Mouni Roy (born Mounmoyi Roy) is an Indian actress who works primarily in Hindi television and film. She rose to prominence on Indian television in the 2000s and 2010s before transitioning to Hindi cinema. She is best known for portraying Krishna Tulsi in the soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and the title role in Naagin, and for her film debut as Junoon in Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva.
Key Facts
| Birth name | Mounmoyi Roy |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 September 1985, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Notable television | Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, Naagin |
| Notable films | Made in China (2019), Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022) |
| Spouse | Suraj Nambiar (m. 2022) |
Early life and education
Mouni Roy was born on 28 September 1985 in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, into a Bengali family. Her father, Anil Roy, worked in the public sector. She completed her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Cooch Behar and went on to study at Miranda House, University of Delhi. She later pursued classes at the Asian Academy of Film and Television in Noida and trained in Kathak.
Career
Television
Roy made her television debut in 2007 with Ekta Kapoor's Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus, in which she played Krishna Tulsi. She subsequently appeared in serials such as Kasturi, Kitani Mohabbat Hai on NDTV Imagine, and the dance reality show Zara Nachke Dikha 2 on Star Plus.
From 2011 to 2014, she portrayed Sati, the consort of Shiva, in the mythological series Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev on Life OK. In 2015, she took on the title role of Shivanya in Ekta Kapoor's supernatural drama Naagin on Colors TV, which became one of the highest-rated Indian television shows of its time. She continued the role into the second season, which concluded in 2017. She also participated in the dance competition Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 7 in 2014.
Film
Roy made her Hindi film debut in 2018 in Reema Kagti's sports drama Gold, opposite Akshay Kumar, set against the backdrop of India's 1948 Olympic hockey campaign. The same year, she appeared in the action film Romeo Akbar Walter (2019) with John Abraham. She had a leading role in Made in China (2019) opposite Rajkummar Rao.
Her most prominent film role came in 2022 with Ayan Mukerji's fantasy epic Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, where she played the antagonist Junoon alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. She has also appeared in regional-language productions, including the Tamil film Tum Bin 2's industry counterparts, and Telugu films opposite established actors of South Indian cinema.
Personal life
Mouni Roy married Dubai-based investment banker Suraj Nambiar on 27 January 2022 in Goa, in ceremonies conducted according to both Malayali and Bengali traditions.
Significance
Roy is regarded as one of the few Indian actresses to have made a successful crossover from daily soap television to mainstream Hindi cinema. Her portrayal of Shivanya in Naagin contributed significantly to the popularity of the supernatural-fantasy genre on Indian general entertainment channels in the mid-2010s.