledged role of a Prostitute. She further explained,
I have never got an opportunity to play the full-fledged role of a prostitute, but that’s something I would really like to do. It would be a big challenge for me As a woman, however hard I try, I would not be able to put myself in a prostitute’s shoes. I always wonder what would be so forceful that a woman has to sell her body. It will be extremely tough to play this role.”
- Apara Mehta is still working in Gujrati Theatre and has appeared in more than 181 theatre plays. In an interview, Apara Mehta talked about her experience of working in Gujarati theatres and said,
I don’t like rating these things. Theatre is my training ground and I’ll be on stage every night because I love being in front of an audience. Even now I’m busy rehearsing for the upcoming shows of my play U-Turn. But that said, TV has given me so much fame and recognition. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself there too. Even now, when I walk out of the house, people come up to me and say, We loved you in so-and-so show, and it feels great to hear that.”
- Apara Mehta and her daughter Khushali Jariwala have inked the same tattoo of Trishul and Om on their chest.
Apara Mehta and her daughter Khushali Mehta’s same tattoo
- In 2021, Apara appeared in a Gujarati web series Kshadyantra in which she portrayed the role of Chief Minister. She is also a part of an English web series. In an interview, she talked about this and said,
I’m part of an English web series which is a nice, surprise comedy. People are going to be surprised as far as I’m concerned.”
- Apara Mehta is a classically trained musician under Gulam Mustafa Khan Saheb. She is also a trained dancer.
- Apara claimed in an interview that she had not used social media until 2020, June as her daughter Khushali Jariwala had advised her not to. Apara’s daughter said,
You are a very strong opinionated person and I don’t want you to put anything on Twitter because a written sentence doesn’t have any tone. So, I don’t want any nameless and faceless people telling you anything.”
- In 2003, Apara Mehta, along with her co-stars of the television show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, was invited for dinner by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- In an interview, Apara Mehta claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to come and watch all of her theatres play during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. She said,
Narendra bhai (Modi) has been coming and watching all my plays throughout his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Beginning that to even when I travel abroad for my Gujarati plays, White people, Black people, Chinese people recognise me. People from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, even they recognised me. Many a times, my mouth falls open thinking ‘I must have done something right’ and I become more humble as a person because this is not what I had gone out to get. It just happened to me and I have to be very very thankful about it.”
- According to Apara Mehta, Ajatshatru, directed by Dinkar Jani, is one of her best Theatre plays.
- After her marriage, her maiden name changed from Apara Mehta to Apara Jariwala Mehta.