Biodata
Full Name | Shriya Saran Bhatnagar |
Date of Birth | 11 September 1982 |
Age | 41 years |
Birthplace | Haridwar, Uttarakhand |
Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
Nationality | Indian |
Religion | Hinduism |
Caste | Kayastha |
Debut | Ishtam (Telugu) |
Family
Father | Pushpinder Saran (retired civil engineer from BHEL, New Delhi) |
Mother | Neerja Saran (retired Chemistry teacher) |
Brother | Abhiroop Saran (works at FCB Ulka Advertising Ltd, Mumbai) |
Spouse | Andrei Koscheev (Tennis Player and Entrepreneur) |
Education
School | Delhi Public School in Ranipur, Uttarakhand Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, New Delhi |
College/University | Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi |
Educational Qualification | Bachelor of Arts in Literature |
Rumored Boyfriends
Trivia
- In 2003, she hosted the 50th Filmfare South Awards along with the actor R. Madhavan
- She participated in Mani Ratnam’s stage show ‘Netru, Indru, Naalai.’ It is an event to raise funds for “The Banyan,” a voluntary organization, which rehabilitates homeless women with mental illness in Chennai.
- On 12 February 2010, Shriya Saran delivered a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A). She is the first actress and the third celebrity after Shahrukh Khan.
- She was signed as the brand ambassador for Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) in 2014.
- In April 2010, she danced in the fourth season-opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) along with Shahrukh Khan.
- She is a social activist too. She is associated with NGO’s like Blue Cross of India, Naandi Foundation, and World Vision NGO.
- In 2010, she opened her own spa named ‘Shree Spa’ in Mumbai, a spa for the visually impaired people. In an interview, she said.
- She was listed among India’s Top 50 Most Desirable Women from 2011 to 2015.
- She was the brand ambassador of the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) in 2011 and 2012.
- She is a trained scuba diver.
- She is often spotted drinking alcohol in parties.
- She is a non-vegetarian and loves to eat fish.
Social Connect
Shriya Saran Wiki
Early life
Shriya Saran Bhatnagar was born in a Kayastha family on 11 September 1982 in Haridwar in Northern India. Her parents are Pushpendra Saran Bhatnagar and Neeraja Saran Bhatnagar. Her father worked for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and her mother was a chemistry teacher in Delhi Public School, Ranipur in Haridwar and Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, New Delhi. Saran completed her schooling from both schools where her mother had taught. She has an elder brother named Abhiroop who lives in Mumbai. Saran's mother tongue is Hindi.Her family lived in the small town of BHEL colony in Haridwar when she was growing up. She later studied at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature.Saran is an accomplished dancer. She was first trained as a child by her mother in Kathak and Rajasthani folk dance, and later trained in the Kathak style by Shovana Narayan. She was involved with many dance teams in college and with her teacher. They would incorporate social issues into their dance routines.Early life and background
Shriya Saran Bhatnagar was born on 11 September 1982 in Haridwar in Northern India, to Pushpendra Saran Bhatnagar and Neeraja Saran Bhatnagar. Her father worked for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and her mother was a chemistry teacher in Delhi Public School, Ranipur in Haridwar and Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, New Delhi. Saran completed her schooling from both schools where her mother had taught. She has an elder brother named Abhiroop who lives in Mumbai. Saran's mother tongue is Hindi.Her family lived in the small town of BHEL colony in Haridwar when she was growing up. She later studied at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature.Saran is an accomplished dancer. She was first trained as a child by her mother in Kathak and Rajasthani folk dance, and later trained in the Kathak style by Shovana Narayan. She was involved with many dance teams in college and with her teacher. They would incorporate social issues into their dance routines.Career
