Varsha Usgaonkar

 ( 1968 Births ) 

Although she signed Gammat Jammat first, her screen debut came with Damu Kenkre's Tuzya Wachun Karamena, in which she appeared in a supporting role alongside Ashok Saraf and Alka Kubal. The song "Doli Ga Doli" was picturized on her character. Later in 1987, Gammat Jammat was released, marking her first film as a lead actress. She portrayed the spirited daughter of a wealthy businessman who, after being kidnapped, turns the situation to her advantage to rebel against her restrictive upbringing. Introduced to audiences as a “wonder girl,” Usgaonkar brought a fresh and modern image to the Marathi film heroine. The film was both a commercial and critical success, and her performance earned her the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress. Her next release was N. S. Vaidya’s drama Khatyal Sasu Nataal Soon, in which she starred opposite Nitish Bharadwaj. Usgaonkar played the title role of the soon (daughter-in-law), a strong-willed and intelligent woman who challenges her mother-in-law’s authority to assert her own place within the family. The following year, she appeared in Majjach Majja, where she took on a dual role, portraying both male and female characters. She was also seen in Reshmigathi, playing the role of a beloved daughter considered a lucky charm by her family, who defies her parents’ wishes to be with her love interest, portrayed by Ashok Shinde. Around the same time, Usgaonkar made her television debut with a brief role in Mahabharat, the iconic Doordarshan series based on the ancient Sanskrit epic. She portrayed Uttarā, the princess of Matsya and wife of Abhimanyu, whose survival after the Kurukshetra War ensured the continuation of the Pandava lineage. Interestingly, Usgaonkar first visited the set as a spectator during casting, and was offered the role by Gufi Paintal on the spot—without a screentest. The series was highly acclaimed and, over the years, achieved cult status in Indian television history.

In 1989, Usgaonkar appeared in the crime drama Bhutacha Bhau as part of a story about a ghost aiding his brother in avenging their father’s murder, followed by the comedy Saglikade Bombabomb, where she played an actress who turns a rumor about herself into reality, and the romantic drama Pasant Aahe Mulgi, portraying a modern, extroverted college girl who wins over a disinterested suitor—all of which were well received. That same year, she reunited with director N. S. Vaidya for the comedy-drama Navra Baiko, which told the story of a constantly quarreling couple whose souls are swapped by Krishna in an unexpected divine twist. However, the film went largely unnoticed. Her most notable success that year came with the romantic comedy Hamaal De Dhamaal, directed by Purushottam Berde, where she played an actress opposite Laxmikant Berde. Her performance was praised and earned her a nomination for the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress.

The year 1991 proved to be one of the most successful periods of Usgaonkar’s career, including notable recognition in Hindi film industry. She starred in the crime drama Saathi, directed by Mahesh Bhatt, opposite Aditya Pancholi and Mohsin Khan. She also appeared in the action film Hafta Bandh, opposite Jackie Shroff, where she played Marie, a village girl who falls in love with a police inspector. Both films were a surprise hit at the box office and helped establish her presence in the Hindi cinema. In Marathi, she featured in the crime-romance Aflatoon, and Mumbai Te Mauritius, a drama in which she portrayed a double role—one as a modern woman living in Mauritius and the other as a dancer in a troupe based in Mumbai. That same year, she also played the female lead in the Indo-Russian production Shikari, opposite Mithun Chakraborty. While the film attempted to appeal to international audiences, many critics noted that Usgaonkar’s role was sidelined in favor of the Russian actress. Despite expectations, the film was a commercial failure in Russia, where Indian cinema otherwise enjoyed strong popularity.

In 1992, she had five Hindi film releases, including the action film Sone Ki Lanka opposite Chunky Panday, the romantic comedy Ghar Jamai opposite Mithun, and the romantic drama Dilwale Kabhi Na Hare opposite Prithvi Vazir. She also appeared alongside Rishi Kapoor in Honeymoon, a Hindi remake of the hit Marathi film Kiss Bai Kiss (1988), which met with moderate success. However, it was the Marathi family drama Shubh Mangal Savdhan that stood out that year, emerging as one of the highest-grossing Marathi films of 1992. The year 1993 began on a high note with the Hindi blockbuster Tirangaa, an action drama co-starring Raaj Kumar and Nana Patekar, in which Usgaonkar played the love interest of Patekar’s character. The film, centered around preventing a nuclear terrorist attack on India, became one of the top-grossing Hindi films of the year. She also acted alongside Rajinikanth in Insaniyat Ke Devta and with Naseeruddin Shah in Hasti.

