Ankita Lokhande, Nia Sharma and other TV actors who underwent a name change
There are many TV actors who, prior to entering the industry, had a name change for various reasons. While some are for personal reasons, there are some who followed numerology and opted for interesting screen names. Here is a list of some of the most popular celebrities who opted for a change.
Karanvir Bohra Karanvir’s birth name was Manoj Bohra. He changed his name prior to his debut on television with Kasautii Zindagii Kay. According to a report in the Times of India, he felt it sounded nice and dynamic, and that while he was doing well as Manoj, things became better as Karanvir.
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Nia Sharma Nia’s birth name was Neha Sharma. She modified her name to Nia because there were many ‘Nehas’ in the industry, and she wanted her name to stand out. According to the Times of India, Nia has stated that though she never officially changed her name, the world came to know her as Nia.
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Rashami Desai Born as Divya Desai, her mother changed her name after consulting a numerologist. Rashami, in various media reports, claimed that the name change worked in her favor to succeed in the industry.
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Anita Hassanandani Her actual name is Natasha Hassanandani. She changed her name to Anita because she felt it was more common and had a better chance of gaining popularity. Later, during her stint on the popular K-serial Kkavyanjali, she switched to the name Natassha. This was done at the advice of a numerologist. After some reflection, she returned to using Anita professionally.
Gauahar Khan She had a spelling change, as her actual name was spelled as Gauhar Khan. She added an extra 'a' to her name for numerological reasons and believes it brought her luck, especially during her time on Bigg Boss 7, which she won.
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Ankita Lokhande She was born as Tanuja Lokhande in Indore. When she shifted base to Mumbai and ventured in the entertainment industry, she changed her name to Ankita Lokhande. Ankita was her nickname, and apparently, she adopted it, which has worked in favor of her career.
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Dalljiet Kaur She was born as Daljeet Kaur. The actress announced in 2018 that she had changed her name to Deepa because her mother thought her original name was complicated. The name Deepa was also her family's nickname for her since she was born around Diwali. She retained her name with a spelling change as Dalljiet.
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Ridhima Tiwari The actress was born as Shweta Tiwari. According to the Times of India, she faced a lot of problems, as her name was very common. She later changed her name to Ridheema in consultation with her guru. She later changed her spelling to Ridhima.
Raqesh Bapat Raqesh Bapat changed his last name from Raqesh Vashisth to Bapat. His original surname was Vashisth, which he changed at his mother's request. The actor has been in popular television series including Tu Aashiqui, Qubool Hai, Saath Phere, and Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak? Raqesh participated in Bigg Boss OTT's inaugural season as well.
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Gurmeet Choudhary The actor’s original name was Gurmeet Sitaram Choudhary. He is professionally known by his shortened name, Gurmeet Choudhary. Gurmeet has given hit television shows and is now pursuing his career in Bollywood.