While in her second year at the LSR College in Delhi, Saran got her first opportunity to appear in front of the camera for a video shoot. Following her dance teacher's recommendation, she was invited to appear in the music video of Renoo Nathan's "Thirakti Kyun Hawa". Shot in Banaras, the video was seen by Ramoji Films who offered her the lead role of Neha in their film ''Ishtam''. Saran accepted the part and, even before it was released she was signed to four more films, including ''Nuvve Nuvve'', in which she played a millionaire's daughter who falls for a middle-class man. In 2002, she starred in ''Santosham'', co-starring Nagarjuna, Prabhu Deva and Gracy Singh, which was her first commercial success. The film took the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). Saran played a woman who lets someone she loves go with another, but wins him back later in life. For her performance, she earned a nomination for the CineMAA Award for Best Actor- Female, giving her a good foothold in the Telugu industry in the early part of her career.In 2003, Saran acted in a supporting role in her first Hindi film, ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'', starring debutants Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza in leading roles. She performed as one of the lead female roles in Telugu film ''Tagore'', along with Jyothika and Chiranjeevi which was screened at the International Indian Film Academy Awards, and was a commercial success. The film took the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). Saran played a woman who lets someone she loves go with another, but wins him back later in life. For her performance, she earned a nomination for the CineMAA Award for Best Actor- Female, giving her a good foothold in the Telugu industry in the early part of her career.In 2003, Saran acted in a supporting role in her first Hindi film, ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'', starring debutants Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza in leading roles. She performed as one of the lead female roles in Telugu film ''Tagore'', along with Jyothika and Chiranjeevi which was screened at the International Indian Film Academy Awards, and was a commercial success. She followed it with her Tamil film debut in ''Enakku 20 Unakku 18'', alongside Tarun and Trisha Krishnan, which was simultaneously shot in Telugu as ''Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu'', in which she played a football coach. Though she acted in films in three languages that year, eight of the first ten films of her career were in Telugu.In 2004, Saran acted in two Telugu and two Hindi films, including ''''Arjun'''' and ''Nenunnanu'', where she played a student in classical singing. She had ten 2005 releases, nine of which were Telugu films, the most notable for her being ''Chatrapathi''. There she appeared opposite Prabhas and earned her first nomination for the Filmfare Best Telugu Actress Award. Meanwhile, she tried to make her comeback in Tamil with ''Mazhai'',a remake of the Telugu film ''Varsham'', where she reprised the role done by Trisha in the original. Neither the movie nor her performance were received well. Also in 2005, she appeared as one of only three characters in the film ''Mogudu Pellam O Dongodu'', which was about a married couple's first night together, and made a guest appearance in a children's film called ''Bommalata'', which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. Saran's only lead role in 2006, excluding three special appearances, was in the Tamil film ''Thiruvilayadal Arambam''.In 2007, she was chosen to play the lead female role opposite Rajinikanth in S. Shankar's ''Sivaji: The Boss'' after Aishwarya Rai rejected the role due to busy schedules. Also in 2005, she appeared as one of only three characters in the film ''Mogudu Pellam O Dongodu'', which was about a married couple's first night together, and made a guest appearance in a children's film called ''Bommalata'', which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. Saran's only lead role in 2006, excluding three special appearances, was in the Tamil film ''Thiruvilayadal Arambam''.In 2007, she was chosen to play the lead female role opposite Rajinikanth in S. Shankar's ''Sivaji: The Boss'' after Aishwarya Rai rejected the role due to busy schedules. which was the most expensive Indian film