Asha Parekh Biography: Wikipedia, Parents, Age, Children, Height, Husband, Siblings, Net Worth, Movies

Asha Parekh is a legendary Indian actress, film director, and producer who reigned as one of Hindi cinema’s top female stars from the late 1950s through the 1970s.

Widely known as the “Jubilee Girl” for her remarkable string of box-office successes, she defined the glamorous yet talented heroine of her era.

Parekh is celebrated for iconic films such as Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Teesri Manzil (1966), Kati Patang (1970), and Caravan (1971), and her legacy was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and India’s highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2020.

Asha Parekh
Wiki Facts & About Data
Name: Asha Parekh
Born: October 2, 1942 (age 83 years old)
Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality: Indian
Ethnicity: Mixed
Height: 1.61 m
Parents: Bachubhai Parekh, Sudha Parekh
Occupation: Actress, film director, producer
Net Worth: $10 million

Early Life and Education

Asha Parekh was born on October 2, 1942, into a middle-class family in Mumbai.

Her father, Bachubhai Parekh, was a Jain from Gujarat, while her mother, Sudha, came from a Bohra Muslim background. Raised as an only child, she became the centre of her parents’ lives. Recognising her natural flair for performance, her mother enrolled her in Kathak dance classes at a young age.

She attended local schools in Mumbai, balancing her academics with an early passion for the performing arts.

Career

Asha Parekh began her career as a child artist under the screen name “Baby Asha Parekh” with Aasmaan (1952), and then in Bimal Roy’s Baap Beti (1954).

However, after the latter’s failure, she left the film industry to focus on her schooling. At sixteen, she decided to try again, only to be rejected by director Vijay Bhatt, who claimed she was not “star material.”

Undeterred, she was immediately cast by producer S. Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain as the lead in Dil Deke Dekho (1959) opposite Shammi Kapoor, which made her an overnight sensation.

Her early years were marked by a struggle to be seen as more than a glamorous dancer, but she persisted, forming a fruitful, long-term professional (and personal) bond with Nasir Hussain.

She went on to dominate the 1960s and early 70s with a record number of hits, earning the title “Jubilee Girl“.

Her collaboration with Raj Khosla in Do Badan (1966) helped her shed the “glamour girl” label and become a respected actor. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her poignant performance in Kati Patang (1970).

Beyond acting, Parekh became the first female chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), serving from 1998 to 2001. She later directed successful television serials like Kora Kagaz (1990s).

Her impact on Indian cinema has been immense, influencing generations with her dancing prowess, business acumen, and dignified career longevity.

Awards and Nominations

  • Gujarat State Award for Best Actress (Akhand Saubhagyavati, 1963)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Kati Patang, 1971)
  • Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2002)
  • Padma Shri (1992)
  • Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2020)
  • Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Chirag, 1969)
  • Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress (Udhar Ka Sindur, 1976)
  • Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress (Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, 1978)

Social Media

  • Instagram Handle: @asha_parekh_official

Personal Life

Asha Parekh, 83 years old and standing 1.61 m tall, has never married.

In her 2017 autobiography The Hit Girl, she confirmed that her long-time collaborator, director Nasir Hussain, was the “only one and true love of my life“.

The relationship lasted several decades, but because Hussain was already married with children, the couple chose not to marry to avoid wreaking havoc on their families; the romance eventually ended, though she remained close to the Hussain family. She has no children.

A trained classical dancer, Parekh now devotes her time to her dance academy, Kara Bhavan, as well as to charitable causes and to managing a hospital named after her in Santa Cruz, Mumbai.

Net Worth

Asha Parekh has an estimated net worth of around $10 million USD.

Her primary sources of income historically included acting salaries from over 85 films, distribution deals (notably a 21-year partnership with Nasir Hussain on his films), directing and producing television serials, and, later, brand endorsements.

Filmography

  • · Maa (1952 – as child artist)
  • Baap Beti (1954 – as child artist)
  • · Dil Deke Dekho (1959)
  • · Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)
  • · Akhand Saubhagyavati (Gujarati, 1963)
  • Ziddi (1964)
  • · Mere Sanam (1965)
  • Teesri Manzil (1966)
  • Love in Tokyo (1966)
  • · Do Badan (1966)
  • · Upkar (1967)
  • · Chirag (1969)
  • · Kati Patang (1970)
  • · Caravan (1971)
  • · Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971)
  • Samadhi (1972)
  • · Heera (1973)
  • · Udhar Ka Sindur (1976)
  • · Kulvadhu (Gujarati, 1977)
  • · Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978)
  • · Kaalia (1981)
  • · Hathyar (1989)
  • · Kora Kagaz (TV Series, 1990s – as director)
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