Tina Desai is an Indian actress and model. She started out modelling in the year 2007, featuring in over 100 commercials. She made her acting debut in 2011 with the Bollywood film "Yeh Faasley" and later went on to star alongside Paresh Rawal and Rajeev Khandelwal in "Table No. 21". She has also worked in international projects like British comedy-drama film "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" and sci-fi web TV series "Sense8".
Early Life and Education of Tina Desai
Tina Desai was born on February 24, 1987 in Bangalore, Karnataka, to a Gujarati father and a Telugu mother. She graduated in Business Management from New Horizon College, and later pursued specialisation in finance from National Institute of Management. Desai is fluent in 5 languages - Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English.
Career of Tina Desai
Tina Desai first came into the limelight participating in the Indian reality show and model talent search contest "Get Gorgeous", which aired on Channel V. Although she did not win the contest, she was offered a contract with Elite Model India Management, which sponsored the reality show, before the eventual winner. She then kick started her career with modelling and has worked in over 100 commercials since 2007, including brands Titan Raga, Reliance Mobile, Frankfinn, iPill, Hero Honda, Fair and Lovely and Stayfree.
She made her acting debut in films in 2011, featuring in the Yogesh Mittal-directed Hindi thriller "Yeh Faasley", playing Arunima Dua, the daughter of one of the biggest builders in town alongside actors Anupam Kher and Pawan Malhotra. The same year, she was seen as Neha Sharma in "Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bande" that received mostly positive reviews. In 2012, she appeared in a cameo role of a waitress in Homi Adajania"s Hindi film "Cocktail". The same year, she made her international debut, featuring in the role of a call centre worker Sunaina in the English comedy drama "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", directed by John Madden. Tina posed for the 2012 Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar.
In 2013, Tina featured in the lead in Aditya Datt"s Hindi psychological drama mystery thriller film "Table No. 21", portraying Siya Agasthi alongside Paresh Rawal and Rajeev Khandelwal. The film focussed on ragging and received a good response at the box office. She also did a music video for singer KK, appearing in the romantic song "Yeh Kahan Mil Gaye Hum". In 2014, she appeared as Aditi Singh in the Hindi film "Dussehra". She was seen in 2015, Desai worked in the sequel to the 2011 hit film "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", titled "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". The same year she was seen in the Bollywood comedy thriller "Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene" and has been appearing in one of the main roles of Kala Dandekar in the American science fiction drama web television series "Sense8", airing on Netflix. She voiced Ashima in the children"s animated musical adventure movie "Thomas & Friends: The Great Race", that released in May 2016.
Filmography of Tina Desai
Tina Desai has appeared in the following films thus far in her career, highlighted alongside her roles and respective years of release.
Year | Film | Role |
2011 | Yeh Faasley | Arunima D. Dua |
2011 | Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bande | Neha Sharma |
2012 | Cocktail (Cameo appearance) | Waitress |
2012 | The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | Sunaina |
2013 | Table No.21 | Siya Agasthi |
2014 | Dussehra | Aditi Singh |
2015 | The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | Sunaina |
Sense8 | Kala Dandekar | |
2015 | Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene | Megha |
2016 | Thomas & Friends: The Great Race | Ashima (voice) |