Sapna Bhavnani

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Sapna Bhavnani
Sapna Bhavnani in 2015
Born
Occupation(s)Actress, Hairstylist
Years active2003–present
Known forBigg Boss 6

Sapna Bhavnani is an Indian actress and hairstylist.

Early life[edit]

Sapna Bhavnani was born in Mumbai and raised in Bandra where she completed high school. She had a reputation as a good student and was tomboyish in her childhood. She rode to school on a motorcycle and liked to pull pranks. Her father, who was a businessman, died when she was 18.[1]

Following her father's death, her family started facing financial difficulties. Bhavnani then decided to drop out of her college in Mumbai[1] and move to the United States. Her Indian-American aunt helped her with her immigration to Chicago in 1989.[2] In Chicago, Bhavnani initially worked as a waitress before enrolling herself as a student at a business school. She graduated with a double major in Marketing and Communication and a minor in Public Speaking from Chicago's Barat College.[3] Bhavnani also experimented with fashion design. She then developed an interest in hairdressing and took it up as a profession.[4] In 2002,[3] Bhavnani visited India after six years and happened to reconnect with an old boyfriend[4] and decided to move back to India.[3]

Career[edit]

Hairstyling[edit]

After struggling to establish herself in Mumbai, Bhavnani initially did job as a hairdresser for a salon called "Juice"[5] and also started working as a Bollywood stylist.[4] She also began writing as a columnist for the newspaper Mumbai Mirror for three years before moving on to another called MiD DAY.[4] In 2004, she opened her first hair salon called Mad-O-Wot in Mumbai, with a team of five people.[5] In 2011, Bhavnani started her second salon in Andheri, Mumbai.[6][7]

Bhavnani has worked with celebrity clients from a range of fields across entertainment, sports, politics and business. Her clients include Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Bipasha Basu, Hrithik Roshan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, John Abraham, Siddharth Mallya, Mandira Bedi, Dino Morea and Gauri Khan.[1] In 2011, she worked with the actor Ranveer Singh for the film Ladies vs Ricky Bahl.[8]

Acting and production[edit]

Bhavnani set up a production company called Mad-O-Wot Productions in June 2010,[9] aimed at making music videos, commercials, and short films.[9][10] In July 2010, Bhavnani worked on Project Unite, which attempted to re-record the Indian national anthem with a music video featuring common Indian people on the streets. Bhavnani was one of the nine people who gave vocals to the track, along with Raghu Ram, Sugandha Garg and Avani Shah among others from the field of entertainment and hairstyling industry.[11] The video was released on 15 August 2010, India's Independence Day.[12]

In October 2010, her production house released a music video called raat, with a Mumbai-based band named Airport. Bhavnani also acted in the video.[1][3][13][14] Mad-O-Wot productions' next project was the music video/film called Snare which was released in March 2011.[15] In April 2011, she released a music-based project as a promotional feature for her Mad-O-Wot brand, which she co-directed with Arijit Datta, that featured Raghu Ram and Rajiv Laxman.[16] Bhavnani next directed a music video in June 2011 for Kailash Kher's single Amber Tak Yahi Naad Goonjega.[17] The track was a dedication to Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement.[18] In May 2012, she released a dramatic musical video, Ruh, in collaboration with Arijit Datta Projects.[19] In November 2020 she appeared in a kashmiri music video 'JANAAN' under the label of zee music company.[20]

Bhavnani featured in a 2006 Hindi film Pyaar Ke Side Effects.[21] In August 2008, she did a cameo role in Ugly Aur Pagli.[22]

Reality television[edit]

Bhavnani participated in an Indian celebrity reality TV show, Bigg Boss Season 6 on the TV channel Colors in 2012.[23][24][25] Bhavnani was nominated for eviction eight times during her stay in the house. She was saved by the public vote seven times.[citation needed]

A week before the finale, Bhavnani was evicted from the show in January 2013, after spending 90 days in the Bigg Boss house and stated that winning the show was never her aim.[10][26][27][28] During her stay in the house, she gave almost every contestant a haircut and a makeover.[29][30]

Theatre[edit]

