Nitish Bharadwaj Biography: Wife, Children, Films, Awards, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Height, Ethnicity

    Nitish Bharadwaj is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, producer, politician, and former veterinary surgeon who gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Lord Krishna in B. R. Chopra’s television series “Mahabharat” (1988).

His performance in this role brought him national fame and established him as a prominent figure in Indian television.

Beyond acting, Bharadwaj has ventured into directing and screenwriting, notably with his Marathi film “Pitruroon” (2013), which received critical acclaim.  

Profile

• Full name: Nitish Bharadwaj
• Date of birth: June 2, 1963
• Age: 62 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Mumbai, India
• State of origin: Maharashtra
• Nationality: Indian
• Profession: Actor, Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Politician, Veterinary Surgeon
• Height: 1.83 m
• Parents: Janardan C. Upadhye (father) and Sadhana Upadhye (mother)
• Siblings: Rahul Upadhye (younger brother)
• Spouse: Monisha Patil (1991–2005), Smita Gate (2009–2019)
• Children: Devyani Bharadwaj, Shivranjani Bharadwaj, and two children from his first marriage (names not publicly disclosed)
• Relationship status: Divorced
• Religion: Hinduism
• Ethnicity: Indian
• Net worth: $9 million

Early Life and Education

Nitish Bharadwaj was born on June 2, 1963, in Mumbai, India, to Janardan C. Upadhye and Sadhana Upadhye. He has a younger brother named Rahul Upadhye. He pursued his education in veterinary science and graduated from the Bombay Veterinary College in Parel, Mumbai. He practices Hinduism.

Personal Life

Nitish Bharadwaj married Monisha Patil in 1991, the daughter of Vimla Patil, then editor of Femina magazine. The couple had a son and a daughter before divorcing in 2005.

In 2009, he married Smita Gate, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. They have twin daughters, Devyani and Shivranjani. The couple filed for divorce in 2018, and the case remains pending.  

Career

Nitish Bharadwaj began his acting career in Marathi theatre and made his film debut with the Marathi movie “Khatyal Sasu Nathal Sun” (1987). He gained national fame for his role as Lord Krishna in the television series “Mahabharat” (1988).  

He also appeared in films like “Trishagni” (1988) and the Malayalam film “Njan Gandharvan” (1991). Bharadwaj made his directorial debut with the Marathi film “Pitruroon” (2013), which received critical acclaim. He ventured into politics as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from 1996 to 1999.

Awards

• 2014 Screen Award for Best Director for “Pitruroon”
• 2014 Sahyadri Film Award for Best Screenplay Writer for “Pitruroon”
• 2014 Maharashtra State Film Award for 2nd Best Director for “Pitruroon”
• 2014 Maharashtra State Film Award for 2nd Best Film for “Pitruroon”
• 1988 Uptron Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for “Mahabharat”

Net Worth

Nitish Bharadwaj’s net worth is estimated to be approximately around $9 million.

Controversy

In 2024, Nitish Bharadwaj filed a police complaint against his estranged wife, Smita Gate, alleging mental harassment and being denied access to their twin daughters, Devyani and Shivranjani.

He claimed that Smita had changed the children’s schools without his knowledge and was preventing him from meeting them despite a family court order allowing visitation. Smita Gate refuted these allegations, calling them unfounded and false. The case remains under investigation by the Bhopal police.  

Social Media

• Instagram: @nitishbharadwaj.krishna
• X: @nitishkrishna8

Filmography

• Khatyal Sasu Nathal Sun (1987)
• Trishagni (1988)
• Mahabharat (1988)
• Njan Gandharvan (1991)
• Pitruroon (2013)