Kalden Sonam Dorji (born 4 January 1971), known professionally as Kelly Dorji, is a

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...

ese actor, model, and artist who works primarily in Indian movies.

Early life

Dorji's father is Lynpo

Paljor Dorji Dasho Paljor Jigme Dorji (), commonly known as Dasho Benji, is a Bhutanese people, Bhutanese environmentalist, judge and diplomat. Career Environmentalism Often referred to as Bhutan's "Godfather of Conservation", he established Bhutan's first no ...

, widely known as Dasho Benji, the permanent advisor to Bhutan's National Environment Commission. His mother is Louise Dorji, an author of children's books and a founding member of

Bhutan Broadcasting Service The Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS, ) is a state-funded radio and television service in Bhutan. A public service corporation which is fully funded by the state and it is the only service to offer both radio and television in the kingdom, and is ...

(BBS). Dorji attended St. Paul's School in

Darjeeling Darjeeling (, , ) is a city in the northernmost region of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the Koshi Pr ...

and

Sherubtse College Sherubtse College is the first accredited college in Bhutan, founded in 1966 by a group of Society of Jesus, Jesuits under the leadership of Father William Mackey (Jesuit), William Mackey. The college was affiliated to the University of Delhi b ...

in eastern Bhutan. He earned an honors degree in history at St. Xavier's College in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

. Dorji's grandfather was Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Palden Dorji. Dorji is a member of the Dorji Family of Bhutan and descendant of the Sikkim Royal Family.

Career

Modeling

Kelly Dorji rose to prominence as a fashion model in the late-1990s and early 2000s in India. He worked as a runway model in India for designers such as Shahab Durazi, JJ Valaya, Arun Khanna,

Rohit Bal Rohit Bal (8 May 1961 – 1 November 2024) was an Indian fashion designer, known for his designs catering to both men and women. He began his career in 1986, founding Orchid Oversea Pvt. Ltd with his brother, and debuted his independent collecti ...

, and Tarun Tahiliani and as a print model in London for Models Out of Town. Dorji hosted English television show 'Star Biz' for Star TV with co-anchor Lisa Ray.

Acting

Kelly Dorji has acted in almost 30 films over the course of his career. He made his acting debut in 2005 as the main antagonist opposite Ajay Devgan and Bobby Deol in Mani Shankar's '' Tango Charlie''. In 2008, Dorji moved to the Telugu film industry where he gained recognition for films such as the 2007 action hit '' Don'' opposite Nagarjuna and '' Ek Ka Dum'' opposite Mahesh Babu. Dorji has also been influential in boosting the popularity of Bhutanese films in his own country with the release of his Dzongkha film Sem Gawai Tasha in 2011. Dorji is well known for his own film stunts, much of which were self-choreographed. He also designed sequences for pageants, and assisted choreographer Lubna Adam. After a near death accident in 2013, Dorji limits his stunt work in films but continues to act.

Art

Kelly Dorji is a painter and photographer. He has studied painting with a number of artists including Elsie Evans, Sidharth, and Karma Wangdi. He studied photography with fashion photographer Chien-Wien Lee. Dorji exhibits his work at contemporary art gallery Gray Area in Thimphu, Bhutan.

Personal life

Dorji dated Bollywood actress

Lara Dutta Lara Dutta Bhupathi ( Dutta; born 16 April 1978) is an Indian actress. She won the Miss Universe 2000, and has since predominantly worked in Hindi films and series. Dutta is a recipient of a Filmfare Awards, Filmfare Award and established hers ...

for 9 years before their relationship came to an end in 2007. He currently lives in Thimphu, Bhutan. He owns a luxury travel company, Terton Travel Bhutan.

Service

Dorji supports the Bhutanese contemporary art sector more broadly as an advisor on the board of the Voluntary Artist's Studio of Thimphu (VAST). Dorji serves an executive board member for the Tarayana Foundation. An avid enduro motorcyclist, Dorji rides for charity with the Tarayana Dragons.

Filmography

References

External links

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Kelly Dorji
at Penguin India {{DEFAULTSORT:Dorji, Kelly Bhutanese male actors Bhutanese expatriates in India Living people Bhutanese Buddhists People from Thimphu Male actors from Mumbai Male actors in Hindi cinema Male actors in Tamil cinema St. Xavier's College, Mumbai alumni St. Paul's School, Darjeeling alumni 1971 births