at that time. R.G. Vijayasarathy wrote in his review for Rediff.com that, aside from her beauty, Saran "proves that she can act too". Her performance earned her a ''South Scope'' Style Award for Best Tamil Actress, her first award win, and a nomination at the Vijay Awards. The role made her a star in the south Indian film industry. During this phase of her career, she made several special appearances in item numbers, including in the films ''Devadasu'', ''Munna'', and ''Tulasi.''Also in 2007, Saran made her comeback in Hindi cinema with ''Awarapan'', which was a joint production between India and Pakistan. She played a Muslim woman and had to learn Urdu. During this phase of her career, she made several special appearances in item numbers, including in the films ''Devadasu'', ''Munna'', and ''Tulasi.''Also in 2007, Saran made her comeback in Hindi cinema with ''Awarapan'', which was a joint production between India and Pakistan. She played a Muslim woman and had to learn Urdu. This was her fourth Hindi film, but the others had failed to make any impact. Sanjay Ram, writing for Business of Cinema, gave the film 2.5 of 5 stars and said that Saran provided a brief, compelling performance. Saran later said that the film strengthened her conviction that all religions are equal. Later that year she appeared in one more Tamil film, ''Azhagiya Tamil Magan'', opposite Vijay. Though critics exalted her looks, her performance received mixed reviews, with one reviewer, Nandhu Sundharam of Rediff, going so far as to say that her "acting is as bad as her looks are good". That same year Saran made a special appearance in a scene in the Kannada film ''Arasu''. She appeared in six films in 2007 in four languages. She played the role of Priya Sethi, who works as a telephone operator in an Indian call centre, while acting alongside Jesse Metcalfe, Anupam Kher and Tara Sharma. Shriya's performance was praised by critics, particularly her on-screen chemistry with Jesse Metcalfe. John Anderson, writing for ''Variety'' magazine, said it was "a winning Stateside debut for beautiful Indian actress Shriya Saran."Saran acted in the Hindi film ''Mission Istaanbul'' with Zayed Khan, and Shabbir Ahluwalia in 2008. She played the character of Anjali Sagar which was inspired by the character of Romila Dutta played by Preity Zinta in the film ''Lakshya'', a journalist who desires to have a child with her husband, which leads to their separation, since he is reluctant. Bollywood Hungama critics said that her character was wasted, as again she gets very little screen time. However, she did pick up the Stardust Exciting New Face Award.Her most important 2009 release was the commercially successful Tamil film ''Kanthaswamy'', alongside Vikram. She earned a nomination at the Vijay Awards. Vikram said in an interview that her role was on par with his, and she easily stole the show on most occasions. Of her character in the film, Saran said that it was the best she has done so far. Also that year she appeared as the female lead in ''Thoranai''. A reviewer said that her glamour and the songs were the only high points of the film. For ''Thoranai'' and ''Kanthaswamy'' together, she received her third award win, the Amrita Mathrubhumi Award for Best Actress. She then appeared in another English film, ''Cooking with Stella'', which is a comedy that takes a look at the serious nature of relationships between servants and employers. It was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival, which Saran attended.In 2010, Saran made her Malayalam debut with ''Pokkiri Raja'', in which she appeared opposite Mammootty and Prithviraj. The film broke the record in Malayalam cinema for opening week gross income, though it was not received well critically. It was said of Saran that all she had to do was look pretty. She then enacted her first lead role in a Telugu film after five years, in the commercially successful action-comedy ''Don Seenu'' opposite Ravi Teja, where she plays the sister of a mobster. In the opinion of some critics, she stole the show with her dances and romantic scenes.The year 2010 was her second busiest after 2005, having appeared in eight films, this time in four languages.In 2011, Saran appeared in ''Rowthiram'', where she worked with Tamil actor Jiiva for the first time.The