Preeti Desai is a British actress and supermodel. She is known for acting in films like Shor in the City (2011), One by Two (2014), and The Stunt Double (2020). She is the former Miss Great Britain of 2006-2007 and is the first woman of Indian descent to win the same.
Wiki/Biography
Preeti Desai was born on Tuesday, 29 September 1981 (age 42 years; as of 2023) in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Her zodiac sign is Libra. Preeti went to St Augustine’s RC Primary School in Coulby Newham for her early education, then attended Nunthorpe Secondary School in Nunthorpe before moving on to Middlesbrough College for further studies where she did a course in Hair and Beauty. Preeti finished her education and went on to pursue a career managing a salon for three years. She also worked in her father’s fireworks store. She left her home in Guisborough, North Yorkshire to move to London to begin her modelling career. After becoming Miss Great Britain, Preeti moved to Mumbai to resume her modelling and movie career.
A young Preeti Desai with her younger sister Anjlee
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Weight (approx.): 55kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Body Measurements (approx.): 34-26-35
Family
Preeti Desai belongs to a Hindu family of Gujarati descent.
Parents & Siblings
Her father Jitendra Desai, who hails from Kenya, runs a fireworks company in Teesside, Middlesbrough, Her mother’s name is Hemlata Desai and hails from Uganda. Preeti has a younger sister named Anjlee Desai who is a singer and a songwriter.
Preeti Desai with her parents and sister
Relationships/Affairs
Preeti Desai and actor Abhay Deol used to be in a relationship and were much spoken about. They used to be live-in partners. The couple dated for four years. They started living together in 2011 and ended their relationship in 2014, and Abhay Deol, at that point, continued living in their house while Preeti moved out. They acted in the film One by Two (2014) together.
Preeti Desai with Abhay Deol
Religion
Preeti Desai follows Hinduism.
Career
Modelling
Preeti Desai was browned Miss Cleveland, enabling her to take part in the Miss Great Britain beauty pageant held annually in Britain. Preeti went on to win the title and was Miss Great Britain from 2006-07. However, Preeti was not the first choice. Danielle Lloyd was the original winner of the title, however, she was stripped of her title once a conflict of interest was found between her and one of the judges. After the scandal that dethroned Danielle, a vote was held to choose the next winner, and Preeti Desai received enormous support, leading to her being crowned Miss Great Britain. She then moved to London to fulfil her duties as the ambassador of Miss Great Britain.
Miss Great Britain 2006-07 Preeti Desai
In 2008, after completing her ambassadorship, Preeti moved to Mumbai to become a fashion model. In Mumbai, Atul Kasbekar, an ace photographer, represented Preeti who appeared on the cover of the magazine L’officiel with Shahrukh Khan on her very first assignment. Her second assignment was with Kingfisher when she appeared on the Kingfisher Calendar for 2008. She was chosen to be on the cover of the special edition Kingfisher Calendar.
Preeti Desai posing for the Kingfisher Calendar
Within the year, Preeti also appeared on the cover of the October issue of Cosmopolitan. these assignments led to her becoming a well-known and liked face, further leading to her appearing on various covers while also walking the ramp for several fashion designers. In 2009, Hrithik Roshan and Preeti Desai become the face of the brand Provogue.
Film
Preeti Desai stepped into the film industry by playing the character Shalmili in the film Shor in the City (2011), a crime drama. Critics loved her in the film and she was even nominated as Best Lead Actress for the South Asian Rising Star Film Awards in New York in October 2012 presented by SAIFF and HBO.
Preeti Desai on the poster of Shor in the City
Then she acted opposite Abhay Deol in the film One by Two (2014), where she appeared as Samara Patel. Preeti then played the character Jennifer Green in The Bachelor Next Door, a 2017 TV movie, following which came the character Katie which Preeti played in the 2018 film The Work Wife.
Preeti Desai in the 2018 film The Work Wife
Television
Preeti has starred in a couple of series that streams over OTT platforms. Firstly, she played the Golden Goddess in the series The Guardians of Justice (2022), which is a satirical superhero series. She also appeared in The Rookie (2023) and played the character Charlie Bristow.
Preeti Desai playing Charlie Bristow in The Rookie
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- Preeti Desai was crowned Miss Cleveland in 2006.
- Preeti Desai was inducted as Miss Great Britain from 2006-2007.
- Preeti Desai was one of Time’s 50 Most Desirable Women and People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in 2011.
Favourites
Preeti Desai’s favourite subjects in school were Drama, Art and PE.
Facts/Trivia
- While Preeti placed 5th in the contest, the audience voted for her to be the next Miss Great Britain.
- Preeti is in touch with her Gujarati roots and is fluent in the language. She also loves eating her mom’s theplas and dhoklas along with their chutneys. While she cooks these dishes too, she claims her cooking is not half as good as her mother’s.