Bhumika Chawla, born Rachna Chawla on August 21, 1978, in New Delhi, India, is an accomplished Indian actress and former model. She hails from a Punjabi family and completed her schooling in Delhi. Her father served as a military officer, which influenced her upbringing. Bhumika moved to Mumbai in 1997 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, starting with advertisements and music videos. She gained prominence with her debut film "Yuvakudu" in 2000 and became widely recognized for her role as Nirjara Bharadwaj in the Hindi film "Tere Naam" (2003). Bhumika married yoga teacher Bharat Thakur on October 21, 2007, after dating for four years. The couple has one son, born in February 2014.