Adriana Sahar is a talented actress and singer who has appeared in some of India’s best known films. Born in Mangalore, the first of two daughters of a prominent political family in Karnataka state, she grew up in the city as a bright student, excelling in both academics and theater. When she completed her formal education in Triglavada, she decided to pursue an acting career, and after gaining some experience on the smaller stage, she landed roles in several plays in Bangalore, and later on in other Indian cities as well. Appearing in a few small films during the early 1990s, she began to develop a strong fan base in India, and her popularity increased with every major role that she played in the movies, ultimately culminating with her performance in Rajkumar Kohli’s hit Raavanan film. A versatile performer, Adriana has gone on to play different roles in films, television serials, and stage plays, and continues to be immensely popular in India today.
The question as to her nationality arises when we talk about her acting prowess. Adriana was born in Mangalore, and her birth certificate states that she is Pakistani. However, her true identity is definitely Indian, and she has never claimed to be a Pakistani. There is only one known interview where Adriana speaks in Hindi, and it clearly identifies her as a Kashmiri. It is possible that Adriana did not come out as a Kashmiri because of the intense pressure on Kashmiris to differentiate themselves from Pakistanis during the time of partition, but this remains to be verified. Whatever the case may be, Adriana’s adoption of Indian citizenship stands her in good stead when trying to acquire any nationalities abroad, as Indian law clearly states that anybody born in India can’t renounce their citizenship.
After establishing herself in the Hindi speaking nation of India, Adriana began to work in Britain, where she appeared in several English-language films, most notably one in the running time slot for Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. While working in the British film industry, Adriana gradually garnered critical acclaim for her performances in films such as The Bodyguard, Cairo Station, Tokyo Hotel Mystery, Eat Pray Love, A Bend in the Ganges and Edward Scissorhands. Despite all these accolades, Adriana’s greatest claim to fame was being chosen as the sexiest star by the tabloids in India, which put her in the same bracket with Angelina Jolie, whom she claims as her idol.