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Khushbu Sundar (born Nakhat Khan; 29 September 1970) is an Indian politician, actress, film producer and television personality. She is known for her work predominantly in
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
language films and in a few
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
,
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
,
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
and
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
films. She has appeared in over 185 films, and has won three
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Tamil Nadu State Film Awards were given for excellence in Cinema of Tamil Nadu, Tamil cinema in India. They were given annually to honour the best talents and provide encouragement and incentive to the South Indian film industry by the Governmen ...
, two
Cinema Express Awards Cinema Express Awards are presented annually by Indian Express Group on behalf of Cinema Express film magazine to honour artistic excellence of professionals in the south Indian film industry which comprises Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayala ...
, a
Kalaimamani Award The Kalaimamani is the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. These awards are given by the ''Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram'' (literature, music and theatre), a unit of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government o ...
and a
Kerala State Film Award The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a cinema of kerala, motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs (Kerala), Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and sin ...
.


Early life

Khushbu was born as Nakhat Khan on 29 September 1970 into a
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
family in
Bombay, Maharashtra Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
, India. Her parents gave her the
stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
Khushbu when she started her career as a child actress. She has been living in
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
for nearly 40 years now.


Film career

Khushbu started her career as a child artist in the
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
film ''
The Burning Train ''The Burning Train'' is a 1980 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film produced by B.R Chopra and directed by Ravi Chopra. The film features an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh ...
'' (1980) in the song "Teri Hai Zameen Tera Aasman". Between 1980 and 1985, she performed as a child actor in various
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
films like '' Naseeb'', '' Laawaris'', ''
Kaalia ''Kaalia'' is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film, written and directed by Tinnu Anand, and produced by Iqbal Singh. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan (in the title role), Parveen Babi, Asha Parekh, Kader Khan, Pran, Amjad Khan, ...
'', ''
Dard Ka Rishta ''Dard Ka Rishta'' is a 1982 Indian Bollywood film produced and directed by Sunil Dutt, who also stars. Smita Patil, Dr. Naaz Hussein, Reena Roy and Ashok Kumar play pivotal roles. It also marked late actress, Padmini Ramachandran's (a part of ...
'', and '' Bemisal''. Her sensitive performance in the emotional 1982 Hindi movie, ''Dard Ka Rishta'' was appreciated by audiences. The
fairy A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...
song "Kaun Hu Main Kya Naam Hai Mera" from the movie is still a very popular song at Annual Day School performances, children's parties and fairy themed parties in India. She made her adult acting debut in the much-acclaimed 1985 Hindi film ''
Meri Jung ''Meri Jung'' is a 1985 Indian Hindi movie produced by N N Sippy and directed by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Nutan, Amrish Puri, Javed Jaffrey (in his debut film), A. K. Hangal, Iftekhar, Kushboo and Pariksh ...
'' in a supporting role as Anil Kapoor's younger sister. In the same year, she got her first lead role in the film ''
Jaanoo ''Jaanoo'' is a 1985 Indian Hindi-language film produced and directed by Jainendra Jain. It stars Jackie Shroff, Khushbu and Rati Agnihotri in pivotal roles. It was Kushboo’a official acting debut not only in Hindi cinemas, but in later Sou ...
'' opposite veteran actor
Jackie Shroff Jaikishan Kakubhai Shroff (born 1 February 1957), known by his screen name Jackie Shroff, is an Indian actor and former model from Mumbai, Maharashtra, who primarily works in the Hindi film industry. In a career spanning over four decades, he ...
. This was followed by ''
Tan-Badan ''Tan-Badan'' is a 1986 Bollywood film starring Govinda and Khushbu. Although ''Love 86'' and ''Ilzaam'' released before this film, this movie is Govinda's debut, directed by his maternal uncle (and his wife's brother-in-law) Anand Singh. Cas ...
'' (1986) paired with
Govinda Govinda (, ), also rendered Govind, Gobinda, and Gobind, is an epithet of Vishnu and his avatars, such as Krishna. The name appears as the 187th and the 539th name of Vishnu in the ''Vishnu Sahasranama''. The name is also popularly addressed to ...
