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Nivedita Saraf ( Joshi; born 11 April 1963) is an Indian film, television and theatre actress known for her work primarily in Marathi, as well as in Hindi films. She has established herself as a prominent figure in Marathi cinema and television, widely recognised for her versatile performances and impactful contribution to the industry.
Saraf began her acting career at the age of 10 on stage and made her film debut as a child actor in the Hindi film Apnapan (1977). She gained recognition in Marathi cinema with her first leading role in Navri Mile Navryala (1984), alongside her future husband, Ashok Saraf. Her subsequent films, including Dhum Dhadaka (1985), Kashasathi Premasathi (1987), and Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988), established her name as the industry's leading actress. Her performances in De Danadan (1987), Thartharat (1989), and Pheka Pheki (1989) proved her comedic timing and contributed to the success of Marathi films in the 1980s.
Saraf also appeared in Hindi films such as Narsimha (1991) and King Uncle (1993). Her role in Majha Chakula (1994), portraying a mother whose son is kidnapped, earned critical acclaim and marked her last major film before a hiatus. She returned to acting in the Marathi serial Bandhan (2006) and later made a comeback to films with Aata Ga Baya (2011) and Deool Band (2015).
In recent years, Saraf has gained popularity for her television roles, including Asawari in the hit Marathi serials Aggabai Sasubai (2019–2021) and its spin-off Aggabai Sunbai. She also portrayed Ratnamala Mohite in Bhagya Dile Tu Mala (2022–2024) and currently stars as Shubha Killedar in Aai Ani Baba Retire Hot Aahet.
In 1984, Joshi landed her first leading role in the Marathi family drama film Navri Mile Navryala, directed by Sachin Pilgaonkar, where she acted for the first time alongside her future husband Ashok Saraf as a sister. The film was a huge commercial success. The same year, she also acted in Gharcha Bhedi.
In 1985, she was seen in brief roles in the films: Ardhangi, Paisa Yeh Paisa, and Uske Baad. Her leading role of the year was Mahesh Kothare's directorial debut, Dhum Dhadaka. It starred Kothare, Ashok, Laxmikant Berde, and Prema Kiran. The film was a remake of the 1964 Tamil film Kadhalikka Neramillai. After its release, it became a box office hit and was a trendsetter, which brought young audiences to recognise the Marathi style of movie-making.
Next, she played a college going girl in Kashasathi Premasathi (1987), opposite Ajinkya Deo. The song Bhannat Ranwara from the film was a chartbuster. Her biggest hit of 1987 was Kothare's action comedy De Danadan, which was inspired by the 1980 Hollywood film Super Fuzz.
In 1988, she once again collaborated with Pilgaonkar for the comedy drama film Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi. Joshi played love interest from Miraj of Shantanu (played by Siddharth Ray), along with an ensemble cast of Pilgaonkar, Ashok, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Berde, Ashwini Bhave, and Priya Berde. The film was a major box office success for Marathi films in the 1980s and achieved cult classic status among Marathi audiences. Next, she starred in Marathi romantic dramas Kiss Bai Kiss and Gholat Ghol, both featuring Bhave and Berde, which were hits at the box office. The former was based on love triangle, which was also remade in Hindi as Honeymoon (1992). Her final film of that year was Mamla Porincha, a remake of the American film 9 to 5 (1980) about a womanising boss who has a bad eye on his female employees, fed up with him, they decide to teach him a lesson.
In 1989, Joshi played the main lead role of a journalist of the daily newspaper Apradh who falls in love with a CID Inspector (portrayed by Kothare) in his directorial action comedy Thartharat. The film was huge box-office success of that year. Her next releases were the comedy dramas Balache Baap Brahmachari, De Dhadak Be Dhadak and Pheka Pheki. The lattermost was remade in Hindi as Golmaal Returns (2008).
In 1990, she played a supporting role in the crime drama Aamchyasarkhe Aamhich. Next, she starred in the drama film Tuzhi Mazhi Jamli Jodi, which revolves around two girl-friends whose marriage gets fixed at the same time, and one has to go through troubles due to which their friendship is effected. The next releases were Dhamal Bablya Ganpyachi and Changu Mangu. All four films featured her husband, Ashok.
Following these years, she was also part of the Hindi films Narsimha (1991) and King Uncle (1993). After a two-years gap from Marathi films, she starred in Tu Sukhkarta (1993), where she portrayed a woman who has devoted her life to spirituality and intends not to get married.
In 1994, she played the mother of a young boy who is kidnapped by robbers in Kothare's drama film Majha Chakula. Her performance and the film were critically and commercially successful. This film also marked Joshi and Kothare's fourth and last collaboration together. Majha Chakula was the last film she shot before her maternity break, but Dhamaal Jodi (1995) was released later.
Joshi's only appearance during her break was in the 2006 Marathi serial Bandhan, which aired on Zee Marathi. She made her comeback to films after 15 years, with the 2011 film Aata Ga Baya, in which she was seen in a negative role. Her last feature in the film was Deool Band.
