Manushi Chhillar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Manushi Chhillar
Chhillar in 2023
Born	(1997-05-14) 14 May 1997 (age 28) Rohtak, Haryana, India
Alma mater	Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College
Occupation	Model actress
Years active	2017–present
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Title	Femina Miss India 2017 Miss World 2017
Signature

Manushi Chhillar (born 14 May 1997) is an Indian actress and model. She won the Miss World 2017 beauty pageant. Before that, she won the Femina Miss India 2017 title, representing her home state of Haryana. She was the sixth person from India to win the Miss World crown, achieving this after 17 years.

Manushi started her acting career in 2022 with the historical movie Samrat Prithviraj. Since then, she has appeared in other films like The Great Indian Family (2023) and the action movie Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024).

Early Life and Education

Manushi Chhillar was born on 14 May 1997 in Rohtak, India. Her family comes from a village called Bamnoli. Her father, Dr. Mitra Basu Chhillar, is a doctor and scientist. Her mother, Dr. Neelam Chhillar, is also a medical doctor.

Manushi went to St. Thomas' School in New Delhi. She was very good at studies. In her 12th grade exams, she was the top student in English across all of India. She scored 96 percent overall. She also passed a tough medical entrance exam (NEET) on her first try. She was studying to become a doctor at Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College in Sonipat.

Manushi speaks Hindi and English very well. Her native language is Haryanvi. She is also a trained Kuchipudi dancer, a classical Indian dance style. She learned from famous dancers Raja and Radha Reddy.

Pageantry Journey

Manushi Chhillar started her journey in beauty pageants in 2016. She was chosen as a finalist from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi. This competition was organized by the Femina Miss India group.

Winning Femina Miss India

In April 2017, Manushi won the title of Femina Miss India Haryana. This meant she would represent her state, Haryana, in the national Femina Miss India contest. During the competition, she also won the 'Miss Photogenic' award.

In the final round of Femina Miss India 2017, the top five contestants were asked a question. Manushi was asked: "You have spent 30 days with 30 fellow contestants at Femina Miss India. What lesson will you take back with you?"

Manushi answered: "These days have been the most exciting time of my life. The only thing that was sure was uncertainty. The one belief I will take back is that, yes... I can change the world. When I joined Miss India, I only had passion. But through this journey, I gained a vision for my life. That vision and the belief that I can change the world is what I will take back."

She then won the main title, Femina Miss India World 2017. This win allowed her to represent India at the Miss World 2017 competition.

Becoming Miss World 2017

Chhillar (center) with Miss World Indonesia 2017-Achintya Holte Nilsen (left) and Miss World 2016-Stephanie Del Valle (right) in Indonesia, 2018.

Manushi represented India at Miss World 2017. She did very well in many parts of the competition. She was a finalist in the Top Model, People's Choice, and Multimedia challenges. She also won her group in the Head-to-Head Challenge. Most importantly, she was a co-winner of the Beauty with a Purpose competition. This project helps people and communities. She is the first woman to win both Miss World and the Beauty with a Purpose award.

On 18 November 2017, Manushi Chhillar was crowned Miss World 2017 in Sanya, China. The previous Miss World, Stephanie Del Valle from Puerto Rico, crowned her. Manushi became the sixth Indian woman to win this global title. She was the first Indian to win it since Priyanka Chopra in 2000.

Her Time as Miss World

Chhillar's first press conference as Miss World in Mumbai.

After winning Miss World, Manushi returned to India and was welcomed by a huge crowd. She spoke at the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad. She became the ambassador for the 'Anaemia Free Haryana' campaign.

Her 'Beauty with a Purpose' project was called 'Project Shakti'. It focused on menstrual hygiene. The government supported her project with a large amount of money. This helped provide free sanitary napkins to girls in government schools in Haryana. She received a special award for winning the Miss World crown. Manushi was also the most searched person on Google in India in 2017.

Manushi traveled a lot during her reign. She visited London, where she met with important people. She also visited Bennett University in India and talked to students.

In February 2018, she started her 'Beauty With A Purpose' tour. She traveled with other Miss World continental winners. They visited Hyderabad and Kolkata to promote feminine hygiene awareness. They also learned how to make low-cost sanitary pads. The team worked to make sure sanitary pads were available in rural areas. She also visited the Dharavi slum in Mumbai for a 'Save the Girl Child' event.

Manushi and the Miss World team met with the Vice President of India and the Minister of External Affairs. They discussed her 'Beauty with a Purpose' project. She visited several Indian cities for her tour. She then went to Hong Kong and China, where she appeared in a big New Year's Gala. The team also visited Indonesia and the British Virgin Islands to continue their humanitarian work.

