Lisa Ray is a Canadian-Indian actress, model, writer, and social activist. She has worked in several Indian and international films.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Lisa Ray was born as ‘Lisa Rani Ray’ on 4 April 1972 (age 47 years; as in 2019)Â in Toronto, Canada. Her Zodiac sign is Aries.
She spent some of her time in Kolkata, during her childhood. She did her schooling from Etobicoke Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Canada, Richview Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Canada and Silverthorn Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Canada. She came to India as a model but returned to Canada to study journalism. Unfortunately, her mother met with an accident, which made it difficult for her to pursue journalism. She went on to study in ‘Central School of Speech and Drama, London,’ ‘London Centre for Theatre Studies,’ ‘Desmond Jones School of Physical Theatre,’ and ‘British American Drama Academy (BADA).’ She got her post-graduate degree in acting from the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA).
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.):Â 5′ 6″
Weight (approx.):Â 60 kg
Figure Measurements (approx.):Â 36-27-35
Eye Colour:Â Hazel Green
Hair Colour:Â Dark Brown
Family, Caste & Husband
Lisa Ray’s father, L. K. Dutta is a Bengali and her mother, Jennifer Dutta is a Polish.
She is married to Jason Dehni, who is a Management Consultant.
She has two daughters named Sufi and Soleil, born via surrogacy in Tbilisi, Georgia on June 2018.
Career
She started her career as a model in the 1990s. She appeared in an advertisement for Bombay Dyeing, one of India’s largest producer of textiles. She then appeared on the cover of Glad Rags, which caused sensations. This led her to gain more such modelling projects.
She hosted the TV Show “Show Biz” on Star Movies with actor/model Kelly Dorji. She then appeared on the music video of Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khanâs song “Aafreen Aafreen.”
She made her Bollywood debut as an actor in 2001 with the film “Kasoor.”
She then appeared in the 2002 romantic comedy Indo-Canadian film “Bollywood/Hollywood.” In 2005, she worked in “Water (2005),” which was nominated for Oscar. The film attracted lots of controversies over its content and could not even be filmed in India.
She has worked in Canadian films like “All Hat (2007)” and “A Stone’s Throw (2006).” She has also appeared as a guest actor in an American TV series “Psych.” She hosted the Canadian reality show “Top Chef Canada” in season 2 and 4. She made her Tamil debut as an actress with the movie “Nethaji” in 1996.
Lisa made her Telugu debut with the film “Takkari Donga (2002)” and Kannada debut with the movie “Yuvaraja (2004).”
Controversies
- Lisa was once rumoured to be in a relationship with Sanjay Dutt. She was so fed up of the rumour that she left India and ran off to Canada.
- She was on highlights again when the movie “Dus (2005)” came. There was a rumour that she had dropped out of the film because her boyfriend had beaten her black and blue. She made no comments on the rumours. Years later, she talked about her experience and said that she was young and inexperienced back then to speak anything for herself. She would never tolerate physical abuse.
Awards
- Voted Star of the Future at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival
- Best Actress in a Canadian film for Water by the Vancouver Critics Circle
- Special Achievement Award at Miss India-Canada 2011
- Diamond Jubilee Medal in May 2013
- Anokhi Prestige award in 2013 for Canadian Actor of the Decade for movie “Water”
- Medscape award for Most Inspirational Fighter of India 2015
Favourite Things
- Colour:Â Yellow
- Food: Pecan Pie, Bumbleberry Pie, Pizza, California roll, Knafeh
- Beverages:Â Smoothies, Juices
- Directors:Â Federico Fellini, Satyajit Ray
Facts
- Lisa’s ancestral home is in Shyambazar, West Bengal.
- She was very close to her maternal grandmother and used to speak polish with her.
- She was so good at academics that she completed five years of high school in fours years.
- According to the poll conducted by Times Of India, she was named, “ninth most beautiful woman of the millennium.”
- Divya Dutta dubbed her voice in the film Kasoor.
- When her mother died in 2008, she returned to Toronto.
- Lisa attended the Toronto International Film Festival to support her work in ‘Cooking with Stella (2009).’ It was in this event that she revealed that she was suffering from multiple myeloma (a type of cancer).
- She then started writing a blog named “Yellow Diaries” where she shared her cancer experiences.
- On Christmas in 2009, Lisa received the stem cell transplant for the treatment of her rare cancer. She announced in 2010 that she was cancer-free due to transplant but not completely cured of disease as multiple myeloma was incurable.
- She has organised various campaigns to raise awareness for various social causes, mainly for cancer and women empowerment.
- She is a wellness advocate and loves doing Yoga.
- She is a pure vegetarian and even avoids dairy products.