Kunika Sadanand Lal is an Indian actress, advocate, producer and social activist. She is known for her various characters in many Indian films as a villain and in comic roles.

Kunicka
Kunika at the screening of Sonata
Born
Kunika Sadanand

Occupation(s)Actress, singer, lawyer
Years active1988–2018
RelativesKabir Sadanand (brother)
Deepak Tijori (brother-in-law)

Also a singer, she has released three pop albums titled Lakhon Mein Ek released in 1996, and Kunika which was released in 2002. She released her third album named Joombish (A Mystical Journey) on 2 May 2006.

Personal life

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She, along with her business partner, created restaurants called "White - the Italian café", "Zingcafe", "Majestica – The royal banquet hall" and a spa called "Exhale", in Goregaon in suburban Mumbai. The partnership however ended in 2007.

Kunika has conducted, organized and participated in over 100 stage shows in India and around the world. She is also running an event company called Karma Events and Entertainment.

Kunickaa Sadanand Lal has been actively involved in social activities like AIDS awareness campaigns for last 20 years.

She launched Tara Charitable Trust on 15 August 2005. This trust aims at rebuilding lives of destitute people, helping the underprivileged and providing medical, educational and emotional succor to the needy. She is a trustee to the NGO CHIP (Children In Progress), Mumbai, which is actively working for child health and education.

TV and film career

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Since her teenage years, Kunika was keen to join the Indian TV industry as an actress. After doing a few TV serials in Delhi, she went to Mumbai to act in films. Manju Asrani, wife of well known comic actor Asrani gave Kunika a first break as an actress in a TV serial. Her second break was a role in the TV serial Adalat, directed by Dheeraj Kumar. Kunika began her film career at the age of 28 in a 1988 horror Hindi movie named Kabrastan. She was mainly involved in negative roles and bold scenes in the bulk of her movies. Kunika has done 110 films in 25 years.

Swabhimaan a TV serial, where she played an 18-year-old mother was a breakthrough role that won her many plaudits. Then, negative roles in films like Beta, Gumraah and Khiladi followed.

