Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal Wiki, Age, Husband, Family, Biography

Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal is an Indian actress who is popularly known for playing the role of Roshan Daruwala Kaur Sodhi in the popular Indian television sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008), which airs on Sony SAB and SonyLIV.

Wiki/Biography

Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal was born on Monday, 27 November 1978 (age 45 years; as of 2023) in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. She did her schooling at Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa School in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh from 1984 to 1994. She attended Jabalpur’s Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya. Thereafter she graduated following which she pursued a master’s degree in Commerce at G. S. College Of Commerce & Economics in Jabalpur. ^[1]LinkedIn – Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal Her mother enrolled her in classical dance courses and she completed her diploma in Kathak in 1995. Moreover, she also completed a course in Bundelkhandi folk music in 1998.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 4″

Weight (approx.): 60 kg

Hair Colour: Light Red Copper Brown

Eye Colour: Black

Figure Measurements (approx.): 34-30-34

Family

Jennifer belongs to a Parsi family in Madhya Pradesh.

Parents & Siblings

Her father was Parsi. Her mother, who worked as a staff nurse in a medical college, is a Christian. Jennifer had a younger brother named Malcolm Mistry who passed away in 2022. She has a brother named Adil Mistry. Her sister, Dimple, was born in 1980 with Down Syndrome; she died on 13 April 2024.

Husband & Children

On 7 March 2001, she got married to Mayur Bansiwal (also goes by the name Bobby Bansiwal), a software engineer, actor, and photographer. In 2013, they welcomed a baby girl and named her Lekissha Mistry Bansiwal.

Relationships/Affairs

Before getting married, Jennifer and Bobby Bansiwal dated each other.

Religion/Religious Views

In a Facebook post shared by Jennifer in 2021, she said that she considers ‘humanity’ as her religion. She has felt god’s presence in all worship places such as temples and dargahs. ^[2]Facebook – Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal

Career

Theatre 

Jennifer arrived in Mumbai to become an actress in 2004. She became a member of Mumbai’s Ekjute Theatre Group and Vivechana Theater Group in Jabalpur.

Television

In 2004, she made her acting debut with a cameo role in an Indian television series titled Kkusum, which was produced by Ekta Kapoor‘s Balaji Telefilms and aired on Sony Entertainment Television.

In 2006, she played a cameo appearance (as a saleswoman) in the popular crime TV show CID, which aired on Sony Entertainment Television. In 2008, she played the role of Roshan Daruwala Kaur Sodhi in the popular Indian sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The role earned her immense appreciation and she became a household face after the show became one of the most-watched television shows in India. In 2013, she took maternity leave and came back after three years. After shooting her last episode with the show on 6 March 2023, Jennifer left the show; she was replaced by Monaz Mevawala. 

In 2015, Jennifer worked on the show Naagin, which aired on Colors TV; however, due to some issues with the dates, she was only able to do a few episodes and left in the middle.

She has done cameo roles in several Hindi TV series including Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii (2000) and Kasautii Zindagi Kay (2001). She played a cameo role of Advocate Vijay Saxena’s wife in the show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000).

Film

In 2008, she made her Bollywood debut with the film Halla Bol, starring Ajay Devgn and Vidya Balan. Other Bollywood films in which she appeared include Krazzy 4 (2018), Luck by Chance (2009), and Airlift (2016).

Short Film 

Jennifer acted in several short films including ‘The Johnson Gang Of Mallorca,’ ‘Dark Senses Silence,’ and ‘Paying Guest.’

She has worked in several print ads and TV commercials for companies including Snapdeal, Parle Products, Aqua Elixir, and Manyavar.

Controversy

Accusations against producer Asit Kumarr Modi of sexual harassment

Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal disclosed in May 2023 that she shot her last episode with the Indian sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah on 6 March 2023. Jennifer, who dedicated 15 years to the TMKOC, quit the show following which she filed a case against executive producer Jatin Bajaj, project head Sohail Ramani, and producer Asit Kumarr Modi for sexually harassing her at work.

Yes, I’ve left the show. It is right that I shot my last episode of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah on March 6 this year. I had to leave the sets as I was subjected to humiliation and insult at the hands of Mr Sohil Ramani and the other executive producer Jatin Bajaj.”