While her success in Hindi cinema remained inconsistent, she continued to deliver acclaimed performances in Marathi films. That year, she played a glamorous film star in Ek Hota Vidushak, directed by Jabbar Patel and written by veteran playwright P. L. Deshpande. Her character encourages Aburao (played by Laxmikant Berde), a talented folk performer, to enter the film industry and later marries him for her own motives. The film, one of the rare Marathi productions exploring the lives of folk artists, was screened at the International Film Festival of India and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi (1992), along with five Maharashtra State Film Awards, including a Best Actress nomination for Usgaonkar. Despite the critical acclaim, the film was a commercial failure. She next starred in Lapandav, the directorial debut of Shrabani Deodhar, where she played the daughter of Ashok Saraf, a notable casting choice, as the two had previously been paired as romantic leads. The film, a satirical family drama, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi (1993). Usgaonkar also took on a supporting role in Savat Mazi Ladki, by Smita Talwalkar, where she played the girlfriend of a married man (Mohan Joshi), whose wife (Neena Kulkarni) responds with unexpected kindness and affection. The film was a major box-office success and earned Usgaonkar the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Additionally, she made a appearance in Saawan Kumar Tak’s Khal-Naaikaa, in which she was notably seen smoking a cigarette on screen, an uncommon portrayal for mainstream actresses at the time. The following year was relatively less successful for Usgaonkar in terms of film roles, but she gained visibility on television with her brief but memorable appearance as Roopmati Nagrani in the fantasy series Chandrakanta, based on Devaki Nandan Khatri’s 1888 novel of the same name.

With the start of the new century, Usgaonkar remained active in both films and television. In 2000, she portrayed Goddess Mohini, the female avatar of Vishnu, in Vishnu Puran, marking her third collaboration with Ravi Chopra, and also played the lead in Alvida Darling, directed by Anant Mahadevan, a light-hearted series about a divorcing couple growing unexpectedly close. She later appeared in an episode of Zee TV’s anthology series Kabhie Kabhie (2003) and began portraying maternal roles, such as in Zee Marathi’s Tuzyavina, alongside Urmilla Kothare and Yatin Karyekar. In Jaane Pehchaane Se... Ye Ajnabbi, she played Kamini, a manipulative antagonist who murders her son and daughter-in-law and attempts to kill their relative to seize the family wealth. In films, Usgaonkar was paired with younger actors such as Bharat Jadhav and Ankush Chaudhari; with Chaudhari, she played a rich college girl turned entrepreneur in Sakshatkar. She starred opposite Laxmikant Berde for the last time in Tuzyacha Sathi, portraying a woman who conspires with her lover to murder her husband. That same year, her final Hindi film in a leading role, opposite Akshay Kumar, was released after being delayed since 1992. In 2005, she appeared in comedy Sawaal Majha Premacha, a tale of a mother and daughter, both accomplished dancers, who captivate a father and son, alongside Ajinkya Deo, Ashok Saraf, and Madhu Kambikar. She also took on character roles in Hindi films, notably as Rani Laxmibai in , and as a principled mother who supports her daughter’s ambitions, unaware of the sacrifices her daughter makes in Jigyaasa.

Her Rajasthani film debut came in 2016 with Kangana, for which she earned a Best Supporting Performance nomination at the Rajasthan Film Festival. That same year, she appeared in Ardhangini Ek Ardhsatya, based on Rabindranath Tagore’s 1916 novel The Home and the World, portraying a widow who resents her sister-in-law's growing affection for a houseguest and contributes to household tension. However, the film was panned by critics. Usgaonkar made her Konkani film debut with Zanvoy No.1 in 2018, which received an overwhelming response upon release and set a record in Mangalorean cinema as the first Konkani film to be screened simultaneously at 13 theatres across the region. A year later, she reunited with the Zanvoy No.1 team for the Konkani film Benddkar, which also received a positive response from audiences and critics alike. After a decade, she reunited with Kothare Vision for the successful series Sukh Mhanje Nakki Kay Asta!, portraying a loving and resilient matriarch who selflessly endures immense loss and remains the emotional anchor of the family across generations. She exited the series in 2024 and went on to participate in the reality television show Bigg Boss Marathi 5, where she finished in 7th place.