year 2010 was her second busiest after 2005, having appeared in eight films, this time in four languages.In 2011, Saran appeared in ''Rowthiram'', where she worked with Tamil actor Jiiva for the first time. The film received fairly low reviews. Although some reviews said that Saran was not given much opportunity to show her acting skills, mainly just adding a romantic touch to a mostly violent film, she was referred to by another as the pivot around which the film revolves. Her performance earned her Best Actress Award at the International Tamil Film Awards. Her only other film in 2011 was a special appearance in a song for the Tamil film ''Rajapattai''.Saran's first release of 2012 was her second Malayalam project, ''Casanovva'', co-starring Mohanlal and directed by Rosshan Andrrews. The movie was delayed many times, and it was rumored that Saran would leave the project, but in October 2010, the producer of the film announced that shooting would commence in Dubai with Shriya Saran among the cast. It was released on 26 January. Her next release was in ''Gali Gali Chor Hai'', from director Rumy Jafry, which began shooting in September 2011, and released on 3 February. She then was seen in the critically average comedic Telugu film ''Nuvva Nena'', with actors Allari Naresh and Sharwanand, followed by Sekhar Kammula's much delayed ''Life is Beautiful''. Saran has starred in Deepa Mehta's long delayed English project ''Midnight's Children'', Saran has starred in Deepa Mehta's long delayed English project ''Midnight's Children'', which is based on Salman Rushdie's highly acclaimed ''novel of the same name''. It was filmed under the working title of ''Winds of Change''. It was screened at several film festivals in late 2012 in Canada and finally made its general release in India on 1 February 2013.In early 2013, Saran appeared in an item number in the film ''Zila Ghaziabad''. This was her first item number in a Hindi film. On 7 June, Saran's ''Pavitra'' was released, in which she played a prostitute. At a press conference in Hyderabad, she said that the film is very special for her, and that she was touched by the sensitivity that director/writer Janardhana Maharshi gave to the topic. Her bi-lingual film ''Chandra'', directed by Roopa Iyer, was simultaneously made in Kannada and Tamil languages. She played the role of a princess in the film opposite Kannada actor Prem Kumar. The film released in Kannada on 27 June 2013, and in Tamil on 14 February 2014. It became a moderate success at the Kannada box office. The film marked Saran's return to Tamil cinema after more than five years.Saran's first film of 2014, released 23 May, was the Telugu family drama ''Manam'', which was a success in India and America. Saran's first film of 2015 was ''Gopala Gopala'', a remake of the Bollywood blockbuster ''OMG – Oh My God!'', released in the January festive season. She will next appear in director Karan Bhutani's Hindi film ''Valmiki Ki Bandook'', which is currently under production. She appeared opposite Ajay Devgan in ''Drishyam'', a remake of the Malayalam film of the same name, which turned out to be a box office success. In mid-January 2016, she made a special appearance in ''Karthi'' starrer Bi-lingual movie ''Oopiri/Thozha'', while also signing for her next Hindi film ''Tadka'', opposite Nana Patekar. In May 2016, she was cast as a female lead in the Telugu-language epic historical action film ''Gautamiputra Satakarni''.Early career (2001–03)
While in her second year at the LSR College in Delhi, Saran got her first opportunity to appear in front of the camera for a video shoot. Following her dance teacher's recommendation, she was invited to appear in the music video of Renoo Nathan's "Thirakti Kyun Hawa". Shot in Banaras, the video was seen by Ramoji Films who offered her the lead role of Neha in their film ''Ishtam''. Saran accepted the part and, even before it was released she was signed to four more films, including ''Nuvve Nuvve'', in which she played a millionaire's daughter who falls for a middle-class man. In 2002, she starred in ''Santosham'', co-starring Nagarjuna, Prabhu Deva and Gracy Singh, which was her first commercial success. The film took the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). Saran played a woman who lets someone she loves go