Yana Gupta Birthday Special! Remember the ‘Gharshana’ bombshell through these jaw-dropping photos | The Times of India (2024)

Along with the regular bunch of actresses who are known for their conceiving portrayals, there is an exclusive group of divas in Indian cinema who are hugely popular for their eye-popping dance moves. Besides making special appearances in Bollywood and regional cinema, these gorgeous gals take the concerned film to the masses with their arresting glamour and captivating moves. Though they have a minor presence on the silver screen, that’s enough for them to steal the show and extract whistles in theaters.

Czech-born Yana Gupta also belongs to that special group. Considered as one among the top models in the fashion arena, Yana roused to limelight in the showbiz world with her famous “Babuji” number from the 2003 Hindi film ‘Dum’. She is celebrating her 41st birthday on Thursday and on the special occasion; check out some of her jaw-dropping avatars.

Yana Gupta was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia to a Czech father and an Indian mother. Her parents got divorced when Yana was very young and she was brought up by her mother with great difficulty as they didn’t have the necessary financial support. Upon completion of her Graduation in Park Architecture and Gardening, the leggy lass stepped foot into modelling at the tender age of sixteen after she was spotted by a local talent scout. She travelled to Japan and modelled in the country for a considerable period of time. With her exotic looks and arresting personality, Yana reached the top of her game in a short time.

Yana’s quest for spirituality brought her to India and she spent the initial years at the Osho’s Ashram in Pune. While learning the nuances of meditation, yoga and the path to self-discovery, the hazel-eyed beauty met Satyakam Gupta who happened to be an artist. The duo got hitched in a private ceremony and Yana changed her last name to Gupta. However, the couple parted ways in 2005. In 2001, Yana entered the Indian modelling scene and replaced Indian-Canadian actress Lisa Ray to become the brand ambassador of India's largest cosmetic brand.

After turning into a popular model in the fashion arena, Yana Gupta featured in India’s most-viewed fashion calendar for three consecutive years. She steamed up the cyberspace and made several heads turn with her alluring photo-shoots. Within a short time, she made her big Bollywood debut by shaking her belly for ‘Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo’ song in ‘Dum’. As the peppy song turned out to be a massive hit, Yana was flooded with film offers. Besides regional projects, the leggy lass made her presence felt in several Hindi films like ‘Rakht’, ‘Chalo Dilli’, ‘Murder 2’ and ‘Dassehra’.

After receiving a thunderous response for ‘Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo’, Yana Gupta delivered yet another terrific performance in Simbhu’s ‘Manmadha’. She literally set the screens on fire in the peppy number ‘Thathai Thathai’ and continued her success streak to south. The ravishing beauty followed it up with a spectacular dance number in ‘Gharshana’. In Shankar’s ‘Aparichithudu’, she danced alongside Chiyaan Vikram in Remo song. Her glamourous presence in the pacey number was an absolute delight to watch.

Yana was crowned as PETA India’s Hottest Vegetarian Alive in 2003 along with Amitabh Bachchan. In 2009, she turned into a writer and wrote a book on health titled ‘How To Love Your Body And Get The Body You Love’. Despite limited film offers, she has kept herself occupied by participating in television reality shows on dance and stunts. Presently, she is living her life peacefully with yoga, meditation and learning about the path to self-discovery. The musician was last seen in Neil Nitin Mukesh’s 2018 film Dassehra.