Bhavnani was part of a play titled NIRBHAYA, which premiered at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2013. It won the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award given to an outstanding Fringe production which raises awareness of human rights. It also won the Scotsman Fringe First and the Herald Angel Award for Outstanding New Play. The play is based on real-life events and gender-based violence like the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder. The play was written and directed by playwright and director Yael Farber.[31]

Fashion[edit]

In November 2011, Bhavnani created fashion line Kathorian,[32] in collaboration with fashion designer Sukriti Grover. The collection was showcased at the August 2012 Lakme Fashion Week.[33][3] The label is inspired by Victorian influences and the Indian dance form Kathakali.[3]

Notable projects[edit]

  • Bhavnani hosted a few short episodes of a comedy entertainment web show called The Speedy Gonsalez Show on her official YouTube channel in August 2009.[34] She pretended to be a wasted and promiscuous Mexican man living in India, where her guests used to give performances.[35][36]
  • In September 2009, Bhavnani authored a non-fiction self-help book titled Style-O-Wot, targeted to teen girls, in which she gives tips related to fashion, trends and style.[37] The book was published by Scholastic India and was marketed under children's books section.[38][39]
  • Bhavnani organized an art project called Kalingar at Zenzi in Bandra, Mumbai in June 2011 which was a fusion of hair, fashion, and photography, along with designer Masaba Gupta and photographer Joy Dutta.[40]
  • Bhavnani has actively endorsed PETA's cause for humane approach to animals and in July 2011 she acted in and modeled for a short promotional ad film, with the tag line "Cut hair, not frogs", to send out her message. The project was produced by PETA India.[41] She also did a commercial for PETA in January 2013. With the slogan "Ink not Mink – Be comfortable in your own skin and let animals keep theirs." She shot this advertisement in the nude.[42]

Filmography[edit]

Films[edit]

Year Film Role Notes
2006 Pyaar Ke Side Effects Nina
2008 Ugly Aur Pagli Sindhustan

Television[edit]

Year Name Role Notes Ref
2012–13 Bigg Boss 6 Contestant

Personal life[edit]

Bhavnani is known for her fashion style, tattoos and piercings, and her pixie-like cropped hair, inspired by goth and punk-rock styles.[4] She maintains that she is a tomboy at heart.[1][30] Her immediate family consists of her mother, who lives in Mumbai[1] and two brothers.[2][10] Bhavnani is fond of cats.[43]

Bhavnani has had three failed marriages in the past. She divorced her first husband, a German, after about a year of marriage, claiming that her mother-in-law was racist towards her. Her second marriage was to the Indian man for whom she relocated from the United States to India. Bhavnani had dated him in her teens. Bhavnani divulged that she became a victim of domestic violence and walked out after four months of marriage. Her third marriage was to Indian model Sameer Malhotra which also ended in a divorce within a year.[44][45]

