Kiran Juneja is an Indian actress best known for her work in Hindi television and film during the late 1980s and 1990s. She gained wide recognition for her portrayal of Gandhari in Ravi Chopra's epic television serial Mahabharat (1988–1990), which was telecast on Doordarshan and remains one of the most-watched Indian television productions of its era. She is married to filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, the director of Sholay (1975).
| Name | Kiran Juneja |
|---|---|
| Profession | Actress |
| Active period | 1980s onwards |
| Notable role | Gandhari in Mahabharat (Doordarshan) |
| Spouse | Ramesh Sippy (filmmaker) |
| Industry | Hindi television and cinema |
Kiran Juneja entered the Hindi entertainment industry in the 1980s, a period when Doordarshan-produced serials were reshaping popular culture in India. She built her reputation primarily through television, although she also appeared in several Hindi films in supporting roles.
Her most prominent role was that of Gandhari, the blindfolded queen of Hastinapura and mother of the Kauravas, in B. R. Chopra and Ravi Chopra's Mahabharat, which was broadcast on Doordarshan between 1988 and 1990. The serial drew enormous audiences across India and brought lasting visibility to its principal cast.
She was also seen in Buniyaad (1986–1987), Ramesh Sippy's acclaimed serial on the Partition of India, which aired on Doordarshan and is regarded as a milestone in Indian television drama.
Kiran Juneja has appeared in supporting roles in Hindi films, working alongside leading actors of the period. Her screen presence was often associated with dignified, mature characters in family and social dramas.
She is married to the film director and producer Ramesh Sippy, known for directing Sholay (1975), Shaan (1980), Saagar (1985) and the television serial Buniyaad. The couple have remained associated with the Sippy family's continuing presence in Hindi cinema and television.
Kiran Juneja's portrayal of Gandhari is regarded as one of the defining performances of the original Mahabharat television adaptation, contributing to the serial's enduring cultural footprint. Together with her work in Buniyaad, her career is closely tied to the golden age of Doordarshan serials, a period in which television became a mass medium in India.