. Khushbu played a significant supporting role in '' Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin'' (1990), alongside
Aamir Khan Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and television personality who works in Bollywood, Hindi films. Referred to as "Mr. Perfectionist" in the media, he is known for his work in a variety of film g ...
and
Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit Nene (Maiden and married names, née Dixit, ; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress and television personality. She has appeared in Madhuri Dixit filmography, over 70 Hindi films. Praised by critics for her performances and danc ...
. Khushbu was introduced to
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
n screens by D. Ramanaidu and
K. Raghavendra Rao Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao (born 23 May 1942) is an Indian filmmaker known primarily for his work in Telugu cinema, besides a few Hindi film and Kannada films. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has directed over a hundred films ...
through the
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
film ''
Kaliyuga Pandavulu ''Kaliyuga Pandavulu'' () is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language masala film produced by D. Ramanaidu under Suresh Productions, and directed by K. Raghavendra Rao. It stars Ramanaidu's son Venkatesh and Khushbu (making their cinematic debut), wit ...
'' (1986). Khushbu moved her base to
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
and started focussing on
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
and other
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
n film industries. Khushbu had done close to 12 movies in Telugu and Kannada, and had bagged her first role in Tamil in the movie ''
Dharmathin Thalaivan ''Dharmathin Thalaivan'' () is a 1988 Indian Tamil-language action-drama film directed by S. P. Muthuraman and produced by Dhandayuthapani Films, in their final venture. The film stars Rajinikanth in dual roles, along with Prabhu, Suhasini, ...
'' (1988). Then she did films like '' Varusham 16'' (1989), ''
Kizhakku Vaasal ''Kizhakku Vaasal'' () is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed and co-written by R. V. Udayakumar. The film stars Karthik, Revathi and Khushbu. It was released on 12 July 1990 and ran for over 175 days in theatres. In 199 ...
'' (1990) and ''
Nadigan ''Nadigan'' () is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language comedy thriller film written directed by P. Vasu. A remake of the Hindi film ''Professor'' (1962), it stars Sathyaraj and Khushbu. The film was released on 30 November 1990 and became a critical ...
'' (1990), but the movie which catapulted her to the top was the runaway hit ''
Chinna Thambi ''Chinna Thambi'' () is a 1991 Indian Tamil-language romantic musical drama film written and directed by P. Vasu. The film stars Prabhu as the titular character, an uneducated village simpleton and Khushbu as Nandini, a homeschooled wealthy gi ...
'' (1991).
Prabhu ''Prabhu'' means ''master'' or ''prince'' in Sanskrit and many of the Indian languages; it is a name sometimes applied to God. Surname Prabhu is a surname among Gaud saraswat Brahmins, saraswat Brahmins and other Brahmins across the Ko ...
and Khushbu appeared in several films including ''
Dharmathin Thalaivan ''Dharmathin Thalaivan'' () is a 1988 Indian Tamil-language action-drama film directed by S. P. Muthuraman and produced by Dhandayuthapani Films, in their final venture. The film stars Rajinikanth in dual roles, along with Prabhu, Suhasini, ...
'' (1988), ''
Vettri Vizhaa ''Vettri Vizhaa'' () is a 1989 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by Prathap K. Pothen. It stars Kamal Haasan, Prabhu, pairing with Sasikala and Khushbu as lead heroine along with Amala in guest appearance. The film was a blockbuster ...
'' (1989), ''
My Dear Marthandan ''My Dear Marthandan'' is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Pratap Pothen and produced by Sivaji Productions, starring Prabhu and Khushbu. It is loosely based on the 1988 American film ''Coming to America''.It was later remade into t ...
'' (1990), ''
Chinna Thambi ''Chinna Thambi'' () is a 1991 Indian Tamil-language romantic musical drama film written and directed by P. Vasu. The film stars Prabhu as the titular character, an uneducated village simpleton and Khushbu as Nandini, a homeschooled wealthy gi ...
'' (1991), '' Kizhakku Karai'' (1991), ''
Pandithurai ''Pandithurai'' is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Manoj Kumar. The film stars Prabhu and Khushbu. It was released on 15 January 1992, and completed a 100-day run. The film was remade in Telugu as '' Bava Bavamaridi'' (1993), in H ...
'' (1992), ''
Naalaya Seidhi ''Naalaya Seidhi'' () is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film, directed by G. B. Vijay in his debut and produced by K. S. Srinivasan and K. S. Shivaraman. The film stars Prabhu, Khushbu, Goundamani and Senthil. It was released on 1 ...
'' (1992), ''
Uthama Raasa ''Uthama Raasa'' () is a 1993 Indian Tamil language, Tamil-language film directed by Raj Kapoor (Tamil film director), Raj Kapoor, starring Prabhu (actor), Prabhu, Khushbu Sundar, Khushbu, Radha Ravi and Raja (Tamil actor), Raja, while Goundama ...
'' (1993), '' Maravan'' (1993) and ''