Jennifer called the TMKOC’s workplace “an extremely male-chauvinistic place” while claiming that all women who work for Asit Modi and his crew are no better than bonded labourers. ^[3]The Times of India She talked about how Asit has made her uncomfortable and said,

There have been multiple incidents when he has tried to flirt with me and have made sexual advances. When we were shooting in Singapore, it was my marriage anniversary and at night, he told me, “Now, your marriage anniversary is over, so koi guilt nahi rahega aajao mere room mein dono whiskey peete hain…” He has made sexual comments so many times. Once, he was openly making comments and flirting with me and one of my co-actors handled the situation for me. There was also one incident when he called me ‘sexy’ and pulled my cheeks.”

Later, Asit Kumarr Modi denied the allegations in an interview, calling them ‘baseless.’ He also said that he and his team would take legal action against the actress as she was trying to defame him and the show. ^[4]ANI

We will take legal action as she is trying to defame me and the show both. Since we terminated her services, she is making these baseless allegations.”

Sohil Ramani and Jatin Bajaj addressed this situation in a media interaction and said that Jennifer was not focusing on her work and also misbehaved on the sets. They further added,

She regularly misbehaved on the show with the entire team. While moving out from the shoot, she rashly drove her car out at very high speed not caring for people in her way. She even damaged the set property. We had to terminate her contract because of her bad behaviour and indiscipline during the shoot. During this incident, Asit ji was in the USA. She is now trying to defame us and the show by making baseless allegations. We have already filed our complaint against these baseless allegations with the concerned authorities.”

In March 2024, Jennifer won the case against Asit. According to Jennifer, after the verdict came in her favour, Asit was ordered to pay almost Rs. 25-30 lakh as her dues including Rs. 5 lakh as compensation. ^[5]Hindustan Times

Car Collection

She bought a Skoda Rapid in 2017.

Favourites

• Food: Masala Khichadi, Dal-Chawal with ghee

• Actor(s): Jeetendra, R. Madhavan

• Actresses: Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi

• Travel Destination: Goa

• Street Food: Ragda Pani Puri, Chaat

• Film: Satte Pe Satta (1982)

• Song(s): Jhuka Ke Sar Ko Puchho, Dilbar Mere, Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Naa (all from the 1982 film Satte Pe Satta), Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh (from the 1960 film Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai)

Facts/Trivia

• Her friends fondly call her Jenny, Jenna, JMB, and Jenn.

• She participated in Mrs. Chennai in 2002.

• She is fond of the Urdu language.

• Jennifer is an ardent fan of retro music and also Sher-o-Shayari.

• Jennifer has a 1st Dan-Black Belt in Shito-Ryu karate, which she earned in 1995. Other than this, she won 3 shields in karate.

• She is a Reiki practitioner and practices meditation and yoga in her leisure time.

• She is a professional angel card reader. She attended a workshop on Chakra Revival.

• She has a YouTube channel under the name JenniferMistryBansiwalJMB.

• She has done theatre under the guidance of Nadira Babbar.

• Her mother-in-law changed Jennifer’s name to Jhanvi Bansiwal after her marriage, a name she kept for three years only.

• While she was a student at G. S. College Of Commerce & Economics, she actively participated in theatre. She once participated in a play titled Sinhasan Khali Hai during an Inter College Competition and their team won the third prize.
  

  Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal during a theatre play in 1997

• Jennifer was unemployed after she got married and was a housemaker in Chennai. It was her husband who pushed her to make a living and encouraged her to share her headshots with an Indian magazine called Great Magazines. She then started receiving offers to act in TV shows, advertisements, and short films.

• She is good at remembering dates.

• She owns several diaries in which she has written all about her 2000+ auditions.

• Jennifer believes that she has a karmic connection with her co-actress Disha Vakani. In an interview, while talking about this, she said,
  

  Her husband and brother’s names are Mayur and my husband’s name is also Mayur. Her brother’s birthday is on August 26th and my daughter’s birthday is also on the same date. Her daughter Stuti and I share the same birthday November 27. I told Disha we have some karmic connection, we shared vanity vans for 5 years.”

• In March 2023, soon after quitting Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, she talked about her financial status in an interview and said that only Rs. 80,000 were left in her bank account. ^[6]Hindustan Times

• In December 2023, when actor Monaz Mevawala was announced to take over the character ‘Roshan Daruwala’ on the show “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah,” Jennifer congratulated Mevawala, in an interview. She further expressed that her connection with the team, show, and character had faded when she initially left the show, as she was certain about not returning. ^[7]The Times of India