Sangeeta Bijlani is remembered for her TV commercials for Vicco Tumeric Ayurvedic Cream, though she did a fairly large number of print and ramp appearances.
Born on July 9, 1960 in Bombay in a Sindhi-speaking household, her dad's name is Motilal, and she has a brother named Sunil.
Sangeeta became popular when she was crowned Miss India in 1980, taking over the title from Bollywood actress Swaroop Sampat, and then on to also achieve the National Custome Award at Miss Universe in the same year. The following she was succeeded by Ruchita Kumar.
Needless to state, she received a number of Bollywood movie offers, which included Tridev, Hatimtai, Hathyar, Jurm, Vishnu Devaa amongst others. When Tridev ratings soared at the Box Office, so did hers, especially after her song 'Raat Bar Jhaam Se Jhaam Takrayega...". She acted in a total of 16 movies, but was unable to establish herself as a Bollywood leading lady.
She was romantically linked to a number of co-stars and directors. She was the reason Salman Khan broke off with his girlfriend, Shaheen - only to later ditch Sangeeta for Somy Ali.
After completing Nirbhay in 1996, she met the soft-spoken and dashing Hyderbabd-based cricketer, Mohammed Azharuddin, who was so smitten with her, that he divorced his wife, and married Sangeeta. Her Islamic name is Ayesha Azhar, and she has two step-sons from Azhar's previous marriage.
Their marriage, though intact, has gone through considerable challenges when Azhar's life finances came under close scrutiny after match fixing charges were brought against a number of cricketers, and as a result their residence on Hill Road, Bandra, was raided by authorities.
Nothwithstanding the above, Azhar and Sangeeta are still together and have financed a company called Azhar Sangeeta Management Services.
