Neelam Kothari

• Name — Neelam Kothari Soni • Birth Name — Neelam Kothari • Birthplace — British Hong Kong • Born — 9 November 1969 • Citizenship — India • Occupation — Actress, jewellery designer • Years Active — 1984–2001; 2020–present • Children — 1

Neelam Kothari was born in Hong Kong to a Gujarati Jain father Shishir Kothari and Parsi mother Parveen Kothari. As a child, she learned to play the keyboard and danced Jazz Ballet. Her family has a traditional jewellery-making business, making high-class pieces. She was educated at Island School, where she was a member of Rutherford House. When she was a teenager, her family moved to Bangkok. When Neelam was on vacation in Mumbai she was approached by director Ramesh Behl. She decided to give acting a shot and signed Jawaani (1984) alongside Karan Shah, Tina Munim's nephew.

Kothari made her acting debut with Jawaani (1984), followed it in various films opposite Govinda such as Love 86 (1986), Ilzaam (1986), Sindoor (1987), Khudgarz (1987), Hatya (1988), Farz Ki Jung (1989), Billoo Badshah (1989), Taaqatwar (1989) and Do Qaidi (1989); simultaneously starred opposite Chunky Pandey in films Aag Hi Aag (1987), Paap Ki Duniya (1988), Khatron Ke Khiladi (1988), Ghar Ka Chiraag (1989), and Mitti Aur Sona (1989). Though Jawaani was not a big hit commercially, Neelam's performance in her debut film was noticed and she received many offers. She gained popularity from her role in Ilzaam (1986) opposite debutant Govinda. She made a very popular pairing with Govinda and they starred together in 14 movies. The bigger hits amongst them include Love 86 (1986), Khudgarz (1987), Hatya (1988) and Taaqatwar (1989). She gave five hits with Chunkey Pandey - Aag Hi Aag (1987), Paap Ki Duniya (1988), Khatron Ke Khiladi (1988), Mitti Aur Sona (1989) and Ghar Ka Chiraag (1989), out of the eight films she costarred with him (the other three were Zakham (1989 film), Khule-Aam and a Bengali film, Mandira). She has also worked in the Bengali film Badnam (1990) with Prosenjit Chatterjee. Neelam has also appeared in the popular Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) where she played herself as a VJ and the ensemble family drama Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999) in which she played a pivotal supporting role. Her last film was the much-delayed Kasam (2001) opposite Chunky Pandey. In 2020-22 she has appeared alongside Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey and Seema Sajdeh in 3 seasons of the reality television series Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives that streamed on Netflix.

Even while pursuing her career in acting, she was interested in jewellery designing and was involved in her family business. She followed a formal course in jewellery-designing in Mumbai and, after quitting films temporarily in 2001, started out commercially on her own under the name Neelam Jewels. She opened a showroom in Mumbai in 2004. She then launched her jewellery store in Mumbai on 25 August 2011 under the name Neelam Kothari Fine Jewels.

Neelam featured in Bina Mistry's Hot Hot Hot music video, a song that is part of a compilation of dance hits in the 1995 BMG release, titled Channel [V] Hits: The Ultimate Dance Collection. The song became a hit when it was featured as part of the soundtrack of Bend It Like Beckham (2002). In 2022, she collaborated with the BNK Group to design luxury residential interiors.

In October 2000, Neelam married Rishi Sethia, the son of a businessman from the UK but they got divorced soon after. After a brief relationship with actor Samir Soni, she married him in 2011. In 2013, they adopted a daughter and named her Ahana. • Illustration — Neelam Kothari Soni with husband Samir Soni in 2012

In 1998, Neelam was charged with the Wildlife Act and the Indian Penal Code for the poaching of two blackbucks in Kankani during the filming of Hum Saath Saath Hain, along with co-stars Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre and Tabu. She was acquitted by the court of a chief judicial magistrate at Jodhpur on 5 April 2018.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1984 — Jawaani — Sanam • 1986 — Ilzaam — Aarti • Andaz Pyar Ka • Love 86 — Esha • 1987 — Aag Hi Aag — Aarti • Khudgarz — Jyoti • Sindoor — Lalita Kapoor • 1988 — Taaqatwar — Bijli • Hatya — Sapna • Waqt Ki Awaz — Dancer, Singer • Ghar Mein Ram Gali Mein Shyam — Jaya • Khatron Ke Khiladi — Sunita • Paap Ki Duniya — Aarti • 1989 — Gharana — Lalita • Do Qaidi — Neelu • Ghar Ka Chiraag — Kiran • Hum Bhi Insaan Hain — Rekha • Mitti Aur Sona — Anupama • 1990 — Pyar Ka Karz — Seema Sanyal • Vishnu-Devaa — Paro • Mandira — Bengali film • Badnam — Priya Dutta — Bengali film • Shankara — Seema • Doodh Ka Karz — Reshma • Upkar Dhoodhache — Reshma — Marathi film • Chor Pe Mor — Ritu • Amiri Garibi — Jyoti • Agneepath — Siksha Chavan • Zakham — Aarti • Billoo Badshah — Jyoti • Farz Ki Jung — Kavita • Dost Garibon Ka — Rekha • 1991 — Kasak — Divya • Ranbhoomi — Neelam • Indrajeet — Neelam • Afsana Pyaar Ka — Nikita • Pratigyabadh — Shobhna • 1992 — Ek Ladka Ek Ladki — Renu / Rani • Khule-Aam — Priya • Sahebzaade — Chinar • Laat Saab — Anju / Mona • 1993 — Parampara — Sapna • 1995 — Santaan — Asha • Antim Nyay — Seema A. Verma • 1996 — Ek Tha Raja — Shilpa • Sauda — Jyoti • Aadithya — Neelam — Kannada film • Zordaar — Anju Sharma • 1997 — Mohabbat Aur Jung — Priya • 1998 — Kuch Kuch Hota Hai — VJ Neelam — Special appearance • 1999 — Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United — Sangeeta • 2001 — Kasam — Bindiya

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref(s) • 2020–present — Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives — Herself • 2022 — Masaba Masaba — Herself • 2023 — Made in Heaven — Kriti Malhotra • 2025 — The Ba***ds of Bollywood — Herself — Cameo Appearance