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Actresses

Neena Kulkarni (Actress) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth15 August 1955

Age69 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplacePune, Maharashtra

ProfessionActor, Producer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidowed

SpouseDilip Kulkarni (d. 2002)

FamilySon - Divij Kulkarni; Daughter - Sohaa Kulkarni

Neena Kulkarni (Actress) Biography

Seasoned Indian actor and producer Neena Kulkarni has built a long career across theatre, film and television. Born in Pune in 1955, she is known for a mix

Early life and background
Neena Kulkarni was born on 15 August 1955 in Pune, Maharashtra. Raised in an upper‑middle‑class family, she completed her schooling at Canossa High School in Mahim, Mumbai, and went on to graduate in the arts from Elphinstone College. During her university years she studied French as a major subject. Outside of her professional life she enjoys reading and listening to music.

Career
Neena Kulkarni’s early exposure to theatre shaped the course of her career. She met theatre director Satyadev Dubey in 1970 and received initial acting training under him before moving into a steady stream of stage work. In 1978 she was chosen by director Vijaya Mehta for a role in the Marathi play Hamidabai Chi Kothi, and she went on to perform in acclaimed productions including Adhe Adhure, Mayavi Sarovar, Educating Rita and Mahatma Versus Gandhi, among others.

Her screen debut in Hindi cinema came with Mirch Masala (1987). Kulkarni expanded her filmography with roles in Marathi cinema and international projects: Hach Sunbaicha Bhau (1992) was an early Marathi film role, while later appearances included The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) in English and A Wedding (Noces) (2016) in French. Her body of work in Hindi films includes titles such as Daayraa (1996), Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), Hungama (2003), Paheli (2005) and Guru (2007). On the Marathi front she has been seen in Pachhadlela (2004), Sarivar Sari (2005), Shevri (2006), Gandha (2009) and Kulkarni Chaukatla Deshpande (2019).

Kulkarni has also been a familiar face on television. She has appeared in serials including Saarrthi (2004), Baa Bahoo Aur Baby (2005), Kayamath (2007) and gained wide recognition for her role as Madhvi Vishwanathan Iyer in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein (2013) on Star Plus.

Producer and other projects
Beyond acting, Neena Kulkarni founded Upstage Film Company and produced the Marathi feature Shevri (2006). The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi in 2007. She has worked in advertising as a model early in her career and has appeared in television commercials for brands such as Kalnirnay, Bisleri, Sprite, Mother Dairy, Cadbury and Life Insurance Corporation. In 2020 she appeared in the Hindi short film Devi alongside several well‑known actors.

Public profile
Neena Kulkarni is recognized for a long and versatile career across stage and screen. She has received multiple awards for her theatre and film work. Physically, she is listed at about 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) with dark brown eyes and salt‑and‑pepper hair. Her public interests include pets, and she has spoken about spending leisure time with her dogs. She also wrote a column titled Antarang for the Marathi newspaper Loksatta for nearly three years.

Personal life
Kulkarni married actor Dilip Kulkarni on 25 October 1980. The couple had two children: a son, Divij Kulkarni, who works in advertising, and a daughter, Sohaa Kulkarni, who is a producer. Dilip Kulkarni passed away in December 2002. Neena Kulkarni follows a non‑vegetarian diet and has several tattoos, including an Om on her left hand.

Latest updates
In 2020 she continued to appear in screen projects such as the short film Devi. In October 2024 false reports about her death circulated; she publicly refuted those claims.

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This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Neena Kulkarni (Actress), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Devi

Hindi short film (appeared alongside Kajol, Shruti Haasan and Neha Dhupia)

2020
Kulkarni Chaukatla Deshpande

Marathi film appearance

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Debut in Hindi film Mirch Masala (1987)
  2. Founder and producer of the Marathi film Shevri (2006), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi (2007)
  3. Notable TV role as Madhvi Vishwanathan Iyer in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein (2013)
  4. Extensive theatre work and training under Satyadev Dubey
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Neena Kulkarni (Actress) born?

Neena Kulkarni (Actress) was born on 15 August 1955.

What is Neena Kulkarni (Actress) known for?

Neena Kulkarni (Actress) is known for actor, Producer.

What is Neena Kulkarni (Actress)’s marital status?

Neena Kulkarni (Actress)'s marital status is listed as Widowed.

Who is Neena Kulkarni (Actress) married to?

Neena Kulkarni (Actress) is publicly listed as married to Dilip Kulkarni (d. 2002).