Uttara Mhatre, Mommy of Mirzya’s Saiyami Kher Was Miss India World

Uttara Mhatre happily returned to her simple life after the pageant, shunning glamour as per her promise to her mom.

‘Mirzya’ female lead actor Saiyami Kher with her mother Uttara Kher in New York. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Uttara Kher/Photo altered by The Quint)

"You’ll Want To Stare At Saiyami Kher All Day Long!" screams a headline. "Saiyami is a stunner, unique actor" says another. But very few know that the girl who made her Bollywood debut with Mirzya – a sought-after break for any aspiring actor – has a mother who was Miss India World in 1982.

Uttara Mhatre Kher representing India at the Miss World pageant in London in 1982, long before the franchise did away with the swimsuits round. (Photo Courtesy: pageantqueenssweden.blogspot.in)

Uttara Mhatre Kher (Photo Courtesy: Gautam Rajadhyaksha)

Uttara says her family was fine with her entering the Femina Miss India World contest initially. But as she began inching closer to the title, her simple, orthodox family with middle-class, Maharashtrian values began to panic. Her mother made her promise she will not venture into films, or delay marriage.

The year she won Femina Miss India pageant title was also the year of the Great Bombay Textile Strike. "The sponsors were hard to come by. We were packed off to represent India without any formal training, polishing or grooming."

And Then She Met Adwait

Uttara completed her graduation in Food & Nutrition from SNDT college, Mumbai. She was working as a PR Manager at the Taj when she met Adwait Kher who was the Manager of the Shamiana restaurant, also at The Taj.

Uttara and Adwait did a number of commercials. Seen here during the shoot for one such commercial at the Ram Baugh Palace. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Uttara Kher)

This young man, a Science graduate from St Xavier's, held a Law degree and a Hotel Management Diploma and shared the same values as her.

Adwait was the son of yesteryears' actor Usha Kiran and brother of Tanvi Azmi. Adwait and Uttara moved to the small, sleepy town that Nashik was those days, to lead a simple lifestyle.

Adwait made sure the girls spent all their energies on the sports ground. That is how Saiyami became an ace at various sports activities.

Uttara Mhatre Kher, Saiyami Kher’s mother

That explains how Saiyami found it within her to compete in and complete the 42.5 km of the full marathon in Mumbai in January 2016.

Making daddy proud. Saiyami finished the Mumbai full marathon, covering the 42.5 km in five hours. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Uttara Kher)

Saunskruti, the elder daughter, and Saiyami, the younger, are both into professional modelling and acting. But Uttara says she is not unduly worried.

The well-grounded and closely-knit Kher family. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/@Uttara Kher/Photo altered by The Quint)

We have ensured the girls stay grounded. They are unlikely to fall prey to any vices such as smoking, drinking, etc.

Uttara Mhatre Kher

In a world dazzled by glamour, that is a wonderful thing to be able to say.