with another, but wins him back later in life. For her performance, she earned a nomination for the CineMAA Award for Best Actor- Female, giving her a good foothold in the Telugu industry in the early part of her career.In 2003, Saran acted in a supporting role in her first Hindi film, ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'', starring debutants Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza in leading roles. She performed as one of the lead female roles in Telugu film ''Tagore'', along with Jyothika and Chiranjeevi which was screened at the International Indian Film Academy Awards, and was a commercial success. The film took the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). Saran played a woman who lets someone she loves go with another, but wins him back later in life. For her performance, she earned a nomination for the CineMAA Award for Best Actor- Female, giving her a good foothold in the Telugu industry in the early part of her career.In 2003, Saran acted in a supporting role in her first Hindi film, ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'', starring debutants Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza in leading roles. She performed as one of the lead female roles in Telugu film ''Tagore'', along with Jyothika and Chiranjeevi which was screened at the International Indian Film Academy Awards, and was a commercial success. She followed it with her Tamil film debut in ''Enakku 20 Unakku 18'', alongside Tarun and Trisha Krishnan, which was simultaneously shot in Telugu as ''Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu'', in which she played a football coach. Though she acted in films in three languages that year, eight of the first ten films of her career were in Telugu.Career fluctuations (2004–07)
In 2004, Saran acted in two Telugu and two Hindi films, including ''''Arjun'''' and ''Nenunnanu'', where she played a student in classical singing. She had ten 2005 releases, nine of which were Telugu films, the most notable for her being ''Chatrapathi''. There she appeared opposite Prabhas and earned her first nomination for the Filmfare Best Telugu Actress Award. Meanwhile, she tried to make her comeback in Tamil with ''Mazhai'',a remake of the Telugu film ''Varsham'', where she reprised the role done by Trisha in the original. Neither the movie nor her performance were received well. Also in 2005, she appeared as one of only three characters in the film ''Mogudu Pellam O Dongodu'', which was about a married couple's first night together, and made a guest appearance in a children's film called ''Bommalata'', which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. Saran's only lead role in 2006, excluding three special appearances, was in the Tamil film ''Thiruvilayadal Arambam''.In 2007, she was chosen to play the lead female role opposite Rajinikanth in S. Shankar's ''Sivaji: The Boss'' after Aishwarya Rai rejected the role due to busy schedules. Also in 2005, she appeared as one of only three characters in the film ''Mogudu Pellam O Dongodu'', which was about a married couple's first night together, and made a guest appearance in a children's film called ''Bommalata'', which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. Saran's only lead role in 2006, excluding three special appearances, was in the Tamil film ''Thiruvilayadal Arambam''.In 2007, she was chosen to play the lead female role opposite Rajinikanth in S. Shankar's ''Sivaji: The Boss'' after Aishwarya Rai rejected the role due to busy schedules. which was the most expensive Indian film at that time. R.G. Vijayasarathy wrote in his review for Rediff.com that, aside from her beauty, Saran "proves that she can act too". Her performance earned her a ''South Scope'' Style Award for Best Tamil Actress, her first award win, and a nomination at the Vijay Awards. The role made her a star in the south Indian film industry. During this phase of her career, she made several special appearances in item numbers, including in the films ''Devadasu'', ''Munna'', and ''Tulasi.''Also in 2007, Saran made her comeback in Hindi cinema with ''Awarapan'', which was a joint production between India and Pakistan. She played a Muslim woman and had to learn Urdu. During this phase of her career, she made several special appearances in item