Happy birthday Reema Sen

Southern sensation Reema Sen is 29 today - we take a look at her journey so far.



Bengali Reema was born into a middle class family in Kolkata where she also grew up and went to school after which her family moved to Mumbai.



The bright lights of Mumbai beckoned and she began her brush with fame as a model.



Her appearance in the hit song, Chandni Raatein, put her under the Bollywood scanner.



She then went South with a starring role in low budget Telugu movie Chitram opposite Uday Kiran.



Her second movie, Tamil flick Minnale, busted the box office.



Reema tried her luck in Bollywood with debut Hindi movie Hum Ho Gaye Aap Ke but the movie nosedived as did any future prospect in mainstream Mumbai.



Wisely, she stuck to Tamil movies and her last release, Rendu, was very successful.

Critical praise came her way with her role in Thimiru.



Bollywood did not entirely ignore her – she romanced Ritesh Deshmukh in 2005's hit Malamaal Weekly.



But her biggest hits remained Southside – her portrayal of an obsessed lover in 2006's Vallavan won her accolades and awards.



She continued her dream run with Aayirathil Oruvan, raking in moolah and praise in equal measure.



Controversy reared it's ugly head when a Madurai court issued non-bailable warrants against her and Shilpa Shetty for posing in obscene photographs in leading Tamil daily Dinakaran. The actresses had allegedly failed to comply with earlier summons, hence the warrants.



Her performance in Minnale won her the Fimfare award for Best Female Debut.



Reema recently cameoed in Priyadarshan's Aakrosh, a film dealing with honour killings that made little or no impression at the box office.



She will also cameo with fellow Southern superstar Suriya in director Bala's next, Avan Ivan.

Happyt Birthday