Rupali Ganguly, best remembered as Monisha from Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, is the daughter of late acclaimed director Anil Ganguly. Rupali was born in Kolkata on April 5, 1977.
Rupali Ganguly's father, yesteryear Bollywood filmmaker Anil Ganguly, passed away in 2016. He was 82. He is best remembered for his Jaya Bhaduri starrer Kora Kagaz (1974) and the Rakhee-starrer Tapasya (1976), both of which won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Anil Ganguly's other films include the Anil Kapoor and Amrita Singh starrer 'Saaheb' (1985). Later in his career, he made several action films, mostly with Mithun Chakraborty.
Though Rupali Ganguly hails from a film background, the actress had once confessed that somehow her filmmaker father never really wanted her to enter the glam world. Having said that, she started in movies in Anil Ganguly's Bengali venture - Bolidan. She was studying in the ninth standard then. The film was a super hit.
She tasted success with her very first film as a child artist, but Rupali's father had a condition put in front of his daughter - that if she could secure 90 per cent in the tenth standard, she could go ahead in films.
In picture: Rupali Ganguly with brother Vijay Ganguly
Guess what? Rupali secured 89 per cent, and failed to change her father's mind. Apparently, Anil Ganguly set a fresh target for her twelfth standard, indirectly pushing Rupali's film aspirations under the carpet.
In picture: Rupali Ganguly with mother Rajni Ganguly
Well, after completing the twelfth standard, Rupali's brother sent her pictures for the Femina Miss India contest, where she was selected for the preliminary rounds. In fact, she went up to the last 20!
In picture: Rupali Ganguly with her brother Vijay Ganguly, who is a choreographer
Meanwhile, keeping her acting aspirations aside, Rupali Ganguly studied Hotel Management. But soon after, she decided to do plays and in the process, she got an offer by Shobha De for the TV show Sukanya. Later, she starred in Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi where she played a double role.
It was in 2003 when Rupali Ganguly got her first major break in Sanjivani as the quintessential vamp. Before Sanjivani, she was offered many roles in TV, but most of them were very similar which required her to use buckets of glycerine. And it did not excite Rupali at all! She truly loved the negative aspect in Dr Simran's portrayal and so did the audience! They loved to hate her.
Next was Sarabhai vs Sarabhai! She proved she could tickle our funny bones too when she played the bumbling Monisha in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, which starred Satish Shah, Ratna Pathak, Sumeet Raghavan, Rupali Ganguly and Rajesh Kumar.
Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai is arguably one of the most charming and clever sitcoms of the Millennium. Not just the razor-sharp performances, it was also the witty writing that made this unforgettable serial what it is today. It catered to both the elite and what we call the masses.
Rupali Ganguly also participated in the dance reality show Zara Nachke Dikha (2008), and Bigg Boss Season 1 (2006) and adventure reality show, Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi (2009), hosted by Priyanka Chopra.
In February 2013, Rupali Ganguly tied the knot with best friend Ashwin Verma, who is into making corporate and ad films. It was a hush-hush wedding and an intimate ceremony. The couple was blessed with a son in August 2013, whom they named Rudransh.
Interestingly, in a candid chat with mid-day, Rupali Ganguly had said that she wants her son to be a farmer. "Rudransh is too young to decide what he wants to be when he grows up. I would love it if my son becomes a farmer in today's day and age. Everyone wants to reach corporate high points and make a mark in showbiz via sports or films... The glamour is definitely enticing, but I really want him to be a farmer - 'farmers nahi honge toh khayenge kya' (if we don't have farmers how will we get food to eat)," she said.
"Even the farmers' new generations today don't want to carry on farming, but that is my thought. His father wants him to become a military man like his grandfather... that is his wish. And my little Rudransh wants to become a jeep driver at the moment," she added.
Rupali Ganguly has made her comeback on TV with the show Anupamaa after seven years. The show is a remake of the Bengali TV series "Sreemoyee", whose story revolves around a housewife played by Rupali. According to the actress, she is more nervous than ever. "There is an insane amount of pressure and no one is putting that on me, I am putting it on myself. I have got everything I wanted, people put so much faith on me, so I have to deliver my best, really. Now I feel more nervous than that of a newcomer. I do not think I felt the pressure on my debut show. I just hope and pray that my passion and enthusiasm translate on-screen," she said.
Rupali said her husband encouraged her to pursue her acting career all over again. "I would like to give huge credit to my husband for encouraging me to take up the show. I was quite happily mothering my child, so something had to be that exciting for me to step out of home. When I was offered the show, my husband really pushed me and said, 'I will take care of our child and the house, you go ahead because this show will give you the chance to prove your worth as an actress'," she said.
"My mother-in-law is 87 and it is not easy for a man to run a house when there are several responsibilities. Since it is a TV show, I am shooting for 12 to 13 hours. Staying away from my baby for so long is only possible if I know that my home and my baby are in good hands. I think by taking the whole responsibility, he made me fall in love with him again," she added.
Here's wishing good luck and a very happy birthday to Rupali!
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