numbers, including in the films ''Devadasu'', ''Munna'', and ''Tulasi.''Also in 2007, Saran made her comeback in Hindi cinema with ''Awarapan'', which was a joint production between India and Pakistan. She played a Muslim woman and had to learn Urdu. This was her fourth Hindi film, but the others had failed to make any impact. Sanjay Ram, writing for Business of Cinema, gave the film 2.5 of 5 stars and said that Saran provided a brief, compelling performance. Saran later said that the film strengthened her conviction that all religions are equal. Later that year she appeared in one more Tamil film, ''Azhagiya Tamil Magan'', opposite Vijay. Though critics exalted her looks, her performance received mixed reviews, with one reviewer, Nandhu Sundharam of Rediff, going so far as to say that her "acting is as bad as her looks are good". That same year Saran made a special appearance in a scene in the Kannada film ''Arasu''. She appeared in six films in 2007 in four languages.American cinema debut (2008–12)
She played the role of Priya Sethi, who works as a telephone operator in an Indian call centre, while acting alongside Jesse Metcalfe, Anupam Kher and Tara Sharma. Shriya's performance was praised by critics, particularly her on-screen chemistry with Jesse Metcalfe. John Anderson, writing for ''Variety'' magazine, said it was "a winning Stateside debut for beautiful Indian actress Shriya Saran."Saran acted in the Hindi film ''Mission Istaanbul'' with Zayed Khan, and Shabbir Ahluwalia in 2008. She played the character of Anjali Sagar which was inspired by the character of Romila Dutta played by Preity Zinta in the film ''Lakshya'', a journalist who desires to have a child with her husband, which leads to their separation, since he is reluctant. Bollywood Hungama critics said that her character was wasted, as again she gets very little screen time. However, she did pick up the Stardust Exciting New Face Award.Her most important 2009 release was the commercially successful Tamil film ''Kanthaswamy'', alongside Vikram. She earned a nomination at the Vijay Awards. Vikram said in an interview that her role was on par with his, and she easily stole the show on most occasions. Of her character in the film, Saran said that it was the best she has done so far. Also that year she appeared as the female lead in ''Thoranai''. A reviewer said that her glamour and the songs were the only high points of the film. For ''Thoranai'' and ''Kanthaswamy'' together, she received her third award win, the Amrita Mathrubhumi Award for Best Actress. She then appeared in another English film, ''Cooking with Stella'', which is a comedy that takes a look at the serious nature of relationships between servants and employers. It was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival, which Saran attended.In 2010, Saran made her Malayalam debut with ''Pokkiri Raja'', in which she appeared opposite Mammootty and Prithviraj. The film broke the record in Malayalam cinema for opening week gross income, though it was not received well critically. It was said of Saran that all she had to do was look pretty. She then enacted her first lead role in a Telugu film after five years, in the commercially successful action-comedy ''Don Seenu'' opposite Ravi Teja, where she plays the sister of a mobster. In the opinion of some critics, she stole the show with her dances and romantic scenes.The year 2010 was her second busiest after 2005, having appeared in eight films, this time in four languages.In 2011, Saran appeared in ''Rowthiram'', where she worked with Tamil actor Jiiva for the first time.The year 2010 was her second busiest after 2005, having appeared in eight films, this time in four languages.In 2011, Saran appeared in ''Rowthiram'', where she worked with Tamil actor Jiiva for the first time. The film received fairly low reviews. Although some reviews said that Saran was not given much opportunity to show her acting skills, mainly just adding a romantic touch to a mostly violent film, she was referred to by another as the pivot around which the film revolves. Her performance earned her Best Actress Award at the International Tamil Film Awards. Her only other film in 2011 was a special appearance in a song for the Tamil film ''Rajapattai''.Saran's first release of 2012 was her second