Joshi has played Asawari in the Marathi-language serial Aggabai Sasubai on Zee Marathi from 2019 to 2021, a role she reprised in the spin-off Aggabai Sunbai. She played a role in Colors Marathi Bhagya Dile Tu Mala from 2022 to 2024 as Ratnamala Mohite. Currently, she is playing the role of Shubha Killedar in Star Pravah Aai Ani Baba Retire Hot Aahet.
| 1977 | Apnapan | Beggar | Hindi cinema | Child actor | |
| 1978 | Jalan | Nivedita | Hindi | Child Artist | |
| 1980 | Parivartan | Hindi | Child Artist | ||
| 1984 | Navri Mile Navryala | Kaladevi Inamdar | Marathi language | First Lead Role | |
| Gharcha Bhedi | Aarti Joshi | Marathi | |||
| 1985 | Dhum Dhadaka | Gauri Wakade | Marathi | ||
| Paisa Yeh Paisa | Rekha | Hindi | |||
| Ardhangi | Hindi | ||||
| Uske Baad | Hindi | ||||
| 1986 | Naval Katha | Marathi | |||
| Tu Saubhagyavati Ho | Marathi | ||||
| 1987 | Naam O Nishan | Chutki Singh | Hindi | ||
| Marte Dam Tak | Rajni Mathur | Hindi | |||
| Kashasathi Premasathi | Tanuja Sardeshmukh (Tanu) | Marathi | |||
| Irasaal Karti | Chameli | Marathi | |||
| De Danadan | Gauri Dhoipode | Marathi | |||
| 1988 | Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi | Sushma | Marathi | ||
| Ghar Mein Ram Gali Mein Shyam | Kamla | Hindi | |||
| Kiss Bai Kiss | Archana | Marathi | |||
| Pyaar Mohabbat | Hindi | ||||
| Mere Baad | Hindi | ||||
| Sarvashrestha | Madhuri | Hindi | |||
| Gholat Ghol | Kavita | Marathi | |||
| Mamla Porincha | Nanda | Marathi | |||
| Afsar | Hindi | ||||
| 1989 | Thartharat | Uma Desai | Marathi | ||
| Balache Baap Brahmachari | Meenakshi Aasankar | Marathi | |||
| Jaaydaad | Rajesh's sister | Hindi | |||
| Pheka Pheki | Rekha Phadke | Marathi | |||
| De Dhadak Be Dhadak | Mona | Marathi | |||
| 1990 | Tuzhi Mazhi Jamli Jodi | Priya | Marathi | ||
| Dhamal Bablya Ganpyachi | Manisha | Marathi | |||
| Lapwa Chhapwi | Radha Krishna | Marathi | |||
| Amchyasarkhe Aamhich | Champa Joshi | Marathi | |||
| Changu Mangu | Sheela Khatle | Marathi | |||
| 1991 | Narsimha | Seema | Hindi | ||
| 1992 | Naseebwaala | Sheela | Hindi | ||
| 1993 | King Uncle | Sunita | Hindi | ||
| Tu Sukhakarta | Varsha | Marathi | |||
| 1994 | Majha Chakula | Yashoda | Marathi | Nominated Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Marathi | |
| 1995 | Dhamaal Jodi | Neha | Marathi | ||
| 1996 | Balgobin Bhagat | Marathi | |||
| 1999 | Sar Ankhon Par | Radha | Hindi | ||
| 2008 | Mohini | Lavani Dancer | Marathi | Cameo appearance in the Song "Aaicha Sangava Aala Re" | |
| 2011 | Aata Ga Baya | Manee's stepmother | Marathi | ||
| 2013 | We Are On! Houn Jau Dya | Age housing society member | Marathi | ||
| 2015 | Deool Band | Raghav's mother | Marathi | ||
| 2025 | Sangeet Manapmaan | Rani Sarkar VijayLaxmi | Marathi | ||
| Fussclass Dabhade | Sulochana Dabhade | Marathi |
| 1984 | Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi | Raja's wife | Hindi | Television debut | |
| 1990 | Bhikaji Rao Karodpati | Bhikaji's wife | Marathi | ||
| 2000 | Don't Worry Ho Jayega | Hindi | As producer | ||
| 2006-2007 | Bandhan | Padmini | Marathi | Lead role | |
| 2010-2012 | Sapno Se Bhare Naina | Naina's mother | Hindi | ||
| 2015 | Phir Bhi Na Maane...Badtameez Dil | Suman Purohit | Hindi | ||
| 2016-2017 | Duheri | Dushyant's mother | Marathi | ||
| 2019 | Kesari Nandan | Bhakti Singh (Dadi Sa) | Hindi | ||
| 2019-2021 | Aggabai Sasubai | Asavari Kulkarni / Asavari Raje | Marathi | ||
| 2021 | Aggabai Sunbai | Asavari Raje | Marathi | ||
| 2022–2024 | Bhagya Dile Tu Mala | Ratnamala Mohite | Marathi | ||
| 2024–present | Aai Ani Baba Retire Hot Aahet | Shubhangi "Shubha" Killedar | Marathi |
| 2022 | Athanga | Aau | Marathi | |
| 2023 | Duranga | Gayatri Jaykar | Hindi |
| 2019 | Zee Marathi Utsav Natyancha Awards 2019 | Best Mother | Aggabai Sasubai | |
| Best Mother-in-law | ||||
| Best Daughter-in-law | ||||
| Best Couple (Abhijeet-Asavari) | ||||
| 2021 | Zee Marathi Utsav Natyancha Awards 2020-21 | Best Mother-in-law | ||
| 2023 | Colors Marathi Award 2023 | Best Mother | Bhagya Dile Tu Mala | |
| Navarashtra Planet Marathi Film and OTT Award 2023 | Best Supporting Actress - OTT division | Athanga | ||
| 2025 | Star Pravah Parivar Puraskar 2025 | Best Mother | Aai Aani Baba Retire Hot Aahet | |
| Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar 2025 | Lifetime Achievement Award |
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