She made a stunning debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan, won hearts with her performance, and then vanished from Bollywood after getting married. Meet Gayatri Joshi, the former model-turned-actress who starred in the critically acclaimed Swades in 2004.
Early Life & Education
Gayatri studied at Mount Carmel High School, Nagpur, and JB Vachha High School. She later graduated with a Commerce degree from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai.
Career Highlights
Before acting, Gayatri was a top model and Femina Miss India International 2000 winner, representing India at Miss International 2000. She modelled for renowned brands like Godrej, LG, Ponds, Bombay Dyeing, Sunsilk, Philips, and appeared alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Hyundai commercials.
Her acting debut came with Swades (2004), opposite Shah Rukh Khan. Despite critical acclaim and audience love, she quit acting after the film.
Personal Life
On August 27, 2005, Gayatri married Vikas Oberoi, chairman and managing director of Oberoi Realty, one of India’s leading real estate firms. Vikas Oberoi is a billionaire, listed 58th on the 2025 Hurun India Rich List with a net worth of Rs 42,960 crore, reportedly exceeding the combined wealth of Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Amitabh Bachchan.
The couple resides in a lavish apartment on the 45th floor in Worli, Mumbai, valued at around Rs400 crore.
Life After Films
Though she stepped back from acting, Gayatri remains connected with friends from her modeling days, like Sonali Bendre and Sussanne Khan, and occasionally appears at Bollywood events.
About Swades
Swades is a 2004 Hindi drama film written, directed, and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker. The movie stars Shah Rukh Khan and Gayatri Joshi, along with Kishori Ballal, Daya Shankar Pandey, Rajesh Vivek, and Lekh Tandon.
Shah Rukh was seen as Mohan Bhargav, who is a nonresident Indian working at NASA and comes back to his old nanny’s village in India. The movie has left a lasting impression on the minds of its viewers and has proven to be quite an impactful story over the years.