Chinna Vathiyar ''Chinna Vathiyar'' () is a 1995 Indian Tamil-language science fiction comedy film, directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao. The film stars Prabhu in a dual role, Khushbu, Ranjitha, Goundamani, Senthil and Nizhalgal Ravi. Music was by Ilaiyaraaja ...
'' (1995). She met her future husband on the set of
Sundar C Vinayagar Sundar Vel (born 21 January 1968), known professionally as Sundar C, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and playback singer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has directed over 30 films and received the Kalaimamani#2009, Kalaim ...
's directorial debut ''
Murai Maman ''Murai Maman'' () is a 1995 Indian Tamil-language comedy film and the directorial debut of Sundar C. The film stars Jayaram and Khushbu. It was released on 19 May 1995. Plot Sirusu and his elder brother Perusu own a village cinema theatre an ...
'' (1995). She later appeared in successful films such as '' Nattupura Pattu'' (1996), ''
Irattai Roja ''Irattai Roja'' () is a 1996 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Keyaar. The film stars Ramki, Urvashi, and Khushbu. It is a remake of the 1994 Telugu film '' Subhalagnam'' which was based on the American film '' Indecent Proposal'' (1993 ...
'' (1996), ''
Ettupatti Rasa ''Ettupatti Rasa'' ( ) is a 1997 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Kasthuri Raja and produced by V. Natarajan. The film stars Napoleon, Khushbu and Urvashi. It was released on 14 February 1997. Plot Singarasu (Napoleon), a brave ...
'' (1997), '' Paththini'' (1997), ''
Thulli Thirintha Kaalam ''Thulli Thirintha Kaalam'' () is a 1998 Indian Tamil-language coming-of-age drama film directed by Balasekaran and produced by Kavithalayaa Productions. The film stars Arun Vijay (credited as Arun Kumar) and Roshini in lead roles while Khu ...
'' (1998), '' Simmarasi'' (1998), ''
Viralukketha Veekkam ''Viralukketha Veekkam'' () is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language comedy drama film directed by V. Sekhar. The film stars Livingston, Vadivelu, Vivek, Khushbu, Kovai Sarala and Kanaka. It was released on 16 July 1999 and became successful at the b ...
'' (1999), ''
Power of Women The "Power of Women" () is a medieval and Renaissance artistic and literary topos, showing "heroic or wise men dominated by women", presenting "an admonitory and often humorous inversion of the male-dominated sexual hierarchy". It was defin ...
'' (2005), ''
Periyar Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 187924 December 1973), commonly known as Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician. He was the organizer of the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam and is considered the architect o ...
'' (2007) and ''
Pazhani Palani or Pazhani () is a town in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu state in India. It is located about west of Dindigul, south-east of Coimbatore, north-west of Madurai, from Kodaikanal. The Palani Murugan Temple or Arulmigu Dhandayuth ...
'' (2008). Khushbu then forayed into television, plunged into politics and also devoted time as a homemaker. In 2021, she made a comeback with
Rajinikanth Shivaji Rao Gaikwad (born 12 December 1950), known professionally as Rajinikanth, is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. In a career spanning over five decades, he has done 170 films that includes films in Tamil, Hindi, ...
in ''
Annaatthe ''Annaatthe'' () is a 2021 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by Siva and produced by Kalanithi Maran under the banner Sun Pictures. The film stars Rajinikanth in the titular role, alongside Khushbu, Meena, Nayanthara, and Kee ...
''. She also makes appearances in songs directed by her husband
Sundar C Vinayagar Sundar Vel (born 21 January 1968), known professionally as Sundar C, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and playback singer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has directed over 30 films and received the Kalaimamani#2009, Kalaim ...
such as ''
Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru () is a 2013 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film co-produced and directed by Sundar C. and produced by his wife Khushbu. The film stars Siddharth, Santhanam, and Hansika Motwani. It was simultaneously partially reshot in Telugu as ...
'' (2013), ''
Aambala ''Aambala'' () is a 2015 Indian Tamil language, Tamil-language action comedy film co-written, co-produced and directed by Sundar C. Produced by Vishal (actor), Vishal, it features him in the leading role alongside an ensemble cast including Han ...
'' (2015), ''
Aranmanai 2 ''Aranmanai 2'' () is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language comedy horror film directed by Sundar C. Produced by Avni Cinemax, and distributed by Sri Thenandal Films, it is the second instalment in the ''Aranmanai'' film series following '' Aranmanai'' ...
'' (2016) and ''
Aranmanai 4 ''Aranmanai 4'' () is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language comedy horror film directed by Sundar C. Produced by Avni Cinemax and Benzz Media (P) Ltd, it is the fourth instalment in the ''Aranmanai'' film series following ''Aranmanai 3'' (2021). Parti ...
'' (2024).


Filmography


Overseas engagements


Involvement with the Australian Football (AFL)

Khushbu and sprinter
Usain Bolt Usain St. Leo Bolt (; born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican retired sprinter who is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time. He is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, ...
are honorary members of
Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers or colloquially the Tiges, is a professional Australian rules football team competing in the Australian Football League (AFL). Founded in 1885 in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Victoria, Ric ...
, based in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Australia. Khushbu was made the
number-one ticket holder A number-one ticket holder is a person who holds membership ticket number 1 of a particular sporting club. Possession of the number one ticket is largely symbolic. The tradition of having a number one ticket holder is mainly observed in Australi ...
of Richmond Football Club in March 2017. She became the first
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n, and is the only
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n female, to be bestowed with such an honour in the
AFL AFL may refer to: Education * Angel Foundation for Learning, a Canadian Roman Catholic charity * Ankara Science High School, a high school in Ankara, Turkey, natively referred to as ''Ankara Fen Liesi'' * Assessment for learning Military * ...
. Khushbu was introduced to
Australian Rules Football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
, and nominated for the role of honorary member of Richmond Tigers by former Ministerial Adviser Mr. Nitin Gupta.


Session at the RMIT University, Melbourne

On 14 August 2017, Khushbu was invited by
RMIT University The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (abbreviated as RMIT University) is a public research university located in the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia., section 4(b) Established in 1887 by Francis Ormond, it is the seventh-o ...
to speak with their Media and Communication students about the 'Representation of Women in Indian Cinema' at a session moderated by Dr. Vikrant Kishore. She also engaged in a lengthy Q&A with students and guests, sharing her own experiences of working in Indian cinema for over 37 years and appearing in around 200 films. Around 200-plus students and guests turned up to listen and interact with Khushbu. She was given a standing ovation by the audiences both at the beginning and at the end of the session.


Indian Independence Day at the Deakin University, Melbourne

On 15 August 2017, Khushbu was invited as the chief guest at the
Deakin University Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974 with antecedent history since 1887, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia and a founding father of Australian Fede ...
Indian Club's (DUIC) Indian Independence Day celebrations event by DUIC Founder President Mr. Amogh Chakravarthy. Deakin University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, Professor Gary Smith, was guest of honor at the celebrations, which were hosted at the University's Burwood Campus.


Political career


DMK

Khushbu joined the DMK on 14 May 2010. She was welcomed by DMK Leader
Karunanidhi Muthuvel Karunanidhi (3 June 1924 – 7 August 2018), also known as Kalaignar (Artist), was an Indian writer and politician who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for almost two decades over five terms between 1969 and 2011. He had the ...
at the party headquarters in
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
. Khushbu quit DMK on 16 June 2014.


Congress

Khushbu joined the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
on 26 November 2014 after meeting with then Congress President Mrs.
Sonia Gandhi Sonia Gandhi (, ; ; born 9 December 1946) is an Indian politician. She is the longest-serving president of the Indian National Congress, a big-tent liberal political party, which has governed India for most of its post-independence history. ...
and then Vice-president Mr.
Rahul Gandhi Rahul Rajiv Gandhi (; born 19 June 1970) is an Indian politician. A member of the Indian National Congress (INC), he is currently serving as the 12th leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and as the member of the Lok Sabha for Rae Bareli Lok ...
. She served as the National Spokesperson of the INC. Khushbu has been very critical of
Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...
's policies and has often taken to Twitter to criticise the ruling dispensation. Khushbu resigned from Congress on 12 October 2020 ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021. The Congress Secretary of Media said that Khushbu was being pressured by her husband,
Sundar C Vinayagar Sundar Vel (born 21 January 1968), known professionally as Sundar C, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and playback singer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has directed over 30 films and received the Kalaimamani#2009, Kalaim ...
, to join the BJP. Khushbu claimed that her previous party "does not want an intelligent woman" and there is no freedom to speak the truth within the party. She referred to the Congress as "mentally retarded". The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) filed 30 complaints at different police stations in the state over her statements, alleging that she made derogatory remarks against people with disabilities.


BJP

On 12 October 2020, Khushbu joined the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...
. She is currently a National Executive Committee Member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Khushbu said during a meeting with journalists in November 2023 that she wouldn't apologize for using the term "cheri language". She used the term to highlight the use of foul language against women in a post on social media platform X while responding to a supporter of the DMK who accused her of staying silent during the Manipur ethnic violence on social media. In Tamil, the term refers to
Dalit Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...
colonies that are separated from the rest of a village or town, and it is frequently used in a derogatory manner in reference to anything crude or crass. Her use of the term 'cheri' was condemned by activists for its caste-based connotations. The Neelam Foundation, an organization fighting for Dalit rights, demanded an unconditional apology. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi lodged a police complaint about her remarks. The Chennai city police increased security for Khushbu's house after the SC/ST wing of the Congress party announced a protest in front of her house. In her defence, she claimed that she had utilized the French term 'chéri', which translates to 'beloved', and not the Tamil word 'cheri'.


2021 Tamil Nadu assembly election

The Bharatiya Janata Party fielded Khushbu for the
2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election The Sixteenth Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Election was held on 6 April 2021, to elect Member of the Legislative Assembly (India), representatives from the List of constituencies of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, 234 constituencies in ...
from Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai. She lost the election by a margin of 32,200 votes to
Ezhilan Naganathan Ezhilan Naganathan (born 27 June 1979) is an Indian medical practitioner, social activist and politician from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Since May 2021, he has been serving as a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Thous ...
of
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; ; DMK) is an Indian political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is currently the ruling party, and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, where it is currently the main ...
.


Popularity


Temple built for Khushbu

During her prime, Khushbu was a prominent actress in
Tamil cinema Tamil cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Tamil language, the main spoken language in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is nicknamed Kollywood, a portmanteau of the names Kodambakkam, a Ch ...
. She became the first Indian actress for whom her fans built a dedicated temple.


Food dishes, products named after Khushbu

During her prominence in Tamil cinema, several dishes in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
were named after Khushbu. Kushboo
Idli Idli, iddena, iddali or idly (; plural: idlis) is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from South India, popular as a breakfast food in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented de-h ...
, a rice cake, stood out as the most popular food item named after the actress. Other items such as Kushboo Jhumki, Kushboo Sarees, Kushboo Sharbet, Kushboo Coffee, Kushboo Cocktails, and various other food items were also named after her, with many still retaining those names.


Social issues


Support for Jallikattu

Khushbu has been a very vocal supporter of the bull-taming sport,
jallikattu Jallikattu (or Sallikkattu), also known as Eru Taḻuvuṭal and Manju-virattu, is a traditional event in which a zebu bull ('' Bos indicus''), such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and many people attemp ...
, and has voiced her opinion at various national and international platforms. In Aug 2017, she even visited a cattle station in
Warrnambool Warrnambool (; Eastern Maar, Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the Census in Australia#2021, 2021 census, Warrnambool had a populati ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, to get a better understanding of how cattle are treated and raised on farms outside India.


Fighting for more recognition of South Indian Cinema on global platforms

Khushbu has been very vocal about obtaining more recognition for
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
n cinema and non-
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
cinema from India on global platforms, and film festivals. She has always maintained that Indian cinema is not just about
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
movies. In Aug 2017, Khushbu had visited the
Victorian Parliament The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the King, represented by the governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly ...
, and had meetings with former Victorian Premier
Ted Baillieu Edward Norman Baillieu (born 31 July 1953) is a former Australian politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2010 to 2013. He was a Victorian Liberal Party, Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2014, represe ...
, and Ministerial Adviser Mr. Nitin Gupta to request for more recognition for South Indian cinema in the Victorian government created and funded
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is an annual festival based in Melbourne founded in 2010. It was previously funded by Victoria State Government. It is presented by Film Victoria, and the provider is chosen through a tender process. ...
.


Awards

*1991 -
Cinema Express Awards Cinema Express Awards are presented annually by Indian Express Group on behalf of Cinema Express film magazine to honour artistic excellence of professionals in the south Indian film industry which comprises Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayala ...
for Best Actress – Tamil for ''
Chinna Thambi ''Chinna Thambi'' () is a 1991 Indian Tamil-language romantic musical drama film written and directed by P. Vasu. The film stars Prabhu as the titular character, an uneducated village simpleton and Khushbu as Nandini, a homeschooled wealthy gi ...
'' *1996 -
Cinema Express Awards Cinema Express Awards are presented annually by Indian Express Group on behalf of Cinema Express film magazine to honour artistic excellence of professionals in the south Indian film industry which comprises Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayala ...
for Best Actress – Tamil for ''
Irattai Roja ''Irattai Roja'' () is a 1996 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Keyaar. The film stars Ramki, Urvashi, and Khushbu. It is a remake of the 1994 Telugu film '' Subhalagnam'' which was based on the American film '' Indecent Proposal'' (1993 ...
'' *1994–95 - Kalaimamani Honour for Film industry Contribution *1997 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Special Prize for '' Paththini''


Personal life

In 2000, Khushbu married actor, director, and producer
Sundar C Vinayagar Sundar Vel (born 21 January 1968), known professionally as Sundar C, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and playback singer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has directed over 30 films and received the Kalaimamani#2009, Kalaim ...
. Following their union, she adopted her husband's name, Sundar, and has since been known as Khushbu Sundar. They have two daughters, Avantika and Anandita, after whom they named their production house,
Avni Cinemax Avni Cinemax, also operating as Avni Movies and Avni Telemedia, is an Indian film production and film distribution company run by the married couple Khushbu Sundar and Sundar C. Established in 2004, the company's name is inspired by the fir ...
. Although she married a Hindu, she has stated that she has not converted to
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
, nor has she been asked to do so by her husband. Though born into a Muslim family, Khushbu stated in 2006 that she was an atheist.


