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Kiran Kher

Kirron Kher

Kirron Kher (born 14 June 1955) is an Indian film and theatre actress, television host, and politician. She has worked in Hindi, Punjabi, and Bengali cinema and is known for her character roles in films such as Devdas, Hum Tum, Rang De Basanti, and Dostana. She served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from the Chandigarh constituency, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Key Facts

Full name Kirron Kher (born Kiran Thakar Singh Sandhu)
Date of birth 14 June 1955
Place of birth Punjab, India
Spouse Anupam Kher (m. 1985)
Profession Actress, television host, politician
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party
Constituency Chandigarh (Lok Sabha)
Languages of work Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, English
Notable awards National Film Award – Special Jury Award; Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress

Early Life and Education

Kirron Kher was born into a Sikh family in Punjab. She studied at Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh, and later at Panjab University, where she pursued a postgraduate degree. During her college years, she was active in theatre and won several awards in inter-college dramatics competitions.

Personal Life

She was first married to businessman Gautam Berry, with whom she has a son, Sikandar Kher, who is also an actor. She married actor Anupam Kher in 1985.

Career

Theatre

Kirron Kher began her career on stage and has been associated with prominent Indian theatre productions. Her notable theatrical work includes performances in plays such as Salgirah and the Mahesh Dattani play Dance Like a Man. She has worked with directors including Mahesh Dattani and Lillete Dubey.

Film

Her early film appearances included roles in Punjabi cinema. She gained critical recognition for her performance in the Bengali film Bariwali (2000), directed by Rituparno Ghosh, for which she won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award.

In Hindi cinema, she became widely recognised for portraying maternal and matriarchal characters. Significant films include:

  • Devdas (2002) – as Sumitra, mother of Paro
  • Hum Tum (2004) – for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
  • Veer-Zaara (2004)
  • Main Hoon Na (2004)
  • Rang De Basanti (2006)
  • Dostana (2008)
  • Khoobsurat (2014)
  • Punjab 1984 (2014, Punjabi)

Television

She hosted the talk show Purrfect Tenn Se Pachees and gained wide popularity as a judge on the dance reality show India's Got Talent, where she appeared across multiple seasons on Colors TV.

Politics

Kirron Kher joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and contested the 2014 Indian general election from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency. She defeated Indian National Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal and Aam Aadmi Party candidate Gul Panag to win the seat. She was re-elected from the same constituency in the 2019 general election. During her tenure, she served on parliamentary committees relating to information technology and external affairs.

Health

In April 2021, her husband Anupam Kher publicly announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, and was undergoing treatment.

Awards and Recognition

  • National Film Award – Special Jury Award for Bariwali
  • Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Hum Tum
  • Multiple nominations at Filmfare, Screen, and IIFA awards

Significance

Kirron Kher is regarded as one of the prominent character actresses of contemporary Hindi cinema, particularly noted for her portrayals of strong, expressive Punjabi mother figures. Her transition from theatre to mainstream film, television hosting, and electoral politics reflects a broader trend of film personalities entering Indian public life.

References

  • Election Commission of India, Lok Sabha General Election results, 2014 and 2019.
  • Lok Sabha official member profile, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Lok Sabha.
  • National Film Awards official records, Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.