Kranti Redkar

Kranti Redkar-Wankhede (née Redkar; born 17 August 1982) is an Indian film actress, director, and writer who primarily worked in Marathi films.

Kranti Redkar was born on 17 August 1982 into a Marathi family in Mumbai to Dinanath and Urmila Redkar.

She has two sisters, Hridaya Banerjee and Sanjana Wavhal.

Redkar received her primary education at Cardinal Gracias High School in Bandra and later completed her graduation from Ramnarain Ruia College.

From her college days, she started taking part in college plays and worked in a few Marathi plays.

After making her acting debut in 2000 in Soon Asavi Ashi, she gained recognition for the 'Kombadi Palali' song from the super-hit film Jatra: Hyalagaad Re Tyalagaad (2005).

She made her film debut with Soon Asavi Ashi, opposite Ankush Chaudhari, in 2000.

She then appeared in a small role as a kidnapped girl, Apurva Kumari, in Prakash Jha's 2003 critically acclaimed Gangaajal.

In 2005, she was seen in critical and commercial failure U, Bomsi n Me. Her next release was the 2006 Marathi comedy film Jatra: Hyalagaad Re Tyalagaad, directed by Kedar Shinde with an ensemble cast of Bharat Jadhav, Siddhartha Jadhav, Vijay Chavan, and Priya Berde.

It was a huge success, especially since she became a household name through the superhit song 'Kombadi Palali '.

It was the first film where Redkar and Jadhav paired opposite each other.

Following the success of Jatra, she once again collaborated with Jadhav and Shinde on the romantic comedy Majha Navra Tujhi Bayko.

The story is about two couples and their complicated married lives.

It was well performed commercially.

She established herself with roles in the comedy dramas Majha Navra Tujhi Bayko (2006), Sakkha Savatra (2008), Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho (2010) and On Duty 24 Taas (2010).

Redkar starrer in two films in 2007, first the romantic drama Soon Majhi Bhagyachi and the drama Ghartyasathi Sar Kahi.

This was followed by the 2008 super-hit family drama film Sakkha Savatra, revolving around a wicked stepmother and her innocent son.

She portrayed the smart daughter-in-law who understands and makes her husband aware of the odd goings, alongside Makarand Anaspure and Berde.

Her next film was Mahesh Tilekar's comedy Gaon Tasa Changala, alongside Nilu Phule, Sanjay Narvekar, and Siddharth Jadhav.

She played the glamorous role of US-return-educated teacher.

Her only release in 2009 was Mata Ekvira Navsala Pauli, directed by her father, Dinanath Redkar.

She depicted the goddess Ekvira's devotee and her faith in her.

Mahesh Manjrekar's Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho was the first film in 2010, based on our education department.

The film was highly praised by critics and audiences, mainly calling it a must-watch film.

It was remade in four languages: Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Punjabi.

Ulhas Shirke of Marathi Movie World found she has been cleverly used to complete the requirement of a female lead and wrote, "'she has played her part well."

Next, she played brave cop Bansi Kolvalkar opposite Amol Kolhe in the comedy drama revolving around the Maharashtra police in On Duty 24 Taas.

Prasanna Hulikavi of Marathi Movie World commented, "Redkar has done a good job as the sub inspector."

Her other two releases of that year were the custom comedy drama Ladi Godi and the thriller drama Target, both opposite Sanjay Narvekar.

In 2011, her first release was the biggest multi-starrer, Shahanpan Dega Deva, which performed moderately at the box office.

Marathi Movie World's Ulhas Shirke thought that three girls were just show pieces and were rightly used in the climax scene as item girls.

Her next release was Sanjay Jadhav's Fakta Ladh Mhana.

It was one of the most anticipated and costliest movies made in Marathi cinemas at the time.

Critics find her in a totally different role in this film.

Further praise came for her performances in the romantic drama Teen Bayka Fajiti Aika (2012), No Entry: Pudhe Dhoka Aahey (2012), the comedy Kho-Kho (2013), the ensemble drama Sugar Salt Ani Prem (2015), and the comedy mystery Murder Mestri (2015).

She also worked in the American film The Letters (2014).

Redkar made her directorial debut with the romantic Kaakan in 2015, for which she won the Best Director Award at the Nashik International Film Festival.

She next gained acclaim for portraying fraudsters in Kiran Kulkarni vs Kiran Kulkarni (2016) and a surrogate maid in Karaar (2017).

The latter received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 4th Filmfare Awards Marathi.

In addition to this, she launched her own clothing brand, ZiyaZyda, in 2019.