'Jalebi Bai' Turns A Year Older

A model turned actress who turned heads with her bold roles, Mallika Sherawat is one of the few Bollywood stars to attempt a crossover to Hollywood with cinema like Hisss and Politics Of Love.

Born as Reema Lamba in Haryana to a Jat family, Reema took the screen name Mallika and appeared in a few advertisements and albums before striking it big with the 2003 film Khwahish, which brought her to the limelight because of the intense lip-locking scenes that she had indulged in. Sherawat subsequently reprised the role played by Diane Lane in Unfaithful in the Bollywood adaptation of the film named Murder opposite serial kisser Emraan Hashmi.

In 2005, Sherawat acted in The Myth, a Chinese film, co-starring with martial artist actor Jackie Chan. Sherawat played the role of an Indian princess who falls in love and is rescued by Jackie. The Myth was her first International film.

Apart from The Myth, Sherawat also played lead roles in Hisss, a tale about the fictional nagas and Politics Of Love, a romantic comedy where she plays Aretha Gupta, a devoted local Obama volunteer coordinator.

Mallika Sherawat, who celebrates her birthday today, remains the rare breeds of Indian actresses who is known for her bold image and raunchy item numbers as well as her intenational film experiences.