Overnight fame at 17 with Leja Leja, later she quit Bollywood and now a CEO in Bengaluru. Find out who

Remember the girl from the hit song Leja Leja Re? It was Nina Sarkar who impressed everyone with her mesmerising eyes and stunning looks at the age of just 17. She starred in the music video of Leja Leja Re, which made her popular almost overnight. Crooned by Shreya Ghoshal and Ustad Sultan Khan, it remains memorable even today.

Meet Nina Sarkar

Back then, Nina Sarkar was just starting out her career in the entertainment industry. The young model impressed the fans with her chemistry with co‑star Varun Toorkey. The highlight of the Indiepop song remains Nina's looks, which later set trends of the time.

As per reports, Sarkar had revealed later how she made her look memorable. She said they used additional contact lenses during the shoot to enhance her beautiful eyes. Even her short hair was styled using hair extensions, completing her entire look. For the most part of the song, she was seen grooving in denim pants, paired with a white, cropped top.

20 years of Leja Leja Re

Earlier in April, Nina Sarkar celebrated 20 years of Leja Leja Re. She took to Instagram and posted a video, which is now grabbing everyone's attention.

"Wow I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since I shot this music video! REPOST- How It Was Shot Leja Re. Model Nina Sarkar was selected on the basis of her eyes, but during the shoot she had to wear extra contact lens. She had a boy cut hairstyle with purple color at that time, so she had to wear a wig. After the song became a hit, hardly anyone recognized her in real life," it read.

Watch full song here:

Where is Nina Sarkar now

20 years later, Nina Sarkar is now living in Bengaluru. Away from the industry, she is now a CEO, co‑founder and content strategist at Quillixir Content Solutions, a content servicing company. Going by her Instagram and LinkedIn bios, she is also a writer, creator, business owner and “dog mom."

Why did Nina Sarkar quit showbiz

While we don't know exactly why Nina Sarkar left Bollywood at the peak of her popularity, she stayed away from the limelight for years. It is said that she was worried about her personal life going public and stealing the simplicity of her life. In a video on Instagram, she opened up about it and said, "Sab puchte hain ki itne saal baad ab reels kyun? Sach bolun toh mujhe dar lagta hai ki camera ke peeche ‘simplicity’ kahin kho na jaye. Kya authenticity tab bhi rehti hai jab hum use record karte hain? I really don’t know (Everyone asks why I’ve started making reels after so many years. Honestly, I’m afraid that once the camera comes on, that sense of “simplicity” might get lost. Does authenticity still remain when we try to record it? I really don’t know!)"

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