Malayalam project, ''Casanovva'', co-starring Mohanlal and directed by Rosshan Andrrews. The movie was delayed many times, and it was rumored that Saran would leave the project, but in October 2010, the producer of the film announced that shooting would commence in Dubai with Shriya Saran among the cast. It was released on 26 January. Her next release was in ''Gali Gali Chor Hai'', from director Rumy Jafry, which began shooting in September 2011, and released on 3 February. She then was seen in the critically average comedic Telugu film ''Nuvva Nena'', with actors Allari Naresh and Sharwanand, followed by Sekhar Kammula's much delayed ''Life is Beautiful''. Saran has starred in Deepa Mehta's long delayed English project ''Midnight's Children'', Saran has starred in Deepa Mehta's long delayed English project ''Midnight's Children'', which is based on Salman Rushdie's highly acclaimed ''novel of the same name''. It was filmed under the working title of ''Winds of Change''. It was screened at several film festivals in late 2012 in Canada and finally made its general release in India on 1 February 2013.Success and recent work (2013–present)
In early 2013, Saran appeared in an item number in the film ''Zila Ghaziabad''. This was her first item number in a Hindi film. On 7 June, Saran's ''Pavitra'' was released, in which she played a prostitute. At a press conference in Hyderabad, she said that the film is very special for her, and that she was touched by the sensitivity that director/writer Janardhana Maharshi gave to the topic. Her bi-lingual film ''Chandra'', directed by Roopa Iyer, was simultaneously made in Kannada and Tamil languages. She played the role of a princess in the film opposite Kannada actor Prem Kumar. The film released in Kannada on 27 June 2013, and in Tamil on 14 February 2014. It became a moderate success at the Kannada box office. The film marked Saran's return to Tamil cinema after more than five years.Saran's first film of 2014, released 23 May, was the Telugu family drama ''Manam'', which was a success in India and America. Saran's first film of 2015 was ''Gopala Gopala'', a remake of the Bollywood blockbuster ''OMG – Oh My God!'', released in the January festive season. She will next appear in director Karan Bhutani's Hindi film ''Valmiki Ki Bandook'', which is currently under production. She appeared opposite Ajay Devgan in ''Drishyam'', a remake of the Malayalam film of the same name, which turned out to be a box office success. In mid-January 2016, she made a special appearance in ''Karthi'' starrer Bi-lingual movie ''Oopiri/Thozha'', while also signing for her next Hindi film ''Tadka'', opposite Nana Patekar. In May 2016, she was cast as a female lead in the Telugu-language epic historical action film ''Gautamiputra Satakarni''.2013–present
On 7 June, Saran's ''Pavitra'' was released, in which she played a prostitute. At a press conference in Hyderabad, she said that the film is very special for her, and that she was touched by the sensitivity that director/writer Janardhana Maharshi gave to the topic. Her bi-lingual film ''Chandra'', directed by Roopa Iyer, was simultaneously made in Kannada and Tamil languages. She played the role of a princess in the film opposite Kannada actor Prem Kumar. The film released in Kannada on 27 June 2013, and in Tamil on 14 February 2014. It became a moderate success at the Kannada box office. The film marked Saran's return to Tamil cinema after more than five years.Saran's first film of 2014, released 23 May, was the Telugu family drama ''Manam'', which was a success in India and America. Saran's first film of 2015 was ''Gopala Gopala'', a remake of the Bollywood blockbuster ''OMG – Oh My God!'', released in the January festive season. She will next appear in director Karan Bhutani's Hindi film ''Valmiki Ki Bandook'', which is currently under production. She appeared opposite Ajay Devgan in ''Drishyam'', a remake of the Malayalam film of the same name, which turned out to be a box office success. In mid-January 2016, she made a special appearance in ''Karthi'' starrer Bi-lingual movie ''Oopiri/Thozha'', while also signing for her next Hindi film ''Tadka'', opposite Nana Patekar. In May 2016, she was cast as a female lead in the Telugu-language epic historical action film ''Gautamiputra Satakarni''.
