Shriya Saran Bhatnagar, born on September 11, 1982, in Haridwar, India, is a prominent Indian actress and model known for her work in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films. She was raised in a family where her father, Pushpendra Saran, worked for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, and her mother, Neerja Saran, was a chemistry teacher. Shriya completed her education at Delhi Public School and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi. Initially aspiring to be a dancer, she transitioned to acting and made her film debut with the Telugu movie "Ishtam" in 2001. Her breakthrough came with the film "Santosham" (2002), which established her as a leading actress in the South Indian film industry. She gained widespread recognition for her role in "Sivaji: The Boss" (2007), one of the highest-grossing Tamil films at that time. In addition to her acting career, Shriya is involved in philanthropy and has opened a spa employing visually impaired individuals. She married Andrei Koscheev in 2018 and they have one child named Radha.