Ameesha Patel (pronounced ; born Amisha Amit Patel) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Bollywood films. She has also appeared in a few Telugu and Tamil films. She has won a Filmfare Award.
Patel made her acting debut in the romantic thriller blockbuster Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. She rose to prominence by featuring in top grossing productions- Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema, earning her a Filmfare Special Performance Award, Humraaz (2002) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007).
Patel was born in a Gujarati family to Amit Patel and Asha Patel. She is the sister of Ashmit Patel and the granddaughter of the famous lawyer-politician Barrister Rajni Patel, who was the Congress Pradesh Committee President of Mumbai. She was born in the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai and has been a trained Bharatnatyam dancer since the age of five. Her birth name is a blend of the first three letters of her father's name Amit and the last three letters of her mother's name Asha.