Riya Sen
Riya Sen (born Riya Dev Varma on 24 January 1981) is an Indian
film actress and model. Riya, who comes from a family of actors including her
grandmother Suchitra Sen, mother Moon Moon Sen and sister Raima Sen, began her
acting career in 1991 as a child actress in the film Vishkanya. Her
first commercial success in her film career was with Style, a 2001 Hindi
low-budget sex comedy directed by N. Chandra. Some of her other films include
producer Pritish Nandy's musical film, Jhankaar Beats (2003) in Hinglish,
Shaadi No. 1 (2005) and Malayalam horror film Ananthabhadram
(2005).
Riya was first recognised as a model when she performed in Falguni Pathak's music video Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi at the age of sixteen. Since then, she has appeared in music videos, television commercials, fashion shows, and on magazine covers. She has been a heartthrob sensation throughout India. Riya has worked as an activist and appeared in an AIDS awareness music video with the aim of dispelling popular myths about the disease. She also helped raise funds for paediatric eye-care. Riya has faced controversies such as a MMS clip with actor Ashmit Patel, her semi-nude photograph on photographer Dabboo Ratnani's annual calendar and her on-screen kisses in a conservative Indian film industry.