She acted in a TV serial called Kana Phoosi on Doordarshan and in Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara on Star Plus. She was also seen in the reality TV show Box Cricket League on Sony Entertainment as a fielder from the team Pune Anmol Ratn, while most recently she played the character of Rani Durgavati in the TV serial Akbar Birbal on Big Magic. She is currently seen in &TV show Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls as a loud goan Christian Juliet Bai.[1]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role Note
2018 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 Celina's mother Pakistani Film
2016 Bhouri Kaki
2014 Fugly Devi's mother
2011 Yeh Dooriyan Mrs. Arora (as Kunickaa S. Lal)
Monica Judge (as Kunickaa Lal)
Jihne Mera Dil Luteya Mrs. Bajwa Punjabi Film
2006 Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar Rammi
Men Not Allowed
Tom, Dick, and Harry Jassi H. Singh
2005 Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav Pradyuma's mother-in-law
Page 3 Monaz Modi
2004 Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin Prakash's wife
Insaaf: The Justice Minister Rameshwari Verma
Suno Sasurjee Mrs. Kiran Kumar
2003 Jodi Kya Banayi Wah Wah Ramji Bengali lady
Khanjar: The Knife Pammi's girlfriend
Andaaz Engagement party guest
Talaash: The Hunt Begins... Prema Malini (as Kunika Lal)
Kyon? Mrs. Desai (as Kunika Lal)
2002 Tum Jiyo Hazaron Saal Mrs. Kapur
2001 Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love Sweety Aunty
Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (2001 film) Smt. Chopra (Sonia's mother)
2000 Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya Manjula
Woh Bewafa Thi
Shikaar Sree's nurse
1999 Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United[2] Shanti
Daag: The Fire Nurse Lily
1998 Wajood Mrs. Chawla
Maharaja Mrs. Singh
Qila Neelam Daniel
Jaane Jigar Lady in the beach
Pyaar Kiya to darna kya Mrs. Khanna
1997 Dil Kitna Nadan hai Guest appearance
Koyla Rasili
Judge Mujrim Dancer (in song "Khatra Shabnam Ka")
Tamanna Actress
Dhaal Mrs. Deodhar
1996 Shastra Sonia
Fareb Brinda (prostitute)
Loafer Woman who flirts with Bhiku
Apne Dam Par Mamiji Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat Sharda Devi
1995 Takkar Sheena Vasudev
The Don College professor
Baazi Rani
Jawab Sobhraj's mistress (uncredited)
Kismat Banhke's wife
1994 Hum Hain Bemisaal Tutisha's girl
Mohra Flora
Chhoti Bahoo Shobha
Aa Gale Lag Jaa Mrs. Jagatpal Sharma
Andaz (1994 film) Shobha (uncredited)
1993 15th August (1993 film) Phulwa
Kasam Teri Kasam
Tadipaar Mohinidevi's secretary
Gardish Shiva's Elder Sister
Chandra Mukhi Lily
Khoon Ka Sindoor
Gumrah Female cop in Hong Kong
Kohra Kitty
Meri Aan Nagina Bai
Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi
The Monster Konica
King Uncle Kamla, Ashok's mother (Guest appearance)
1992 Dil Hi To Hai (1992 film) Flower seller
Heer Ranjha Bigo
Aaj Ka Goonda Raj Chanda
Khiladi Julie
Zakhmi Sipahi Cameo, in song "O Chaila"
Meera Ka Mohan
Siyasat
Bewaffa Se Waffa Nagma's aunt
Beta Kunika
1991 Kaun Kare Kurbanie Rape Victim
Kurbaan Gayatri
Do Matwale Kunika (Pyare's fiancée) (as Kunica)
Ayee Milan Ki Raat
Dushman Devta Kamli (as Kunica)
Parakrami Unreleased movie
Vishnu-Devaa Samppat's mistress
Jeena Teri Gali Mein
Jungle Beauty
Haque Asha – Bittu's mistress
1990 Majboor Sushila
Baaghi: A Rebel for Love Dhanraj's girlfriend (as Kunica)
Thanedaar Munni (as Kunica)
Agneekaal Madhu A. Saxena
Doodh Ka Karz Munnijaan
Bandh Darwaza Kamya P. Singh
Amavas Ki Raat
1989 Paanch Paapi[3]
Sachai Ki Taqat Laxmi
Kahan Hai Kanoon Rita
Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni Pyarelal's wife
Mujrim Maria (uncredited)
1988 Kabrastan Kitty

Television shows

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Year Show Role
2015-16 Akbar Birbal Rani Durgavati
2015 Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls[4] Mrs. Juliet
2015 Sasural Simar Ka[citation needed] Thakurayan / Thakurain
2014-15 Box Cricket League Contestant
2014 Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara Anisha James Waterson
2012 Kanaphusi Mother in law
2010-11 Sanjog Se Bani Sangini Naani
2003 Strivers & Achievers[5] Anchor
2003 Ssshhhh...Koi Hai Mrs. Malini (Models Judge)
2001 CID Rakhi
2001 Aashirwad
2001 Dollar Bahu Charu's friend
2002 Kittie Party Vasundhara
1998-2000 Sparsh
1995 Swabhimaan Nishi Malhotra
1990 The Sword of Tipu Sultan Yasmin Khan

Web series

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Title Role Platform Year
Taish Beeji ZEE5 2020

References

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  1. ^ "Kunika all set to enter 'Dilli Wali Thakur Girls' as a loud Goan Christian - Times of India". The Times of India. 4 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Salman Khan's Hum Saath Saath Hain Co-Actor Threatened By Bishnoi Community". India.com. 10 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Paanch Paapi (1989) - BollywoodMDB". bollywoodmdb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Kunika all set to enter 'Dilli Wali Thakur Girls' as a loud". The Times of India. 4 May 2015.
  5. ^ "The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum - Television". The Tribune.
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