Neelam Kothari Wiki, Age, Boyfriend, Husband, Family, Biography & More

Neelam Kothari Soni [1] is an Indian actress and jewellery designer. She is best known for playing the role of ‘Kiran’ in the 1989 Bollywood film “Ghar Ka Chiraag.”

Wiki/Biography

Neelam Kothari was born on Thursday, 9 November 1967 (age 53 years; as of 2020) in Hong Kong. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.

She did her schooling from Hong Kong’s Island School. While in school, she was a member of Rutherford house. After a few years, her family moved to Bangkok. One day, when Neelam was on a holiday in Mumbai, the film director Ramesh Behl spotted her and offered her to act in the film “Jawaani” (1984).

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 5″

Hair Colour: Brown

Eye Colour: Brown

Family & Caste

She belongs to a Gujarati-Iranian family. [2]

Parents & Siblings

Neelam Kothari is the daughter of Shishir Kothari (Businessman) and Parveen Kothari (Former Model). She has one elder brother, Afsheen Kothari.

Relationships, Husband & Children

Neelam Kothari was once in a relationship with the Bollywood actor Bobby Deol. The couple dated each other for around 5 years before calling it quits.

She was also rumoured to be in a relationship with Salman Khan.

Neelam married Rishi Sethia (son of a UK based businessman) in 2000. The couple parted ways after a few years of their marriage.

Kothari then found love in the actor and model Sameer Soni. The duo tied the knot with each other in 2011. They adopted a girl named Ahana on 2 September 2013.

Career

Neelam started her acting career at the age of 16 with the film “Jawaani” (1984) by playing the role of ‘Sanam.’

She then appeared in films like “Andaz Pyar Ka” (1986), “Khudgarz” (1987), “Khatron Ke Khiladi” (1988), “Sindoor” (1988), and “Gharana” (1989). She gained immense popularity by playing the role of ‘Kiran’ in the Bollywood film “Ghar Ka Chiraag.”

Some of her popular Bollywood films include “Agneepath” (1990), “Indrajeet” (1991), “Santaan” (1995), “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (1998), and “Hum Saath Saath Hain” (1999).

She retired from acting in 2001 after featuring in the film “Kasam.” In 2004, Neelam started working as a Jewellery Designer, and in 2011, she opened a jewellery store in Mumbai with the name “Neelam Kothari Fine Jewels.”

In 2020, she made her digital media debut with Netflix’s web series “Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives” as ‘Herself.’

Controversy

Neelam was accused in the case of poaching of two blackbucks in Kankani during the shooting of the film “Hum Saath Saath Hain” (1999). She was charged under section 51 (causing harm to wildlife) of the Wildlife Act, and section 147 (punishment for rioting), and section 149 (unlawful assembly of persons) of the Indian Penal Code, along with her co-stars Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, and Tabu. She filed a revision petition before the sessions court and was discharged. Later, the Jodhpur High Court summoned her, along with all the accused, for the commencement of the trial with the revised charges in February 2013. Kothari was acquitted by the CJM court at Jodhpur on 5 April 2018. [3]

Awards

• Blackswan Award for Women Empowerment (2019)
  

  Neelam Kothari posing with her award

• Iconic Achievers Award for Most Promising Jeweller of The Year (2019)
  

  Neelam Kothari with an award

• Global Spa Fit and Fab Jeweller Award (2019)
  

  Neelam Kothari holding an award

Favourite Things

• Cuisine: Chinese

• Actor: Amitabh Bachchan

Facts/Trivia

• Her hobbies include cooking and travelling. [4]

• In her childhood, she learned to play the Keyboard. She even learned the Jazz and Ballet dance forms.

• At the beginning of her acting career, she did not know the Hindi language.

• In her career (acting) spanning over 20 years, she has worked with Govinda (actor) in 14 films out of which 8 were huge hits.

• In June 2014, Neelam featured on the cover of the Better Homes & Gardens magazine with her husband, Sameer Soni.
  

  Neelam Kothari on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens magazine

• Neelam shares a great bond with Seema Khan, Maheep Kapoor, and Ekta Kapoor.
  

  Neelam Kothari with Maheep Kapoor and Seema Khan

• Kothari loves dogs and has a pet dog named Casper.
  

  Neelam Kothari’s Instagram Post

• The first car that she bought with her own money was a dark blue coloured Maruti 1000.