Born on February 13, 1986, Rashami Desai is a model-actress popularly known for her portrayal of Tapasya Raghuvendra Pratap Rathore in the telly show Uttaran. (All pictures/Rashami Desai's Instagram account)
Rashami, however, started off her career with a few films that tanked at the box office. Her first film was the Assamese 'Kanyadaan', after which she acted in a number of Bhojpuri movies like Balma Bada Naadan, Kangna Khanke Piya Ke Angna, and Shahar Wali Jaan Mareli.
Did you know Rashami Desai worked in an ad with Salman Khan? This was a TV ad for a popular dish-washing soap that saw Rashami and Salman as an on-screen couple.
What brought Rashami into the limelight was her television stint. The pretty actress made her television debut with the show Ravan in which she played the role of Mandodari. But it was in 2009 that Rashami became a household name. Her performance in the long-running show, Uttaran, was appreciated across all quarters.
Rashami then was part of several beloved TV shows like Ishq Ka Rang Safed, Adhuri Kahaani Hamari, Shakti — Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, and Naagin 3. She has also been part of a few reality TV shows like Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 6, Kitchen Champion 5, and has made guest appearances on shows like Bigg Boss 6, Bigg Boss 11, Ace Of Space 1, and Khatra Khatra Khatra.
Rashami Desai has won a number of awards for her performances in TV shows. In 2010, she won the 10th Indian Television Academy Awards for Best Actress in Negative Role (Popular), and in 2011 she won the Apsara Awards for Best Negative Actress, both for Uttaran.
Pictured: Rashami Desai with TV and film actress Ankita Lokhande.
Rashami Desai joined the controversial reality show, Bigg Boss 13, which premiered on September 29, and is hosted by Rashami's ad co-star Salman Khan! When asked how Bigg Boss happened, she told mid-day.com in an interview, "They (the makers) had approached me earlier but I would always get scared to get inside the house. Then this year I thought, why not? Because the last two seasons were really well."
On being asked about her survival plans in the house, Rashami had told mid-day.com, "I don't have any plans, just want to play it gracefully. I know that if you play in a dignified manner, people will love you."
After a few weeks, Rashami's boyfriend Arhaan Khan also entered the Bigg Boss house and even planned to propose to her. This is when Salman Khan, out of protectiveness for Rashami, revealed that Arhaan was already married and even had a child, things that Rashami wasn't aware of!
On rumours of getting married to Arhaan inside the Bigg Boss house, Rashami had told IANS, "I really want to know who is spreading these rumours. I am a mature woman and I know how to take decisions. I don't understand why someone would do this. This is a very stupid rumour. It is (marriage) such a beautiful thing. If I get married, I will let people know about it in a beautiful way."
Before the show started, there was news that Rashami Desai was being paid a huge amount by the makers to participate in Bigg Boss 13. A source from the show said, "Rashami is being paid a colossal amount of 1.2 crore (approx) for her stay inside the house..."
"Given the popularity of the actress, the makers are riding on her to raise the entertainment quotient in the show. Rashami too is pretty excited especially with the whopping amount she is getting paid (sic)."
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