In 2022, she took on a darker role as Bagi Begum, a princess of the Adil Shahi Dynasty of Bijapur, in Digpal Lanjekar’s historical action film Sher Shivraj. After 36 years, she and longtime collaborator Prashant Damle teamed up once again for the stage play Sarkha Kahitari Hotay, a comedy that explores the humorous yet relatable challenges families face due to generational differences and received critical acclaim.

Continuing her artistic exploration, Usgaonkar made her tiatr debut in 2025 with Devachem Nanv, Jietam Hanv, a production that touches on themes of family, marriage, land, and mental health. She portrayed a modern mother and mother-in-law who values family unity and also showcased her talents in singing and dancing, with her performance receiving much appreciation from the audience.

Initially, Usgaonkar was not ready for marriage. However, when she eventually began considering it after encouragement from actress Tanuja, her parents expressed a desire for her to marry into a family with an artistic background. In March 2000, she entered into an arranged marriage with Ajay Sharma, the son of Padma Shri awardee and renowned music director Ravi Shankar Sharma. Usgaonkar later admitted that she was hesitant about the match at the time, as she had envisioned a love marriage and felt that Ajay did not align with her earlier expectations. Interestingly, Ajay and Usgaonkar had first met nearly a decade earlier, when she was performing in a Lavani production for the British television channel Channel 4, which was produced by Ajay.

Tensions within the family surfaced publicly in 2010, when her father-in-law, Ravi, filed a complaint against Usgaonkar and Ajay, alleging mental harassment and claiming he had been barred from entering the first floor of his own residence. A few years later, in 2013, she became involved in a legal dispute with her sisters-in-law, Chhaya Ojha and Veena Upadhyaya, regarding the ownership of their late father’s bungalow in Santacruz, Mumbai. After Ravi’s passing, the sisters accused Usgaonkar and her husband of harassment and unauthorized occupation of the property. The matter escalated to police complaints and eventually reached the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in 2018. The court facilitated a settlement, dividing the property among the family members and ordering the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent further conflicts.

Her father, A. K. S. Usgaonkar, passed away on 16 June 2020 after a prolonged illness at Goa Medical College in Bambolim. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown in India at the time, she was unable to attend his funeral.

In the mid-1990s, she performed over a thousand stage shows titled Varsha Usgaonkar Nights, and in 2008, released a Konkani music album Roop Tujem Laita Pixem, featuring five songs sung by her in collaboration with noted singer Ulhas Buyao. In March 2015, she walked the ramp alongside hotelier Timmy Narang at the 10th Annual Caring with Style fashion event held in Mumbai, an initiative supporting cancer patients through the NGO Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA). In 2016, Usgaonkar contested and won the first-ever Indian Marathi Film Corporation election from the actors’ group, securing a position on the board of directors.

• Mahapur
• Ek Hoti Vaghinn
• Andhar Mazha Sobti
• Baki Itihaas
• Ashroonchi Zhali Phule
• Karti Premmat Padali
• Brahmachari (1982)
• Piano For Sale (2018)
• Sarkha Kahitari Hotay (2022)
• Devachem Nanv, Jietam Hanv (2025)

• 1987 – Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress for Gammat Jammat.
• 1989 – Nominated, Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress for Hamaal De Dhamaal.
• 1992 – Nominated, Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress for Ek Hota Vidushak.
• 1993 – Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Savat Mazi Ladki.
• 1998 – Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress for Paij Lagnachi.
• 1998 – Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Paij Lagnachi.
• 2000 – Nominated, Screen Awards Best Actress (Marathi) For Film Tuch Majhi Suhasini.
• 2016 – Krutadnyata Awards for Contribution in Marathi Cinema
• 2024 – Sakal Premier Awards for Contributions in Cinema
• 2024 – BIG Marathi Entertainment Awards for Evergreen Performer