Remember Roopa Ganguly who played 'Draupadi' in Mahabharata? Worked with Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, 34 years later she is now...
Roopa Ganguly from BR Chopra's Mahabharata (screengrab)
Television, TV shows, films, were a luxury in the days of yore. Not everyone had a TV set, maybe 1 in 5 families in the colony owned a personal TV where neighbours would gather maybe on a weekend to watch a movie etc. That was the hype. In addition to it, there weren't alot of option either. Not so many channels or shows. Hence, few shows that aired on DD became the talk of the town and one of them was BR Chopra's 'Mahabharata'. This show still holds a special place in hearts of several Indians. The actors and characters are still reminisced with touch of that nostalgia. Do you remember the actress who essayed the character of 'Draupadi'? Well, today she boasts of working with some of the contemporary stars.
Roopa Ganguly rose to fame with her character in the Indian mythological epic. Ganguly first stepped into the acting field with a Hindi telefilm 'Nirupama' in 1986 that was based on a Bengali short story written by Rabindranath Tagore. Slow and steady she carved a niche for herself. She worked in different shows and movies too and became pan-Indian face after her character of Draupadi. Roopa Ganguly Was Not First Choice For Mahabharata
Not many people know that Roopa Ganguly was not the first choice for Draupadi. BR Chopra was impressed by her work and decided to offer her the role after actress Juhi Chawla declined the role. Ganguly was hailed for her performance in the show. Despite the success and fame, her career in Hindi films was not as great but she did a few films even in south cinema. Late, she also joined politics and became a member of Bhartiya Janta Part in 2015. She was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha when former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned.
Personal Life
Roopa Ganguly had married Dhrub Mukherjee in 19992 and welcomed a baby boy later. However, the relationship witnessed the test of time and crumbled under it. After 15 year of marriage they decided to part ways. Later, the 'Sachch Ka Samna' actress was allegedly in a relationship with singer Dibyendu, who was 13 years younger than her. But, reportedly, it culminated in separation which affected her mental health gravely. In old interviews she had accepted of trying to attempt suicide.
She worked in popular Hindi shows such as Kanoon (1993), Chandrakanta (1994), Love Story, Karam Apnaa Apnaa (2007), and Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo (2009). The star also made her Bollywood debut in the 1985 film Saheb , opposite Anil Kapoor. She has also worked in blockbuster 'Barfi' along with Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. she essayed the character of Illena D'Cruz's mother. Almost 35 years after Mahabharata aired, Roopa Ganguly exudes a charm and grace in her own right!
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