A Former VJ at Channel V, Purab Kohli is an Indian actor and model who started his acting career by featuring in the cult Hindi TV show Hip Hip Hurray on Zee TV. He was also a contestant on the popular celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 7, in 2014.
Early Life
Born in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh to director/producer-turned-hotelier Harsh Kohli, Purab has an elder sister Rima Kohli who is a blogger. He is also the grandnephew of the legendary Indian star Dev Anand and the nephew of filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. Purab completed his schooling from St. Stanislaus High School, Mumbai and studied Economics, Psychology, and Literature in graduation. Initially wanting to become a pilot, Purab joined a flying school but later dropped out to pursue a career in the world of glamor.
Personal Life
In 2007, Purab Kohli tied the knot with actress and assistant director Yamini Namjoshi, but the couple called it quits, in 2010. He then got engaged to Lucy Payton,a Kundalini yoga, and meditation expert in the UK. The couple has a love child Inaya, born in December 2015.
Television Career
Purab Kohli made his TV debut with the super hit television series Hip Hip Hurray, which aired from 1998 to 2001. Based on the lives of 12th-grade students from a posh school in Mumbai, Hip Hip Hurray went on to become a rage amongst the youth. Purab then gained further recognition when he became a video jockey with Channel V and also hosted a travel programme Gone India where he journeyed India on budget trips. In 2014, the actor appeared as a contestant on the seventh installment of the Indian version of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.
Movie Career
Purab Kohli broke into the big screen with the Nandita Das starrer Bus Yuhin. Following this, he appeared in movies like Supari, Vastu Shastra, and 13th Floor. In 2005, Purab starred alongside Sanjay Suri and Juhi Chawla in the critically acclaimed film My Brother...Nikhil. Based on the life of Nikhil (Sanjay Suri), who develops AIDS in a society where the deadly disease's awareness is considerably low, the movie was directed by Onir. In the subsequent years, he portrayed negative characters in Woh Lamhe (2006) and Awarapan (2007). Both films were produced by Mahesh Bhatt and directed by Mohit Suri. In 2008, Purab Kohli starred along with an ensemble cast comprising of Farhan Akhtar, Prachi Desai, Arjun Rampal, and Shahana Goswami, in Rock On!!. Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, the musical drama film was declared a box-office success and Purab garnered rave reviews for his portrayal of Kedar Zaveri, receiving a Special Jury Mention at the 2009 Filmfare Awards. He then featured in offbeat films like Yeh Mera India, Turning 30, and I Am.
His 2016 releases include the Akshay Kumar starring Indian drama film Airlift, and Rock On!! 2, the sequel to Rock On!!. Directed by Shujaat Saudagar, the movie along with him stars Shraddha Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles. In 2017, Purab was seen in Sunhil Sippy’s drama movie Noor, starring Sonakshi Sinha in the titular role.