From royal lineage to Bollywood stardom, Aditi Rao Hydari has captivated audiences across four decades with her ethereal beauty and nuanced performances spanning Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema. Born on October 28, 1986, in Hyderabad into two royal families—descended from Sir Akbar Hydari and Raja J. Rameshwar Rao—this 39-year-old actress achieved pan-India recognition through her role as Bibbojaan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2024 Netflix series “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar”. With an estimated net worth of ₹60-62 crore and a September 2024 marriage to actor Siddharth, Aditi Rao Hydari continues to blend aristocratic grace with contemporary stardom.
Aditi Rao Hydari Education
Aditi Rao Hydari attended Rishi Valley School in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh, for her early education. She later graduated from Lady Shri Ram College for Women in New Delhi, one of India’s most prestigious women’s colleges. Beyond formal academics, she trained extensively in Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, which became integral to her artistic identity and acting career.
Aditi Rao Hydari Profession
Aditi Rao Hydari is a professional actress who works across multiple Indian film industries including Bollywood (Hindi), Kollywood (Tamil), Tollywood (Telugu), and Mollywood (Malayalam) cinema. She is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, having begun classical dance training from childhood. Her acting specialization spans period dramas, romantic films, and character-driven roles that showcase emotional depth.
Beyond cinema, Aditi works in web series and OTT platforms, most notably in “Jubilee” (2023) and “Taj: Divided by Blood” (2023) for which she won multiple awards including the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress. She reportedly charges ₹1-1.5 crore per project as of 2024, with her “Heeramandi” role establishing her as a premium actress in streaming content. Her professional repertoire combines classical dance training with contemporary acting techniques.
Aditi Rao Hydari Career Journey
Aditi Rao Hydari made her acting debut with the critically acclaimed Tamil film “Sringaram” (2007), directed by Sharada Ramanathan, where she portrayed a Bharatanatyam dancer. The film showcased her classical dance training and earned her recognition in South Indian cinema. Her Malayalam debut came earlier with “Prajapathi” (2006).
Her Bollywood breakthrough came with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s “Delhi 6” (2009), where she played Rama alongside Abhishek Bachchan. Though the role was small, it earned her the Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress and established her presence in Hindi cinema. Her performance in Sudhir Mishra’s “Yeh Saali Zindagi” (2011) brought her widespread critical acclaim and is considered her breakthrough role in Bollywood.
Throughout the 2010s, Aditi built a diverse filmography across industries. In Bollywood, she appeared in “Rockstar” (2011), “Murder 3” (2013), “Boss” (2013), “Khoobsurat” (2014), “Wazir” (2016), and “Bhoomi” (2017). Her role in “Bhoomi” earned her the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award for Best Leading Lady (Critics).
Her career reached new heights with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period epic “Padmaavat” (2018), where she portrayed Mehrunissa. The film became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2018, and her performance earned her the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In South Indian cinema, Aditi achieved significant success with Mani Ratnam’s Tamil romantic drama “Kaatru Veliyidai” (2017), winning the SIIMA Award for Best Female Debut – Tamil and multiple other accolades. Her Telugu debut “Sammohanam” (2018) earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and established her as a leading lady in Tollywood.
She continued with successful South Indian films including “Chekka Chivantha Vaanam” (2018), “Antariksham 9000 KMPH” (2018), “V” (2020), and “Maha Samudram” (2021). Her Telugu and Tamil filmography demonstrated her versatility across regional industries.
Aditi’s career experienced a renaissance with OTT platforms. Her performance in the period drama web series “Jubilee” (2023) earned her the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress (OTT) along with multiple other awards including the IWM Buzz Award for Trailblazer Performer of the Year. She followed this with “Taj: Divided by Blood” (2023), where she portrayed Anarkali, winning the Hindustan Style Award for Breakthrough Performer of the Year.
Her most prominent role came in 2024 with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,” a Netflix period drama series where she played Bibbojaan, a courtesan in pre-independence Lahore. The series became a massive success, with Aditi’s performance and her iconic “gaj gamini” walk becoming cultural phenomena. She represented the series at the 77th Cannes Film Festival 2024, where she recreated her iconic walk and served as a L’Oreal Paris ambassador.
