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Prachi Desai (born 12 September 1988), is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films and television. Desai is a recipient of several accolades including an IIFA Award and four Indian Telly Awards, as well as two Filmfare Awards nominations.
Desai marked her acting debut with the successful television drama Kasamh Se (2006–2008). In 2007, she emerged as the winner of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 2. Following this, Desai made her film debut with Rock On!! (2008), receiving the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut nomination. Desai received the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a gangster's lover in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010). After appearing in the action comedy Bol Bachchan (2012), which remains her biggest commercial success, the romantic comedy I, Me Aur Main (2013) and the biographical sports drama Azhar (2016), she took a break from acting.
Desai returned to films in 2021 with the thriller Silence... Can You Hear It? and then expanded to web with the Telugu series Dhootha (2023). Alongside her acting career, Desai is a celebrity endorser for brands and products.
In 2007, Desai entered Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, the Indian version of BBC Strictly Come Dancing with choreographer Deepak Singh. Desai was eliminated on 10 November 2007, but entered the contest again via a wildcard entry and ultimately won the competition. Desai also appeared in two episodes of the Star Plus television series Kasauti Zindagi Ki in a cameo. She portrayed a student at Prerna's school.
Desai's career marked a significant turning point in 2010, when she appeared in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. The film saw her play Mumtaz, a character based on Mehjabin Shaikh, opposite Emraan Hashmi. It emerged a box office success and earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress. Kaveree Bamzai from India Today opined, "Prachi Desai as Shoaib's girlfriend, is suitably tremulous and pleading."
In 2012, she appeared in Teri Meri Kahaani as Radhika, opposite Shahid Kapoor. Taran Adarsh found her cameo appearance to be "sparkling". Desai then played Radhika, an educated modern girl in Bol Bachchan, opposite Abhishek Bachchan. The film proved to be Desai's biggest box office success until date. Devesh Sharma of Filmfare noted, "Prachi Desai is reduced to sisterly bits".
Desai had two releases in 2013. She first played a stylist Gauri, in I, Me Aur Main, opposite John Abraham. Nishi Tiwar of Rediff.com said that Desai went "overboard" in her portrayal of a girl-next-door. She next appeared opposite Sanjay Dutt, in Policegiri. The film received negative reviews and Sarit Ray of Hindustan Times found her role to be "irrelevant". In 2014, Desai appeared in a special number for Ek Villain, in a song named "Awari".
Post a small hiatus, Desai played former cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin's wife, Naureen in his biopic film, Azhar opposite Emraan Hashmi. The film emerged a commercial failure, but Anna MM Vetticad of Firstpost found her Naureen to be "controlled" and her heartbreak "believable". In the same year, Desai reprised Sakshi, opposite Farhan Akhtar in Rock On 2, a sequel to Rock On!!. In 2017, Desai played a robot in the short film opposite Jackky Bhagnani.
Desai then played, Dr.Ranjana, a psychiatrist in the 2022 film, Forensic. Pragati Awasthi of WION was appreciative of Desai's decent portrayal of a psychiatrist. In 2023, Desai appeared alongside Naga Chaitanya, in Dhootha , playing his PA, Amrutha. The series released in Telugu, marked her web debut. Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times noted, "Prachi get a character that is anything but run-of-the-mill, even then she sink her teeth into it and does a good job."
In 2024, Desai reprised Inspector Sanjana in , sequel to the 2021 film. Saibal Chatterjee opined, "Prachi Desai manages to make the most of the limited bandwidth accorded to her." Desai is committed to star as a lead actress in the dark fantasy movie - Kosha, which is directed by Amman Advaita and produced by Abhay Raj Kanwar.
| +Key | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| 2008 | Rock On!! | Sakshi Shroff | ||
| 2009 | Life Partner | Prachi Jadeja Patel | ||
| 2010 | Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai | Mumtaz | ||
| 2012 | Teri Meri Kahaani | Radhika Desai | ||
| Bol Bachchan | Radhika Raghuvanshi | |||
| 2013 | I, Me Aur Main | Gauri Dandekar | ||
| Policegiri | Sehar Al Ameri | |||
| 2014 | Ek Villain | Dancer | Special appearance in song "Awari" | |
| 2016 | Azhar | Naureen Azhar | ||
| Rock On 2 | Sakshi Shroff | |||
| 2017 | Pari | Short film | ||
| 2021 | Silence... Can You Hear It? | Inspector Sanjana Bhatia | ||
| 2022 | Forensic | Dr. Ranjana / Shashi Gupta | ||
| 2024 | Inspector Sanjana Bhatia | |||
| TBA | Bihu Attack | Filming | ||
| TBA | Kosha | Sonia Sawant | Delayed |
| 2006–2008 | Kasamh Se | Bani Dixit Walia / Anamika Dixit Randheria | ||
| 2007 | Kasautii Zindagii Kay | Prachi Chauhan | ||
| Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 2 | Contestant | Winner | ||
| 2010 | CID | Herself | Guest appearance | |
| 2012 | Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah | |||
| 2016 | Naagin | |||
| 2023 | Dhootha | Amrutha | Telugu language series |
| 2021 | Rihaee | Yasser Desai | Preeti |
| 2006 | Indian Telly Awards | Best Fresh New Face (Female) | Kasamh Se | ||
| Best Onscreen Couple (Shared with Ram Kapoor) | |||||
| 2007 | Best Actress in a Lead Role | ||||
| 2008 | Special Recommendation | ||||
| 2009 | Screen Awards | Most Promising Newcomer – Female | Rock On!! | ||
| Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Female | ||||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | Star Debut of the Year – Female | ||||
| Anandalok Puraskar Awards | Best Actress (Hindi) | ||||
| Filmfare Awards | Best Female Debut | ||||
| 2011 | Best Supporting Actress | Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai | |||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actress | ||||
| Producers Guild Film Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | ||||
| Screen Awards | Best Supporting Actress | ||||
| Stardust Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female | ||||
| Stardust Awards | Best Actress in an Ensemble Cast | ||||
| 2013 | Best Breakthrough Performance – Female | Bol Bachchan | |||
| 2023 | Iconic Gold Awards | Best Actress in a Negative Role – OTT | Forensic |
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