- Raageshwari debuted as an actress in the film Aankhen at age 16
- She became an MTV VJ and released hit pop albums in the 1990s
- At 25, she was diagnosed with Bells palsy, paralyzing the left side of her face
She made her acting debut in the Govinda and Chunky Panday-starrer Aankhen at 16. The teenager became an overnight sensation with the film's success.
She didn't stop at films—she rose to fame as an MTV VJ with Ek Do Teen, one of the channel's most popular shows. She also earned fame as a pop icon with hit albums like Duniya, Pyaar Ka Rag, Sach Ka Saath, and Y2K - Saal Do Hazaar.
Her album Y2K - Saal Do Hazaar topped the charts. But destiny didn't seem to favour her as the world stepped into the new millennium.
She was battling malaria while shooting the music video. Soon after, her health deteriorated, and within a week of the album's release, she was diagnosed with Bell's palsy.
She is Raageshwari, one of the familiar faces of 90s who made her presence felt on films, music and pop culture.
Following the illness, she quietly stepped away from the world of glamour and limelight.
But adversity didn't dampen her spirit. She turned to physiotherapy and yoga—practices for physical healing as well as spiritual awakening.
Now, as a life coach and mother to a 10-year-old daughter, Raageshwari has rebuilt her identity as a 'Mindfulness' speaker, guiding and motivating individuals to find balance between success and inner peace, ambitions and the meaning of life.
At 25, Left Side of Raageshwari's Face Was Paralyzed
Raageshwari was diagnosed with Bell's palsy at 25. The condition paralyzed the left side of her face and caused a slur in her speech.
The illness left her bedridden for four years. During this phase, she turned to physiotherapy and yoga.
Writing about the experience in an Instagram caption, Raageshwari shared, "I started yoga in 2000 during my facial paralysis. I would visit with my lop-sided face and low morale in a packed class of hundreds of students."
Talking about her strict yoga gurus, she wrote, "They taught me yoga is to look within, to awaken my inner self. I had to build humility to admit my own flaws and limitations as well as applaud my strengths."
Yoga Transformed Her Life and Career
"Yoga was never a workout for me but a work-in. I practised yoga merely for health reasons, and yes, it transformed my health, fitness, and flexibility. But it also transformed everything else in my life. It showed me the bright path of humility, acceptance, kindness, simplicity, and patience—for oneself and others," the singer-actress mentioned in one of her posts.
Raageshwari reinvented herself as a mindfulness and manifestation coach, impacting lives through her motivational speeches and talks. In between, she also emerged as a writer with Penguin India.
Moved to London, Married at 39
In 2012, she moved to London, where she met her now-husband, Sudhanshu Swaropp KC. He is a London-based Human Rights lawyer. The two married in 2014.
Speaking about their relationship, Raageshwari once shared, "Never felt the need to post birthday messages or anniversary wishes as we both write handwritten notes to each other like children. He is also absent on social media, so it would seem bizarre to post messages here."
"I was 39 and Sudhanshu was 41 when we got married. We were kindly introduced by my beloved sister-in-law Nidhi and our parents. We communicated for six months through letters—hopelessly slow. When we finally spoke, it felt like a homecoming. We chase good character more than wealth, love more than power, and picnics more than glitzy restaurants in London," she shared.
Raageshwari's Simple Mantra
Raageshwari makes it a point to bring her daughter to India every year. In one post, she shared, "Samaya is lucky to spend every summer in India celebrating Independence Day. She learns about Gandhiji and our brave soldiers, reads Rabindranath Tagore's poems, and enjoys great food, music, and dance."
Raageshwari doesn't even own a car. "I walk my daughter to school every day. I use public transport. Only when I'm hosting or performing do I take a black cab. Each day, I learn how to walk the calming path of a simple life," she shared.
Apart from Aankhen, Raageshwari starred in films like Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost, Dil Kitna Nadan Hai, and Zid, to name a few.
She also participated as a celebrity contestant in Bigg Boss 5 in 2011.
But amid all of this, Raageshwari set an example of living life in simplicity away from the din and bustle of tinsel town.