Ameesha Patel

Grand-daughter of Indian freedom fighter, lawyer, and former Justice Rajni Patel, Amisha, a Gemini, was born in Bombay's Breach Candy Hospital. She is nicknamed Angel and Princess. Her younger brother Ashmit Patel is also a Bollywood film actor and her name is a blend of the first three letters of her father's name Amit and the last three letters of her mother's name Asha.

She studied at the Cathedral and John Connon High School in Bombay, and went on to obtain a degree in Economics from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. After graduation she worked for a Finance company and also modeled on the side.

She has studied Bharat Natyam dance form since the age of five, and had acted in several plays in Satyadev Dubey's Theatre including a play titled 'Neelam'.

She did not have any plans of being an actress, but when Amit's friend, film-maker and actor, Rakesh Roshan, met her during a family lunch, he offered her the lead role in 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'. Amisha accepted the offer, the movie went on to become a blockbuster, and made her a star overnight.