# Anita Raj
**Anita Raj** (also credited as **Anita Raaj**) is an Indian actress and producer who worked as a leading lady in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) through the 1980s and later became known for mature, authoritative roles in Hindi television, including Rajmata Devvadan Singh Deo in *Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani* and Kulwant Kaur Dillon in *Choti Sarrdaarni*.[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tsk9EQG8A) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) |
| Family | Daughter of the character actor Jagdish Raj; sister of director Bobby Raaj; aunt of actress Malvika Raaj[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/bio/) |
| Marriage | Married to Sunil Hingorani since 1986; one child[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) |
| Early films | *Prem Geet* (1981), *Zara Si Zindagi* (1983), *Zameen Aasman* (1984), *Masterji* (1985)[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tsk9EQG8A) |
| Television roles | Naina Singhania in *24: India* (2013–2016), Rajmata Devvadan Singh Deo in *Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani*, Kulwant Kaur Dillon in *Choti Sarrdaarni* (2019–2021)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) • [1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tsk9EQG8A) |
| Recent work | Kaveri Poddar in *Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai* from October 2023; films *Anaari Is Back* (2023) and *Mere Husband Ki Biwi* (2025)[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Anita-Raj/news) • [5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anita-raj/5020/filmography) |
| Producing | Producer of the multilingual thriller *Praana* (2019)[5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anita-raj/5020/filmography) |
## Background and family
Anita Raj was born in 1962 in Bombay, Maharashtra.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) Her father, [Jagdish Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/jagdish-raj), was a Hindi film character actor remembered for playing police officers.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/bio/) She is the sister of Bollywood director Bobby Raaj and the aunt of actress Malvika Raaj, who appeared in *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/bio/)
Her name is recorded inconsistently across databases. IMDb lists her birth name as Anita Raj Hingorani, while other profiles give Anita Raj Khurana.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/bio/) • [6](https://neemtime.com/anita-raj/) Most sources agree on the 13 August 1962 birth date, though one biography page gives 28 February 1963.[7](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/hindi/movie-actress/anita-raj) She has been married to Sunil Hingorani since 1986 and they have one child; her son Shivan Hingorani was reported in 2015 to be preparing his directorial debut, and she said at the time that she had asked him for a role in his film.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) • [4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Anita-Raj/news)
## Film career
Raj entered Hindi cinema in the early 1980s. Her notable early roles include the films *Prem Geet* (1981), *Zara Si Zindagi* (1983), *Zameen Aasman* (1984), and *Masterji* (1985).[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tsk9EQG8A) Through the decade she appeared steadily in commercial Hindi cinema, with credits including *Ghulami* (1985), *Ilzaam* (1986), *Satyamev Jayate* (1987), *Clerk* (1989), *Taaqatwar* (1989), and *Adharm* (1992).[8](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/anita-raaj/) • [9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anita_raj)
**A frequent pairing with Mithun Chakraborty.** Raj appeared in 11 Hindi films with [Mithun Chakraborty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mithun-chakraborty), from *Kaun? Kaisey?* (1983) to *Anari is backk* (2023), with the 1980s accounting for most of the pairings; the titles include *Ghulami*, *Karishma Kudrat Kaa*, *Karm Yudh*, *Hawalaat*, *Hiraasat*, and *Hum Se Na Takrana*.[10](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/8590-12295-mithun-chakraborty-anita-raj) According to that account, director J.P. Dutta was initially unsure about casting her opposite Mithun in *Ghulami* because she was new to Hindi films, and Mithun vouched for her after seeing her work in a Telugu film.[10](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/8590-12295-mithun-chakraborty-anita-raj)
Her later film work became sparser and included *Thodi Life Thoda Magic* (2008), *Chaar Din Ki Chandni* (2012), *Mudda 370 J&K* (2019), *Lafzon Mein Pyaar* (2023), *Anaari Is Back* (2023), and *Mere Husband Ki Biwi* (2025).[5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anita-raj/5020/filmography) • [8](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/anita-raaj/) She also took a producer credit on *Praana* (2019), a thriller released in Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi.[5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anita-raj/5020/filmography)
## Television career
Raj built a second phase of her career on Hindi television, where she became known for regal and matriarchal characters.[6](https://neemtime.com/anita-raj/) She played Rajmata Devvadan Singh Deo in *Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani* and Kulwant Kaur Dillon in *Choti Sarrdaarni*, which ran from 2019 to 2021 over 655 episodes.[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tsk9EQG8A) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) On the Indian adaptation of the American series *24*, she played Naina Singhania across 41 episodes from 2013 to 2016.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/) • [11](https://www.colorstv.com/us/character/anita-raaj/)
In October 2023 she joined the long-running series *Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai* as Kaveri Poddar after a generational leap in the story; in August 2026 she marked the series reaching 1,000 episodes, describing the set as feeling like home.[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Anita-Raj/news)
## References
1. [Biography of Anita Raj (80 के दशक की चर्चित अभिनेत्री), Aastha Films, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tsk9EQG8A)
2. [Anita Raj (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/)
3. [Anita Raj Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0707268/bio/)
4. [Anita Raj news, eTimes, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Anita-Raj/news)
5. [Anita Raj filmography, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anita-raj/5020/filmography)
6. [Anita Raj Height: How Tall, Physique Photos, Biography, NeemTime](https://neemtime.com/anita-raj/)
7. [Hindi Movie Actress Anita Raj Biography, NETTV4U](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/hindi/movie-actress/anita-raj)
8. [Anita Raaj, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/anita-raaj/)
9. [Anita Raj Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anita_raj)
10. [Mithun Chakraborty & Anita Raj — 11 Hindi Films Together, GudVibe](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/8590-12295-mithun-chakraborty-anita-raj)
11. [Anita Raaj as Naina Singhania in 24 Season 2, Colors TV](https://www.colorstv.com/us/character/anita-raaj/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1970s–1980s › Surnames M to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license