Known for her innocence, charm and girl-next-door image, Ayesha Jhulka was a well-known actress of the 1990s who appeared in many memorable films like “Kurbaan,” “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar,” “Khiladi,” “Rang,” “Dalaal,” and many more.
Early Life and Career
Ayesha Jhulka, born on July 28, 1972, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. Jhulka’s early life was marked by the discipline and mobility of a military family. Her father, Inder Kumar Jhulka, served as a Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force while her mother, Sneh Jhulka, was a costume designer. Ayesha has a sister named Aparna Jhulka. Frequent transfers due to her father’s job led the family to relocate to Delhi. In Delhi, Ayesha developed her outgoing personality. Her early exposure to films, encouraged by her grandmother’s gift of a VCD player. Ayesha’s initial foray into acting was as a child artist in the 1983 film “Kaise Kaise Log.”
Ayesha studied at Loreto Convent School, Delhi Cantt, until Class X. She graduated from Kishinchand Chellaram College, Mumbai, with a degree in Commerce in 1986. She also pursued fashion designing briefly, intending to make it a career. Ayesha’s initial foray into acting was as a child artist in the 1983 film “Kaise Kaise Log.”
Ayesha Jhulka In Films
Jhulka’s adult acting career began with Kranthi Kumar’s Telugu film Neti Siddhartha (1990) opposite Nagarjuna, Krishnam Raju and Shobana.In 1991, she made her Hindi film debut with Deepak Bahry’s Kurbaan opposite Salman Khan, a box-office success. The same year, she apeared in Rajat Das’s Bengali film “Katha Dilam,” opposite Prosenjit Chatterjee.
1992 was a pivotal year for Jhulka, with multiple releases. Her first success of the year came in Mansoor Khan’s coming-of-age sports drama Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) with Aamir Khan. As Anjali, a college student, Ayesha delivered a vibrant performance. The film’s iconic song Pehla Nasha became a youth anthem. It was a bit critical and commercial hit.
She then starred in Abbas Mastan’s suspense thriller Khiladi (1992) with Akshay Kumar. Ayesha portrayed Neelam, a college prankster, who with her friends finds herself in a sinister murder mystery. Her chemistry with Kumar and the film’s suspense made it a turning point in her career. These films established her as a leading actress of the early 1990s. These films not only cemented her place in Bollywood but also earned her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Female Debut.
Other Work
Throughout the 1990s, Jhulka showcased her versatility across over 60 films in various languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, and Telugu. Some of her notable films include “Mashooq (1992)” with Ayub Khan, “Balmaa (1993)” with Avinash Wadhavan, “Meherbaan (1993)” and “Dalaal (1993)” with Mithun Chakraborty, “Sangram (1993)” with Ajay Devgan, “Rang (1993)” with Kamal Sadanah and Divya Bharti, “Waqt Hamara Hai (1993)” with Akshay Kumar, “Ekka Raja Rani (1994),” “Jai Kishen (1994),” and “Masoom (1996).”
After a brief hiatus, Jhulka returned to the silver screen with films like “Socha Na Tha (2005),” and “Umrao Jaan (2006)” and “Genius (2018).” She debuted on OTT with Hush Hush (2022), playing Meera, a complex character in a thriller series. She also appeared in Happy Family: Conditions Apply (2023) as Pallavi Dholakia, a quirky matriarch, earning praise for her comedic timing. Ayesha participated as a wildcard contestant on Celebrity MasterChef (2024), showcasing her culinary skills.
Personal Life
Ayesha’s breakup with childhood boyfriend Rajat Mathur prompted her move to Mumbai. She was linked with her costars like Nana Patekar, Mithun Chakraborty, and Akshay Kumar, which she clarified as friendships. Ayesha was in relationship with Armaan Kohli and was about to marry him. Her engagement to Armaan Kohli ended in 1998 due to infidelity. The incident impacted her career.
Ayesha married Sameer Vashi, a construction tycoon and restaurateur, in 2003 in a private ceremony. They met through her mother in a love-cum-arranged marriage. The couple has no children, a choice Ayesha defended publicly, stating family support for her decision. They reside in Mumbai, with Ayesha managing businesses like SamRock, Anantaa, and Additions. She remains active on social media, sharing lifestyle
Ayesha Jhulka on IMDB
