It's very rare to find that one perfect gem of an actor, who not only takes up every challenge thrown their way but also owns and nails it completely. And birthday girl Renuka Shahane is one such actress. While we need not really talk about her theatre and Marathi industry achievements, which are well known, Renuka also hosted the Doordarshan show Surabhi along with Kak. And believe it or not, that million-dollar confident smile of Renuka was what got her her first Bollywood film. On the eve of her Birthday, here are some TV and Bollywood roles of the actress that will always be remembered. Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan, Renuka Shahane, Mohnish Bahl Turn Up for Hum Aapke Hain Koun’s 25-Year-Anniversary Special Screening and Our Hearts Are Going DHIK TANA (See Pics).

Circus

Renuka debuted with Shah Rukh Khan's television show Circus and played his lady love, Maria. Well, if only she would have known what an achievement that is considered in today's times. Not that Renuka does not have her own list of accomplishments.

Hum Aapke Hai Koun..!

Who can forget the cult movie Hum Aapke Hai Koun..!, Afterall, that was the role that catapulted Renuka to immense fame. Renuka plays Pooja, who in an arranged marriage set up gets married to the man of her dreams and has a perfect life, apart from also being the epitome of traditional values, in short, the perfect bahu. However, she and her dreams come crashing down. Every single cast member was appreciated for their role in the movie, especially Renuka and ever since Hum Aapke Hai Koun?... there was no looking back for her. The movie also became the highest-grossing Indian movie of its time.

Bucket List

Remember Madhuri Dixit's Marathi debut movie Bucket List, where she fulfils the bucket list of the 20-year-old girl whose heart she received in a transplant? Apart from Madhuri, it was Renuka, who stole away a lot of hearts with her challenging portrayal of the 20-year-old's mother, who has to face the woman who received her daughter's heart. And she does so, without any malice or ill-will towards the woman who can live because her daughter decided to volunteer as the donor.

Kora Kagaz

Renuka was also a noted name in the television industry also. And one of her most known shows was Koraz Kagaz, a show that was way progressive for its time. It revolved around Pooja (played by Shahane) who is left crushed on her wedding night when her husband tells her that he did not want to get married in the first place and walks out on her. However, in times where the society dictates what happens to such women, Pooja, with the help of her brother-in-law Ravi, decides to re-write her own fate and then begins to fall for him.

Sailaab

Sailaab was yet another show that only went on to decorate Renuka's already illustrious resume. Lasting 3 years, Sailaab was a huge show for its time, considering its take on relationships. An emotional drama, where two lovers are separated and end up marrying other persons, but when they meet each other after a hiatus, their love is still strong like before, Sailaab came at a time when such things were not seen with an open mind like now. And Renuka nailed her part as Shivani, whose brother emotionally blackmails her to leave the love of her life Rohit (Sachin Khedekar) and forces her to marry another man who is financially stable.

With an illustrious career spanning over 30 years, Renuka has no dearth of fans, who have appreciated the actress' acting prowess which only gets better with each passing day. To still be a name to reckon with, in a time where there are hundreds of actors in the film and television industry is no mean feat, something that Renuka has achieved with her varied body of work. Happy Birthday, Renuka.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2020 08:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).