Controversies


Opposition by Hindutva groups

Kushbu stirred controversy in December 2012 when she wore a saree that had images of the Hindu gods
Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
,
Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
and
Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...
. The
Hindu Makkal Katchi Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), literally meaning Hindu People's Party, also pronounced as Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), is a right-wing, Hindu nationalist party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The organisation was set up by Rashtriya Swayamsevak San ...
demanded an apology from her and threatened to start agitations. She responded by saying, "I am not going to answer every Tom, Dick and Harry. Why should I? There is no need at all. Why are they worried about what a woman sports. Don't they have any other worthwhile work?". The
Hindu Munnani Hindu Munnani is a right-wing Hindu nationalist organisation based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Hindu Munnani was set up by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) The organisation was founded in 1980 by Ramagopalan, a member of RSS and sin ...
and the Hindu Makkal Katchi filed several cases against Khushbu, accusing the actress of disrespecting Hindu gods by sitting cross-legged with her slippers in front of the idols of the goddesses
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
,
Saraswati Saraswati (, ), also spelled as Sarasvati, is one of the principal Devi, goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of knowledge, education, learning, arts, speech, poetry, music, purification, language and culture. Together with the godde ...
, and
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
during a puja for the
muhurta Muhūrta () is a Hindu unit of time along with ''nimiṣa'', ''kāṣṭhā'', and ''kalā'' in the Hindu calendar. In the ''Brāhmaṇas'', ''muhūrta'' denotes a division of time: 1/30 of a day, or a period of 48 minutes. An alternative meanin ...
in Chennai on 22 November 2007.


''Maxim'' morphed photo case

In January 2006, in its first Indian edition, ''
Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment *Maxim (magazine), ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** Maxim (Australia), ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** Maxim (India), ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim ...
'' magazine featured a full-page composite photograph with her head pasted onto the body of a model wearing a
bikini A bikini is a two-piece swimsuit primarily worn by women that features one piece on top that covers the breasts, and a second piece on the bottom: the front covering the pelvis but usually exposing the navel, and the back generally covering ...
. Khushbu filed two complaints: defamation and the indecent representation of women against the editor and four others involved with the magazine. The proceedings were later stayed by the Madras High Court in December 2007 based on a plea filed by one of those charged.


Comments on pre-marital sex

In 2005, she said in an interview it was fine for girls to indulge in
pre-marital sex Premarital sex is sex before marriage. It is an act of sex between two people who are not married to each other. Premarital sex is considered a sin by a number of religions and also considered a moral issue which is taboo in many cultures. S ...
if they safeguard themselves and took precautions to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Later, she justified her statement by saying no educated man could expect his partner to be a virgin. The Dalit Panthers of India stormed the office of the South India Film Artistes' Association in Chennai demanding an apology from her. The
Pattali Makkal Katchi The Pattali Makkal Katchi (; PMK) is a caste-based political party in Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded by S. Ramadoss in 1989 to provide political representation for the Vanniyar caste, a community found throughout Northern Tamil Nadu. It is a ...
said it will protest outside her house. 22 complaints alleging that she was "defaming Tamil womanhood and chastity" were brought against her, but in 2010, the Supreme Court dismissed all cases.


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sundar, Khushbu Living people 1970 births Indian film actresses Actresses in Tamil cinema Actresses in Telugu cinema Actresses in Malayalam cinema Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners Actresses in Kannada cinema Actresses in Hindi cinema 20th-century Indian actresses Actresses from Mumbai 21st-century Indian actresses Indian atheists Indian feminists Indian television actresses Actresses in Tamil television Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians Indian National Congress politicians from Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Tamil Nadu Tamil television producers Tamil television writers