Lillete Dubey is an Indian actress and theatre director. Her acting experience ranges from Indian theatre, television, and films to International theatres and English television and films. Lillete is best known for her acting in the films Zubeidaa (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). Lillete started her theatre company named The Primetime Theatre Company in 1991; she assumed the position of an Artistic Director in the company.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Lillete Dubey was born on Monday, 7 September 1953 (age 70 years; as of 2023), in Pune, Bombay State (now Maharashtra, India). Her zodiac sign is Virgo. After Lillete’s birth, her family shifted to Bikaner, and then to Lucknow. Lillete attended multiple schools; her schooling started at the Loretto Convent in Lucknow. She later moved on to the Rustom Boarding School in Pune after which she attended the Carmel Convent School in Delhi. Once her family moved back to Pune, she attended St. Mary’s during Class IX, which is when she made her foray into acting. Lillete has an M.A. in English from Lady Shri Ram College for Women and a master’s degree in mass communications from IIMC, New Delhi.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 6″
Weight (approx.): 55kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): 34-25-36
Family & Caste
Lillete belongs to a Sindhi Hindu family in Pune.
Parents & Siblings
Her father, Gobind Keswani, worked as an engineer with the Indian Railways. Her mother, Lila Keswani, was a gynaecologist from Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi, who worked in the Indian Army as a doctor. Lillete describes her mother as an independent person and a feisty feminist, and her father as an artistic person who was a physicist by passion.
Lillete Dubey with her father Gobind Keswani
A young Lillete Dubey with her mother Lila Keswani
Lillete has two younger siblings; a sister, Lushin Dubey, who is a stage actor, director, and the wife of the distinguished academician, Pradeep Dubey. Her brother, Patanjali ‘Patu’ Keswani, is the Chairman and Managing Director of Lemon Tree Hotels.
Lillete Dubey with her siblings Lushin Dubey and Patu Keswani
Husband & Children
Her husband, Ravi Dubey, was a theatre artist and the youngest GM of the Taj Hotel (now known as Taj Mahal), Maan Singh Road, New Delhi. He passed away in 2015 due to pancreatic cancer.
Lillete Dubey with husband Ravi Dubey
She has two daughters, Neha Dubey, and Ira Dubey, both of whom have appeared in theatrical plays, television, and films, albeit for small roles. Neha works as a psychotherapist in Mumbai.
Lillete Dubey with her daughters Neha and Ira Dubey
Religion/Religious Views
Lillete Dubey follows Hinduism. However, she claims that she is not a very religious person. She once stated that her mother was very spiritual and her father was a rationalist. She also claims to have many ways of connecting with the divine.
I believe there is more to us than just our physical being and in religious places, there is a collective spiritual energy. But I’m a person who loves going to shrines and temples also because of their architecture. For instance, I love going to churches to see their architecture.”
Career
Theatre
In 1991, she co-founded The Primetime Theatre Company, whose productions are well-enjoyed in India and theatres abroad. In the 1991 play Blithe Spirit, Lillete acted as the Lead; she also directed and produced it. She has acted in, directed, and produced many plays such as Romantic Comedy (1991), Dance Like a Man (1995), On a Muggy Night in Mumbai (1998) and Salaam Noni Appa (2017). Her production “Dance Like a Man” is the longest-running Indian-English play.
Lillete Dubey in her longest-running production ‘Dance Like A Man’
Film
Lillete Dubey made her acting debut in Bollywood with Love You Hamesha (2002); however, due to some reasons, the film remained unreleased for two decades and was released on 7 July 2022 on YouTube on NMP Movies Channel. She entered the industry when she was 47 years and calls herself an “accidental film actor”. After her debut, she went on to work in several famous films including Housefull (2010), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), Dabba (The Lunchbox) (2013), Dr Cabbie (2014) and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015). She has acted in films of various industries.
Lillete Dubey with Richard Gere in The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Television
Lillete was a part of the first Hindi serial on DD National, Hum Log (1984) and the first DD National English serial, A Mouthful of Sky (1984). Her other appearances on TV include Kabhi Kabhi (1997), Apna Apna Style (2000), and Star Wars: Visions (2023) among others.
The cast of Hum Log (1984)
Lillete Dubey’s character Rugal in Star Wars Visions (2023)
Web Series
Keeping up with the changes in the entertainment field, Lillete has acted in web series such as Yeh Crazy Dil (2018), Queen (2019) and Call My Agent: Bollywood (2021).
Awards
- She received the Best Actress Award for the film “Bow Barracks Forever (2004)” at The Madrid International Film Festival of 2008.
- She was given the Best Actress Award for the film Pank (2010) at The Dainik Jagran National Film Festival, 2010.
- She was awarded Best Actress for the film “3 Days to Go (2019)” at The Simon Mabhunu Sabela Film and Television Awards, 2019.
- She received the Best Actress award for her play Adhe Adhure at The Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards, in 2012.
- She received the Best Actress award for Season’s Greetings during The Ayodhya Film Festival, in 2020.
Favourites
Facts/Trivia
- Lillete Dubey was born as Lillete Keswani.
- Lillete’s parents wanted her to become a physicist, but she always had an affinity towards acting. She tried doing a Physics honours degree before she gave up.
- Lillete was named by her father, and the inspiration comes from her mother’s name, Leela, as Lillete sounds like ‘small Leela’, a name she claims to hate.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn