# Ashwini Bhave (अश्विनी भावे)
**Ashwini Bhave** (अश्विनी भावे) is an Indian actress who worked in Marathi and [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) through the late 1980s and 1990s, known for her role as "Madhuri Madam" in the Marathi comedy *[Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashi-hi-banwa-banwi)* and for her Hindi debut in *[Henna](https://www.edgepedia.org/henna-film)* (1991). After marriage she settled in the United States and later returned to Indian film and television as a producer and character actress.[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) • [2](https://marathi.abplive.com/entertainment/television/ashwini-bhave-know-about-actress-childhood-marathi-and-hindi-movies-and-serials-1193484)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 May, into a Koknastha Brahmin Bhave family; published sources give the birth year as 1967 or 1972[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) • [3](https://www.marathi.tv/actress/ashwini-bhave/) |
| Career start | 1987, with the Marathi film *Rajlakshmi*[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) |
| Hindi debut | *Henna* (1991), opposite Rishi Kapoor, a box-office success[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) • [3](https://www.marathi.tv/actress/ashwini-bhave/) |
| Signature Marathi role | Madhuri in *Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi* (1988), directed by Sachin Pilgaonkar; her lemon-colored saree in the film remains widely remembered[4](https://www.marathijagran.com/entertainment/do-you-know-these-facts-about-the-famous-actress-ashwini-bhave-in-the-entertainment-industry-21277) • [5](https://www.esakal.com/premier/actress-ashwini-bhave-on-ashi-hi-banwa-banwi-lemon-saree-ashok-saraf-story-amk08) |
| Production | *Kadachit* (2007), the first film she produced, won her an award[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/my-husband-is-proud-of-me-ashvini/articleshow/2864831.cms) |
| Return to acting | *The Raikar Case* (Voot Select, 2020), her web-series debut after a hiatus[7](https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/vishnuvardhan-was-an-understanding-and-helpful-person-the-raikar-case-actress-ashvini-bhave-824160.html) |
| Family | Married to software engineer Kishore Bopardikar; two sons; lives in San Francisco[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) • [3](https://www.marathi.tv/actress/ashwini-bhave/) |
## Early life
Bhave has said that in school she took part in Gita recitation and elocution competitions, and that during the tenth-grade vacation she worked in a play.[2](https://marathi.abplive.com/entertainment/television/ashwini-bhave-know-about-actress-childhood-marathi-and-hindi-movies-and-serials-1193484) A Marathi profile describes her early interest in theater as the foundation of her professional career.[8](https://www.rashtrapress.com/entertainment/ashwini-bhave-career-break-filmmaking-comeback)
## Marathi and Hindi film career
She began her film career in 1987 with *Rajlakshmi*, followed by Marathi films including *Kis Bai Kis*, *Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi*, *Kalat Nakalat*, *Zhunj Tuzhi Mazi*, and *Vazir*.[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) In *Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi* (1988), directed by [Sachin Pilgaonkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sachin-pilgaonkar) and starring [Ashok Saraf](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashok-saraf), Laxmikant Berde, and [Supriya Pilgaonkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/supriya-pilgaonkar), she played Madhuri, and the performances of Saraf and Bhave drew particular attention.[4](https://www.marathijagran.com/entertainment/do-you-know-these-facts-about-the-famous-actress-ashwini-bhave-in-the-entertainment-industry-21277) In a later interview she credited Ashok Saraf with making her lemon-colored saree in the film famous.[5](https://www.esakal.com/premier/actress-ashwini-bhave-on-ashi-hi-banwa-banwi-lemon-saree-ashok-saraf-story-amk08) She has also said that the songs she acted in included picturizations on songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar.[9](https://maharashtratimes.com/entertainment/interview/marathi-cinema-will-also-get-nationwide-popularity-ashwini-bhave/articleshow/91121703.cms)
**Hindi films.** In 1991 she entered Hindi cinema with *Henna*, opposite [Rishi Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/rishi-kapoor), whom she had admired as a fan since childhood; she went on to work with him again in *Honeymoon* and *Mohabbat Ki Arzoo*.[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) With Akshay Kumar she appeared in *Ashant*, *Sainik*, and *Jakhmi Dil*, and her co-stars also included [Jackie Shroff](https://www.edgepedia.org/jackie-shroff), Vinod Khanna, and [Mithun Chakraborty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mithun-chakraborty).[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) Her filmography in Hindi also covers *Meera Ka Mohan*, *Parampara*, *Kanoon Kanoon*, *Chauraha*, *Izzat Ki Roti*, *Wapsi Saajan Ki*, and *Yugpurush*; a Marathi profile notes that only two of her Hindi films were hits, *Bhairavi* (1996, with Shridhar) and *Bandhan* (1998, with Jackie Shroff).[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) She worked in Kannada films as well.[10](https://www.mensxp.com/marathi/entertainment/marathi-movies/94340-ashwini-bhave-movie-list-in-marathi.html) In a 1993 interview roundtable for Filmfare she discussed working with the Kapoors on *Henna*, her song "Aja Ve Mahi", and how the role changed audiences' perception of her as an actor.[11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu5BLaShV3U)
## Break and comeback
After marriage Bhave moved away from the film world and settled in California with her family.[12](https://www.loksatta.com/manoranjan/the-raikar-case-web-series-marathi-actress-ashwini-bhave-debut-in-web-series-ssj-93-2130148/) In 2007 she returned to [Marathi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/marathi-cinema) with *Kadachit*, which was also the first film she produced, and she won an award for it.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/my-husband-is-proud-of-me-ashvini/articleshow/2864831.cms) A Marathi profile says her motive for returning, after a gap of many years and as a producer, was her attachment to Marathi cinema and a sense of giving back to society; her first produced Marathi film is described there as *Evdhasa Abhal*, which explores the emotional world of young children.[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/)
