Rakhi Sawant (born Neeru Bheda on 25 November 1978) is an Indian actress, dancer, media personality, and politician. She grew up in Vile Parle, Mumbai, in a middle-class Marathi family, attending Goklibai High School and later studying arts at Mithibai College. She made her acting debut as Ruhi Sawant in Agnichakra (1997) and gained her first prominent role as an item dancer opposite Govinda in Joru Ka Ghulam while still in school. She achieved breakthrough fame with the Himesh Reshammiya-composed item number 'Mohabbat Hai Mirchi' in Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne (2003), which cemented her status as one of Bollywood's most recognizable item performers. Over the following two decades she appeared in numerous films including Main Hoon Na (2004), Cash (2007), and Krrish 3 (2013). In 2014, she entered politics by founding the Rashtriya Aam Party (RAP) and contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North-West; she later joined the Republican Party of India (Athawale faction). She appeared in Bigg Boss 1 (2006–07), and returned as a wildcard contestant in Bigg Boss 14 (2020–21) and Bigg Boss 15 (2021–22), entering with her then-husband Ritesh Kumar and finishing seventh.
Her Bollywood item numbers, particularly 'Mohabbat Hai Mirchi' from Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne (2003), and her multiple appearances on Bigg Boss.