Chhillar (right) with her Miss India successor Anukreethy Vas (left) at the Femina Miss India 2018 finale.

Manushi also visited the United States. She was a presenter at a charity TV show in Iowa. She was honored at a women's empowerment event in New York City. Later, she went to Brazil to raise awareness about leprosy and help children with Down syndrome. She was even honored by the Parliament of Brazil for her humanitarian work.

In May 2018, Manushi went to the Philippines for the Mister World 2019 contest. She also visited New Zealand and volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House Charities. She was a judge for the Femina Miss India 2018 contest. At the end of the event, she crowned her successor, Anukreethy Vas.

She then went to South Africa to continue her menstrual hygiene project. She helped launch a factory that makes low-cost sanitary pads in Nelson Mandela's birthplace, Mvezo. The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, was also there. The team also gave blankets to the elderly and bicycles to school children.

Manushi crowned her successor, Vanessa Ponce of Mexico, at the Miss World 2018 event in China on 8 December 2018.

Acting Career

Manushi Chhillar signed a contract to make three films with Yash Raj Films. She made her acting debut in the movie Samrat Prithviraj (2022). She played the role of Princess Sanyogita, who was the wife of Prithviraj. She acted alongside Akshay Kumar. Manushi said it was a big responsibility to play such a strong character. The film did not do well at the box office.

In 2023, Manushi appeared in the comedy film The Great Indian Family. She acted opposite Vicky Kaushal. This film also did not perform well.

In 2024, she played a wing commander in the film Operation Valentine. Later in 2024, she starred in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, which also did not do well. She will also be seen in an upcoming film called Tehran with John Abraham.

Other Work

Social Work

In May 2018, Manushi joined a 3 km walk in Delhi to raise awareness for Menstrual Hygiene Day. She also supported the Fit India Movement by waving the flag to start a bicycle race in Delhi on World Bicycle Day. She believes in vegetarianism and has spoken about it.

Chhillar at a meeting with the Commission on Human Rights and Participatory Legislation.

Manushi was chosen as the ambassador for the Government of Haryana's campaign to fight Anemia. This disease affects many women in the state. She expanded her 'Project Shakti' to include awareness about HIV/AIDS among rural women in India. She said that women in India are at risk because they don't have enough information. She wants to educate them so they can share the message in their communities.

Manushi also worked with UNICEF to spread awareness about the Coronavirus pandemic. In a video, she asked people to stay home and keep a safe distance from others. She also asked state governments to give sanitary pads to female migrant workers during the lockdown.

In 2021, UN Women worked with Manushi to raise awareness about gender-based violence. In March 2021, she joined a campaign by Adidas called Make A Move. This campaign encourages women to overcome challenges.

Brand Endorsements

Manushi has worked as a model for many well-known brands. These include Bata, Fashion Big Bazaar, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Gio watches, Club Factory, H&M, Sabyasachi, Schweppes India, Dior, Samsonite, and Jimmy Choo. In 2018, she became the brand ambassador for Malabar Gold and Diamonds. She has also promoted brands like Audi Q5 and Panasonic. She is the official brand ambassador for Adidas and Pantene in India. In 2023, she became the new face of The Estée Lauder Companies, a cosmetics company.

In 2023, Manushi was also appointed as the global brand ambassador for the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Her role is to promote Indian diamonds, gems, and jewelry around the world. In May 2024, she became the new brand ambassador for Clovia, a brand that sells lingerie and personal care products.

In the Media

Chhillar at an event in 2022.

After winning Miss World, Manushi became very famous and received a lot of media attention. CNN-News18 honored her at their 2017 'Indian of the Year' awards. The newspaper Lokmat named her the 'Most Promising Fresh Face' in the industry.

In May 2023, Manushi attended the Cannes Film Festival for the first time. Her appearance there gained a lot of attention. It showed her journey from being a beauty queen to an actress.

Entrepreneurship

Manushi Chhillar has also started her own businesses. She is a co-founder of Soma Wellness. This company focuses on health and wellness, combining science with holistic care.

In 2024, she launched Dweep, a brand for women's swimwear and resort wear. This brand focuses on being sustainable and inclusive. She started it with stylist Sheefa J Gilani.

Filmography

Films

Television

Awards and Recognition

Film Awards

Other Awards and Recognition

Media Titles

See also

In Spanish: Manushi Chhillar para niños

• List of Indian film actresses
• List of Hindi film actresses