Aditi Rao Hydari Movies and TV Shows
Hindi Films:
- Delhi 6 (2009) – Rama
- Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011)
- Rockstar (2011)
- Murder 3 (2013) – Roshni
- Boss (2013) – Ankita Thakur
- Khoobsurat (2014) – Kiara
- Wazir (2016) – Ruhana Ali
- Bhoomi (2017) – Bhoomi
- Padmaavat (2018) – Mehrunissa
Tamil Films:
- Sringaram (2007) – Madhura/Varshini
- Kaatru Veliyidai (2017) – Dr. Leela Abraham
- Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018) – Parvathi
- Hey Sinamika (2022) – Mouna
Telugu Films:
- Sammohanam (2018) – Sameera Rathode
- Antariksham 9000 KMPH (2018) – Riya
- V (2020) – Saheba
- Maha Samudram (2021) – Lakshmi
Malayalam Films:
- Prajapathi (2006) – Savithri
Web Series:
- Jubilee (2023) – Actress
- Taj: Divided by Blood (2023) – Anarkali
- Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024) – Bibbojaan
Aditi Rao Hydari Controversies
In April 2024, Aditi Rao Hydari faced backlash when an old video from “Murder 3” promotions resurfaced online. In the clip, she appeared to make disparaging comments about actress Mallika Sherawat, suggesting she had undergone breast augmentation surgery. The video went viral during her “Heeramandi” success, leading to criticism from netizens who called out the body-shaming remark.
In December 2018, Aditi shared her #MeToo experience at the India Today Conclave South in Visakhapatnam. She revealed that early in her career, she faced sexual harassment and was given an ultimatum: comply or lose work. She chose to walk away, resulting in an eight-month period without any work offers. Aditi stated: “I had to walk away. For about eight months [after the incident] I didn’t get work, but I feel that decision made me stronger in my intention about the kind of work I wanted to do”.
She emphasized that though her experience wasn’t as severe as others, it significantly impacted her career trajectory and mental state. Aditi also criticized hypocrisy in the industry, tweeting in October 2018: “Slow clap for the dizzying heights of hypocrisy… People who are clearly guilty of major harassment giving gyaan on the #MeTooIndia movement…”.
Aditi Rao Hydari Personal Life
Aditi Rao Hydari was born on October 28, 1986, in Hyderabad into a family with royal lineage from both parents. Her parents separated when she was only two years old. Her father, Ahsan Hydari, was an engineer who passed away in 2013 due to lung cancer. Her mother, Vidya Rao, is a renowned thumri and dadra classical singer.
Aditi’s first marriage was to actor, lawyer, and former civil servant Satyadeep Mishra in 2009. The marriage ended in divorce in 2012. Following her divorce, she was rumored to have dated actor Farhan Akhtar and had a brief relationship with actor Arunoday Singh.
She began dating South Indian actor Siddharth, and the couple got engaged on March 27, 2024, at the Ranganatha Swamy temple mandapam in Srirangapur, Wanaparthi district, Telangana. They married on September 16, 2024, in an intimate ceremony at a 400-year-old temple with minimalistic traditional ensembles.
The couple held a second, more elaborate wedding ceremony in November 2024 at Alila Fort Bishangarh in Rajasthan, following Hindu rituals. The lavish destination wedding was attended by close friends and family from the film industry, including Dulquer Salmaan, Sonakshi Sinha, and Farah Khan.
Aditi resides in Mumbai and owns luxury cars including a Ford Endeavour, Mercedes Benz GLE 250d 4Matic, and Audi Q7 SUV. She enjoys yoga, dancing, singing, and traveling, with Turkey and London among her favorite destinations. Her hobbies reflect her classical arts training and aristocratic upbringing.
Aditi Rao Hydari Family
| Relation | Name | Details |
| Father | Ahsan Hydari | Engineer; died in 2013 due to lung cancer |
| Mother | Vidya Rao | Thumri and Dadra classical singer |
| Paternal Great-Grandfather | Sir Muhammad Saleh Akbar Hydari | Former Prime Minister of Hyderabad State (1869-1941) |
| Maternal Grandfather | Raja J. Rameshwar Rao | Last titular Raja (king) of Wanaparthy, Telangana |
| Paternal Cousin | Kiran Rao | Film producer, ex-wife of Aamir Khan |
| First Husband | Satyadeep Mishra | Actor, lawyer, former civil servant; married 2009, divorced 2012 |
| Current Husband | Siddharth | South Indian actor; engaged March 27, 2024; married September 16, 2024 |
| Siblings | None | |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Bohri Muslim paternal, Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin maternal) |