Meenakshi Seshadri (; born 16 November 1963) is a former Indian actress, model and dancer who worked primarily in Hindi films, with a few films in Telugu and Tamil. She made her debut with the film Painter Babu (1983) produced by Manoj Kumar. However, it was her second film Hero (1983) which catapulted her to instant stardom. In a career spanning a decade, she established herself as one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses of her time. Prior to her acting career, Seshadri won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at the age of 17. She became one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses in the 1980s and 1990s, and was acknowledged for several of her performances, her beauty, and her accomplished dancing. She was noted for her performances in films including Hero (1983), Aandhi-Toofan (1985), Meri Jung (1985), Swati (1986), Dilwaala (1986), Dacait (1987), Inaam Dus Hazaar (1987), Parivaar (1987), Shahenshah (1988), Mahaadev (1989), Awaargi (1990), Jurm (1990), Ghayal (1990), Ghar Ho To Aisa (1990), Damini (1993), Duet (1994) and Ghatak (1996). She received particular critical acclaim for Swati (1986), Dahleez (1986), Satyamev Jayate (1987), Awaargi (1990) and Damini (1993). She also performed at the Khajuraho Dance Festival in the 1990s. After the release of her film Ghatak, she left the film industry to raise her children in the United States with her husband, where she runs the Cherish Dance School. A documentary was made about her life, titled Meenakshi Accept Her Wings. Early life Meenakshi Seshadri was born on 16 November 1963 as Shashikala Seshadri in a Tamil Brahmin family in Sindri, Bihar (now in Jharkhand). She trained in four Indian classical dance forms, Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Odissi, under Vempati Chinna Satyam and Jaya Rama Rao. She won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest in 1981 at the age of 17 and represented India at the Miss International 1981 in Tokyo, Japan. Career Debut and early success (1983–1985) After a forgettable debut in Painter Babu, Meenakshi acted alongside another newcomer, Jackie Shroff, in Hero. The film was a blockbuster and Meenakshi became an overnight star. Immediately after the success of Hero, she got an offer to star with superstar Rajesh Khanna. She appeared with Khanna in Awara Baap in a double role, but the film underperformed. She then appeared in several commercially unsuccessful films, including Love Marriage, Paisa Ye Paisa, and Lover Boy. Her