Kavita Kaushik

Early life and debut show (2001–06)

Kaushik hails from Delhi.^[7] She is the daughter of Dinesh Chandra Kaushik, a former CRPF officer.^[4] She graduated in Philosophy from Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi.^[8] Kaushik had started modeling, hosting events and anchoring during her college days. In 2001 she appeared in auditions in the New Delhi for Kutumb and moved to Mumbai.^[4] After her work in the soap opera, Kutumb, Kaushik was seen in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, portraying the role of Manya Doshi. She then portrayed the character of Naina, in the afternoon daily Kumkum.^[3] In another popular TV series, Remix, she played Pallavi. She also appeared in a brief role in the serial Tumhari Disha, and C.I.D. as Sub Inspector Anushka.^[9]

Breakthrough and success (2006–15)

Kavita at an award show

In her initial days in the industry, Kaushik was offered mostly glamorous and negative roles owing to her tall frame and appealing personality.^[4] She started her stint as Chandramukhi Chautala in F.I.R. in 2006 which proved to be a watershed role in her career and it marked a break from the negative roles that she was being offered at that time.^[10] The sitcom proved to be a commercial and critical success, completing 1000 episodes. The role of a gusty female cop who speaks in a Haryanavi accent made Kaushik a renowned face of Indian television and won several accolades for her.^[11] The character of Chandramukhi Chautala is rated as one of the most famous comic characters of Indian television.^[12]

Despite the sitcom's success, Kaushik left the show in January 2013 to star in another SAB TV sitcom Tota Weds Maina opposite Gaurav Gera. The story focused on Tota (Gera) and Maina (Kaushik), and the situations that ensued when they mistakenly get married to one another. However, the show continually saw a dip in the TRPs and went off air in the April of the same year.^[13] During her time off FIR, the show took a 20-year leap with actor Chitrashi Rawat playing the role of Jawalamukhi Chautala, Chandramukhi's daughter. Kaushik made a comeback in FIR donning her previous role of Chandramukhi Chautala in July 2013 while Rawat was asked to quit the show.^[11]

Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and further success (2015-present)

Post after FIR, Kavita was seen participating in the popular celebrity dance show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2015. She was eliminated in 2nd week. She later hosted a show Fakebook with Kavita. She made news after storming out of the Jhalak stage during its grand finale in October 2015 after Comedy Nights Bachao insulted her and turned her mike off. Kavita said:

“Yes it’s true, I am totally against shows like the roast where national personalities are insulted with cheap comments, people do it but I don’t have any such majboori nor am I comfortable projecting myself in a shallow manner to create content or money. I had signed Jhalak and not “Bachaao”, without my permission or a brief some random people threw a volley of insults at me and when I tried to retaliate they cut power off my Mike.”^[14]

She has been offered to be a part of Bigg Boss but she said she rejected it.^[15] In 2016, Kavita landed the lead role in Dr. Bhanumati On Duty but she quit the show and got replaced by Debina Bonnerjee.^[16]

Debut in Bollywood films

Kavita made a debut in Bollywood with the 2004 film, Ek Hasina Thi playing Saif Ali Khan's girlfriend.^[17]

In addition to her various television roles, Kaushik has played minor roles in films like Phillum City^[3] and Mumbai Cutting. She has even performed to an item song, Shakila Bano, in Apoorva Lakhia's Zanjeer (2013).^[9]

Kaushik starred in an Bollywood film titled Lollipop Since 1947. The film, which was directed by Anirudh Chautala, is a political satire set in a lower middle class household where Kaushik plays wife to actor Deepak Dobriyal. The release date of the film is yet to be declared. Kaushik made a debut in the Punjabi film industry with the film Vekh Baraatan Challiyan.^[18]