Mahima Chaudhry

Mahima Chaudhry is an Indian actress and former model who works in Hindi cinema. Born Ritu Chaudhry on 13 September 1973 in Darjeeling, West Bengal, she began as a model before Subhash Ghai cast her opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Pardes (1997), a memorable debut that won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut and made her a popular leading lady of the late 1990s. She went on to films such as Dil Kya Kare, Dhadkan, Lajja and LOC Kargil. A breast-cancer survivor who spoke publicly about her recovery, she returned to acting with roles including The Signature, and in 2025 plays Pupul Jayakar in the political drama Emergency.

Mahima Chaudhry is an Indian actress and former model who works in Hindi cinema. Born Ritu Chaudhry on 13 September 1973 in Darjeeling, West Bengal, she began as a model before Subhash Ghai cast her opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Pardes (1997), a debut that won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. She went on to films such as Dil Kya Kare, Dhadkan, Lajja and LOC Kargil. A breast-cancer survivor, she returned to acting after her recovery and in 2025 plays Pupul Jayakar in the political drama Emergency.

Mahima Chaudhry was born Ritu Chaudhry on 13 September 1973 in Darjeeling, West Bengal. She studied at Dow Hill School, Kurseong, and Loreto College, Darjeeling, and began modelling before moving into films, adopting the screen name Mahima.

She married architect Bobby Mukherjee in 2006; the couple later separated and divorced. Their daughter, Ariana, lives with her. In 2022 she revealed that she had been diagnosed with and recovered from breast cancer.

Mahima Chaudhry married Kolkata-based architect Bobby Mukherjee in 2006, and the couple have a daughter, Ariana. They later separated and divorced. Since then she has kept her personal life private, focusing on raising her daughter and on her health and career.

Mahima Chaudhry made a memorable debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Subhash Ghai's Pardes (1997), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut and became one of the popular leading ladies of the late 1990s.

She appeared in films such as Dil Kya Kare, Dhadkan (2000), Lajja (2001) and LOC Kargil (2003), working with several leading actors of the era.

After a break and her recovery from breast cancer, she returned to acting, including a warmly received role in The Signature. In 2025 she plays Pupul Jayakar in Emergency.

Mahima Chaudhry's net worth is reported by third-party sites at around ₹15–20 crore, an estimate rather than a confirmed figure. Her income comes from her acting career, endorsements and other ventures. She has not officially disclosed her earnings.