Off-screen work
In 2003, Saran hosted the 50th Filmfare South Award with actor R. Madhavan. She was a part of Tamil director Mani Ratnam's stage show, ''Netru, Indru, Naalai'', an event which sought to raise funds for "The Banyan", a voluntary organisation which rehabilitates homeless women with mental illness in Chennai. She was one of the guests alongside actor Surya Sivakumar at the season 3 finale of TV dance show ''Maanada Mayilada''. She said that "The Indian media and entertainment industry is the fastest growing sector at present, so considering this IIM Ahmedabad had started a new program CFI – Contemporary Film Industry – A Business Perspective. I was there to give a lecture to 2nd year students of CFI and did a lot of research for the lecture for nearly five days." She held a lecture on the marketing and branding of a film. In 2011, she gave a lecture to students at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras on the history of films, and films as a medium of cultural exchange.Saran started her modelling career by acting in a Pond's Creams advertisement. She then did a Coca-Cola advertisement alongside Tamil actor Vijay, which was directed by prominent director Rajiv Menon. She also starred in a Fair & Lovely creams advertisement during her early career. Shriya Saran is also appointed as brand ambassador for Pantene Shampoo. In 2007, she became the brand ambassador of Saravana Stores. She is now the brand ambassador of the Lux and Head & Shoulders. Saran was also signed as brand ambassador along with actor Saif Ali Khan for Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea. Saran says no to soft drinks advertisements because she feels that soft drinks may harm children's health. In 2011, Saran was appointed as the promotional model for McVitie's by United Biscuits along with actress Bipasha Basu. In 2013, Saran was appointed as brand ambassador for Colgate Active Salt Healthy White toothpaste, along with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor. In 2014, she was signed as brand ambassador for Karnataka Milk Federation(KMF).In 2007, Saran launched the first issue of ''Galatta Cinema'' and has been featured on its cover many times. In 2008, she was featured in, and appeared on the cover of the June issue of ''Maxim India''. Editor Anup Kutty said: "We had been thinking of getting someone who bridges this strange divide we have between the North, South and the West ... Shreya fit the bill perfectly." She has appeared on various other magazine covers over the years, including ''Jade'' and ''South Scope''. In 2012, she again did a photo shoot for ''Maxim India''.On the sports front, Saran is brand ambassador of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), a concept that mixes two passions in India, film and cricket. In April 2010, she danced with Shah Rukh Khan at the fourth season opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL), another cricket league.Other works
In 2003, Saran hosted the 50th Filmfare South Award with actor R. Madhavan. She was a part of Tamil director Mani Ratnam's stage show, ''Netru, Indru, Naalai'', an event which sought to raise funds for "The Banyan", a voluntary organisation which rehabilitates homeless women with mental illness in Chennai. She was one of the guests alongside actor Surya Sivakumar at the season 3 finale of TV dance show ''Maanada Mayilada''.Saran was the first actress, and the third celebrity after Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan to deliver a lecture to students at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) on 12 February 2010. She said that "The Indian media and entertainment industry is the fastest growing sector at present, so considering this IIM Ahmedabad had started a new program CFI – Contemporary Film Industry – A Business Perspective. I was there to give a lecture to 2nd year students of CFI and did a lot of research for the lecture for nearly five days." She held a lecture on the marketing and branding of a film. In 2011, she gave a lecture to students at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras on the history of films, and films as a medium of cultural exchange.
Saran started her modelling career by acting in a Pond's Creams advertisement. She then did a Coca-Cola advertisement alongside Tamil actor Vijay, which was directed by prominent director Rajiv Menon. She also starred in a Fair & Lovely creams advertisement during her early career. Shriya Saran is also appointed as brand ambassador for Pantene Shampoo. In 2007, she became the brand ambassador of Saravana Stores. She is now the brand ambassador of the Lux and Head & Shoulders. Saran was also signed as brand ambassador along with actor Saif Ali Khan for Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea. Saran says no to soft drinks advertisements because she feels that soft drinks may harm children's health. In 2011, Saran was appointed as the promotional model for McVitie's by United Biscuits along with actress Bipasha Basu. In 2013, Saran was appointed as brand ambassador for Colgate Active Salt Healthy White toothpaste, along with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor. In 2014, she was signed as brand ambassador for Karnataka Milk Federation(KMF).
In 2007, Saran launched the first issue of ''Galatta Cinema'' and has been featured on its cover many times. In 2008, she was featured in, and appeared on the cover of the June issue of ''Maxim India''. Editor Anup Kutty said: "We had been thinking of getting someone who bridges this strange divide we have between the North, South and the West ... Shreya fit the bill perfectly." She has appeared on various other magazine covers over the years, including ''Jade'' and ''South Scope''. In 2012, she again did a photo shoot for ''Maxim India''. a concept that mixes two passions in India, film and cricket. In April 2010, she danced with Shah Rukh Khan at the fourth season opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL), another cricket league.