Her later roles included Shalu in *Dhyanimani*, a psychological thriller based on [Chandrakant Kulkarni](https://www.edgepedia.org/chandrakant-kulkarni)'s play.[13](https://lmoty.lokmat.com/lmotywinner_2018.php) In 2020 she made her web-series debut in *[The Raikar Case](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-raikar-case)*, a Voot Select original that Deccan Herald described as marking her comeback after a hiatus; she told the paper that doing a web show is like working on three film scripts at once.[7](https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/vishnuvardhan-was-an-understanding-and-helpful-person-the-raikar-case-actress-ashvini-bhave-824160.html) During the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, she said she had taken responsibility for supporting about 200 theater workers for the following four months.[14](https://maharashtratimes.com/entertainment/interview/television-and-cinema-star-ashwini-bhave-interview-about-corona-lockdown/amp_articleshow/76191813.cms) A Hindi news profile reports that she has been honored with the Maharashtra State Film Award among other recognitions.[8](https://www.rashtrapress.com/entertainment/ashwini-bhave-career-break-filmmaking-comeback)
## Personal life
Bhave married Kishore Bopardikar, a Maharashtrian software engineer who owns an international company, and the couple have two sons; she lives in San Francisco.[1](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/) She was at one time friends with actress [Madhuri Dixit](https://www.edgepedia.org/madhuri-dixit), who also moved to the United States after her marriage.[3](https://www.marathi.tv/actress/ashwini-bhave/) She remains active on social media and has hosted Marathi artists including [Anupam Kher](https://www.edgepedia.org/anupam-kher) and the team of *Jaane Pehchaane Anjaane* at her San Francisco home.[15](https://www.tv9marathi.com/photo-gallery/ashwini-bhave-welcomes-anupam-kher-and-jaane-pehchaane-anjaane-team-at-her-san-francisco-home-had-lunch-1767869.html)
## References
1. [अश्विनी भावे – profiles, Marathi Srushti](https://www.marathisrushti.com/profiles/ashwini-bhave/)
2. [Ashwini Bhave: childhood, Marathi and Hindi movies and serials, ABP Majha](https://marathi.abplive.com/entertainment/television/ashwini-bhave-know-about-actress-childhood-marathi-and-hindi-movies-and-serials-1193484)
3. [Ashwini Bhave Bio, Husband, Family, Biography, Marathi.TV](https://www.marathi.tv/actress/ashwini-bhave/)
4. [Do you know these facts about Ashwini Bhave, Marathi Jagran](https://www.marathijagran.com/entertainment/do-you-know-these-facts-about-the-famous-actress-ashwini-bhave-in-the-entertainment-industry-21277)
5. [Ashwini Bhave on Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi lemon saree, eSakal](https://www.esakal.com/premier/actress-ashwini-bhave-on-ashi-hi-banwa-banwi-lemon-saree-ashok-saraf-story-amk08)
6. [My husband is proud of me: Ashvini, Times of India (2008)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/my-husband-is-proud-of-me-ashvini/articleshow/2864831.cms)
7. [Vishnuvardhan was an understanding and helpful person: The Raikar Case actress Ashvini Bhave, Deccan Herald](https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/vishnuvardhan-was-an-understanding-and-helpful-person-the-raikar-case-actress-ashvini-bhave-824160.html)
8. [अश्विनी भावे: 90 के दशक की शोहरत से ब्रेक तक, राष्ट्र प्रेस](https://www.rashtrapress.com/entertainment/ashwini-bhave-career-break-filmmaking-comeback)
9. [Marathi cinema will also get nationwide popularity: Ashwini Bhave, Maharashtra Times](https://maharashtratimes.com/entertainment/interview/marathi-cinema-will-also-get-nationwide-popularity-ashwini-bhave/articleshow/91121703.cms)
10. [Ashwini Bhave movie list in Marathi, MensXP Marathi](https://www.mensxp.com/marathi/entertainment/marathi-movies/94340-ashwini-bhave-movie-list-in-marathi.html)
11. [Actors' Roundtable: Ashvini Bhave, Nivedita Saraf & Varsha Usgaonker, Filmfare (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu5BLaShV3U)
12. [अश्विनी भावे यांचं वेबविश्वात पदार्पण, Loksatta (2020)](https://www.loksatta.com/manoranjan/the-raikar-case-web-series-marathi-actress-ashwini-bhave-debut-in-web-series-ssj-93-2130148/)
13. [LMOTY Awards, Lokmat](https://lmoty.lokmat.com/lmotywinner_2018.php)
14. [एकमेकांना सावरत पुढे जाऊ: अश्विनी भावे, Maharashtra Times (2020)](https://maharashtratimes.com/entertainment/interview/television-and-cinema-star-ashwini-bhave-interview-about-corona-lockdown/amp_articleshow/76191813.cms)
15. [Ashwini Bhave welcomes Anupam Kher at her San Francisco home, TV9 Marathi](https://www.tv9marathi.com/photo-gallery/ashwini-bhave-welcomes-anupam-kher-and-jaane-pehchaane-anjaane-team-at-her-san-francisco-home-had-lunch-1767869.html)
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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 › Marathi film actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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