Pallavi Joshi (born 4 April 1969) is an Indian actress, screenwriter, and film producer who works primarily in Hindi films and television. In a career spanning across films and television, Joshi is the recipient of such accolades as three National Film Awards, and a nomination for the Filmfare Awards.

Born in Mumbai to Marathi parents who were stage actors, Joshi made her acting debut at age four with a minor role in the Hindi film Naag Mere Sathi (1973). Following numerous film appearances as a child artist, Joshi garnered recognition and acclaim when she ventured into the parallel cinema movement, with roles in critically acclaimed films like; Bhujangayyana Dashavathara (1988), Rihaee (1988), Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991), and Woh Chokri (1992), for which she won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award (Feature Film). Joshi also appeared in several commercial films, including Insaaf Ki Awaaz (1986), Andha Yudh (1987), which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress, Mujrim (1989), Saudagar (1991), Panaah (1992).

Joshi's career further expanded with her venture into television, garnering praise and popularity for revered Doordarshan shows as; Talaash (1992), Aarohan (1996–1997), Alpviram (1998), Justujoo (2002–2004). In recent years, Joshi has mainly collaborated with her husband, director Vivek Agnihotri, most notably for the films; The Tashkent Files (2019), and The Kashmir Files (2022), both of which she has produced and won her two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress.

She is one of the members of India's Central Board of Film Certification.

Career

Films, critical acclaim and accolades Joshi started performing on stage at an early age. She acted in films like Badla (1976) and Aadmi Sadak Ka (1977) as a child artist. She played a blind child who reforms a notorious gangster in Dada (1979). In the 1980s and early 1990s she acted in art films like Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991), Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda (1992), Trishagni (1988), Vanchit, Bhujangayyana Dashavathara (1991) and Rihaee (1988). She has also played supporting role in films including Saudagar, Panaah, Tehelka and Mujrim. Her performance as a disabled girl in Andha Yudh (1988) earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award (Feature Film) for Woh Chokri (1992). She also appeared as Kasturba Gandhi in Shyam Benegal's The Making of the Mahatma, (1995).

Joshi has also worked in regional films, She has played the central character 'Shantha' in the critically acclaimed Malayalam movie Ilayum Mullum (1994), directed by K. P. Sasi and a pivotal role in the Kannada film Bhujangayyana Dashavathara (1991) enacted and directed by Lokesh. She has also played a lead role in Rita, a Marathi film directed by Renuka Shahane.

She is also the recipient of the Excellence In Cinema Award at the 7th Global Film Festival, Noida. She has produced and starred in her husband, director Vivek Agnihotri's directorials, The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022), winning two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress for her performances in the films. Joshi was nominated as a member of Film and Television Institute of India society, but she refused to take up the position in view of the students' protest against appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as the chief of the institute's governing council, But as of 2024, she is serving as the Vice-President of FTII, Pune where Ranganathan Madhavan is the President.

She will next appear in The Delhi Files.

Television, hosting and other work Joshi's most significant hosting stint was anchoring for popular music show Zee Antakshari for 5 years. Joshi also hosted a televised singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi Li'l Champs on Zee Marathi. She also acted in some episodes of Rishtey, aired on Zee TV during 1999 and 2001. Her TV appearances include Mr. Yogi, Bharat Ek Khoj, Justujoo, Alpviram, Mriganayani, Talash and Imtihaan and her most famous Doordarshan serial has been Aarohan, a youth serial based on the navy. Justujoo was a weekly serial on Zee TV in 2002, which also starred Harsh Chhaya and Arpita Pandey. Joshi is also a producer of Marathi serials and has produced serials including Asambhav and Anubandh on Zee Marathi.

Personal life Joshi was born on 4 April 1969. She married Indian film maker Vivek Agnihotri in 1997 and has two children. She is the sister of child actor Master Alankar (Joshi).

Filmography

Films YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes1973Naag Mere SathiHindiChild artist1976BadlaPallaviMarathiKhamma Mara VeeraAshaGujaratiRakshabandhanHindi1977Aadmi Sadak Ka PinkyDaku Aur MahatmaVandanaMaa DikriGujaratiDream GirlPallaviHindi1978Ankh Ka TaraMakhanChor Ki Dadhi Main TinkaDost Asaava Tar AsaPinkyMarathiChhota BaapHindiMadi Na JaayaGujarati1979DadaMunniHindiParakhGujarati1980Allakh Na OtleMohabbatHindi1981Khoon Ki Takkar1984Hum Bachhey Hindustan Ke1985Dikri Chhali SasariyeGujaratiVanchit1986AmritSunita SaxenaHindiKab Tak PukaroonInsaaf Ki AwaazJyoti AzaadEk Kahaani1987SusmanChinnaTheerthamSreedeviMalayalamBuniyaadRannoHindi1988Andha YudhSarojAgent 777Subah Hone TakRihaeeSpecial appearanceZanjeerenTrishagniIti1989Guru DakshinaBeauty QueenDaataShantiMujrimSunanda Bose1990VanchitKroadhSalma A. Khan1991Bhujangayyana DashavatharaKannadaJhoothi ShaanKaveriHindiRukmavati Ki HaveliPadmaSaudagarAmla1992MangniPriyaBengaliPanaahMamtaHindiTahalkaJulieSuraj Ka Satvan GhodaLily1993Meri Pyari Nimmo1994Ilayum MullumSanthaMalayalamInsaniyatMunniHindiWoh ChokriAfsara / Dulari / TunniNational Film Award - Special Jury Award1995Daughters of This Century1996The Making of the MahatmaKasturba Gandhi1999ChocolateTelevision film2009RitaRitaMarathiNominated - MFK Award for Favourite Actress2013Prem Mhanje Prem Mhanje Prem Asta2016Buddha in a Traffic JamSheetal BatkiHindi2019The Tashkent FilesAiysha Ali ShahNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actress2022The Kashmir FilesProfessor Radhika Menon2023The Vaccine WarDr. Priya Abraham2025Tanvi The Great Vidya Raina The Bengal Files Maa Bharti / Aged Bharti Banerjee

OTT / Web series YearTitleLanguagePlatformNotes2023Kashmir Files UnreportedHindiZEE5Also producerEnglish

Television YearFilmRoleLanguageRef.1985Ek Kahani - Jungli BootiHIndi1986Katha Sagar1988-1989Bharat Ek Khoj1989Mr. Yogi BrideMarathi1991Mrignayanee HindiJeevan Mrityu 1992TalaashJunglee1993Zee Horror Show1993-1994Adalat1996Imtihaan1996-1997Aarohan Cadet Nikita Sachdev1996Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum1998AlpviramAmrita2001Hamare Tumhare Ruchika2002JustujooLeela Sharma2002-2004Antakshari2004Kkehna Hai Kuch MujhkoReva Kapoor2006-2007Sa re Ga Ma Pa2007-2009AsambhavMarathi2009-2010Anubandh2010-2011Gaurav Maharashtracha2015-16Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan HaiDevika Gaikwad "Aai", Kalyani and Ketaki's motherHindi2017Peshwa BajiraoTarabai2018GrahanRama Podar/Vasudha Nevrekar/Chandni SharanpaniMarathi

Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryFilmResultRef.1989Filmfare AwardsBest Supporting ActressAndha Yudh1994National Film AwardsSpecial Jury Award (Feature Film)Woh Chokri2021Best Supporting ActressThe Tashkent Files2023The Kashmir Files

References

External links