She also used to be romantically involved with a Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Arijit Datta.[13] At a web-interview on In.com, she said that while doing the show Bigg Boss, she got attracted to an Indian model, Niketan Madhok, who was her co-contestant.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Jhaveri, Rayna (24 November 2010). "Sapna Bhavnani: The mad barber of Bandra". CNN Travel (CNN). Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Sapna Bhavnani". Lights Camera Bollywood. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f D'Souza, Kavya (27 January 2012). "Sapna Bhavnani – Hair Stylist And More!". The Glam Gang. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Lady-Boy: Sometimes Lady, Sometimes Boy". Tehelka Magazine. 6 (20). 23 May 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Actor-client Bipasha Basu is so in love with Mad O Wot salon". Mid Day. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  6. ^ Daryanani, Rashmi (10 September 2011). "Mad O Wot Relocation with Katrina Kaif!". Miss Malini – Bollywood & the Bombay party circuit unplugged. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Katrina Kaif Launches @MadOWot for @sapnabhavnani". missmalinivideos (on YouTube). 10 September 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Ranveer Singh's new look". The Times of India. TNN. 1 December 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Mad O Wot Productions launched by Sapna Bhavnani". PRLog (Press Release). 27 June 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d "Sana, Rajev and Delnaaz are BORING!: Sapna". Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  11. ^ Sharma, Aditi (4 August 2010). "We are proud Indians". Mid Day. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  12. ^ "We are proud Indians". Mid Day on YouTube. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  13. ^ a b Rao, Grishma. "Making The Video: Airport". NH7/OML Digital. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  14. ^ "Raat by Airport". Uploaded by Sapna Bhavnani on YouTube. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  15. ^ "Snare". Sapna Bhavnani (on YouTube). Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  16. ^ "You're Mad O Wot?? Featuring Raghu Ram and Rajiv Laxman as 2 Strugglers!". Sapna Bhavnani (on YouTube). Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  17. ^ "Kailash Kher for Anna Hazare "ambar tak yahi naad goonjega"". Sapna Bhavnani (on YouTube). 18 June 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  18. ^ Dhingra, Deepali (29 August 2011). "All for a good cause". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  19. ^ "RUH". Sapna Bhavnani (on YouTube). 22 May 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  20. ^ "Janaan - Official Music Video | Sapna Moti Bhavnani | Noor Mohammad | Irfaan Bukhari | Danish Renzu" – via www.youtube.com.
  21. ^ Adarsh, Taran (15 September 2006). "Pyaar Ke..., Shiva, Bas Ek Pal". The Indian Express/Expressindia.com. IndiaFM News Bureau. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  22. ^ Dasgupta, Piali (6 August 2008). "Ugly Aur Pagli". The Times of India. TNN. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  23. ^ "Sapna-Bhavnani-abuses-Salman-Khan". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012.
  24. ^ "Sapna Bhavnani's challenge sent Salman Khan for cover!". Pardaphash.com. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  25. ^ 12.10 PM IST 11.04.2012 (4 November 2012). "Bigg Boss 6: Salman Khan finds out what makes Aseem Trivedi so benevolent! – Bollywood News & Gossip, Movie Reviews, Trailers & Videos at". Bollywoodlife.com. Retrieved 5 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Tiwari, Vijaya (5 January 2013). "Sana is playing Pati, Patni aur Woh game in Bigg Boss: Sapna". The Times of India. TNN. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  27. ^ "'Bigg Boss 6': Salman is not God, says Sapna Bhavnani post eviction". Zee News Limited (PTI). 5 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  28. ^ Krishnan, Tina (5 January 2013). "While Rajev is obnoxious, Delnaaz is fake: Sapna Bhavnani". Daily Bhaskar.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  29. ^ "The Black Cat – Sapna Bhavnani, scouted out of the Bigg Boss house". Mid-Day. 5 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  30. ^ a b Kaushik, Divya (4 January 2013). "Out and honest". The Pioneer. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  31. ^ "NIRBHAYA the Play". nirbhayatheplay.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  32. ^ "Sapna Bhavnani & Sukriti Grover". Lakme Fashion Week. Archived from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  33. ^ Prabhu, Vidya (28 February 2012). "The Right Cut". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  34. ^ "The Speedy Gonsalez Show (Episode 1)". Sapna Bhavnani on YouTube. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  35. ^ "The Speedy Gonsalez Show (Episode 1)". YouTube. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  36. ^ "The Speedy Gonsalez Show with MS Dhoni (Episode 4)". YouTube. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  37. ^ "Sapna Bhavnani launch 'Style-O-Wot'". Hamara Photos. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  38. ^ Sapna Bhavnani Anushka. Style-O-Wot: A Girl's Guide To Looking Great. ISBN 9788184772869.
  39. ^ "Style-O-Wot by Sapna Bhavnani: Synopsis". Copyright ©1999- 2012 indiaplaza.com. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  40. ^ Parekh, Mitali (12 June 2011). "Hair attraction". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  41. ^ "Sapna Bhavnani Wants You to Cut Hair, Not Frogs". PETA India. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  42. ^ "Sapna Bhavnani strips for new PETA ad". Living Media India Limited/PTI. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  43. ^ "The Cutest Talking Cat in The World". Sapna Bhavnani (on YouTube). 3 June 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  44. ^ "Sapna opens up about her past on Bigg Boss!". The Times of India. TNN. 22 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  45. ^ "Sapna talks about "three marriages" and her troubled relationships on Bigg Boss season 6". TELLYCHAKKAR.COM. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.

External links[edit]