Sai Ketan Rao is an Indian actor who has gained significant recognition in the entertainment industry. Born on July 10, 1994, he has established himself through his work in television series, web series, and reality shows. This article delves into various aspects of his life, career, and relationship status, drawing from available information to provide a comprehensive overview.
Early Life and Education
Sai Ketan Rao was born into a middle-class family in Lonavala, Maharashtra. His early education began in Solapur, Maharashtra, but he later moved to Pune and eventually settled in Hyderabad, Telangana. He completed his tenth grade at Vignan School in Hyderabad and pursued a B. Tech degree in Computer Science from the Hyderabad Institute of Technology and Management. During a live stream on Bigg Boss OTT 3 in June 2024, Rao shared insights into his troubled childhood.
Career Beginnings
After completing his education, Rao initially worked for an Australian company. However, his passion for acting led him to join Ramanaidu Film School. Following his training in theatre arts, he began his career by working on short films and feature films.
Television Debut and Notable Roles
Sai Ketan Rao's television debut was with Agni Sakshi. He gained widespread recognition for his role as Raghav Rao in the Star Plus series "Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali". Later, he was seen in Star Plus's "Chashni" as Raunaq Babbar (Reddy). He also played significant roles in "Imlie" as Agasthya Upadhyay and later as inspector Surya Reddy.
Web Series
In addition to television, Rao has worked in several Hindi and Telugu web series, including "Three Half Bottles" (2019) on ZEE5, "Love Studio" (2020) on YouTube, "Lovely" (2021) on ShreyasET, and "Aham Bhramhasmi" (2021) on MX Player and Hungama Digital.
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Bigg Boss OTT Season 3
Rao participated as a contestant on the reality TV show, Bigg Boss OTT Season 3. He entered the show on June 21, 2024, and became one of the top four finalists.
"Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali": A Career Highlight
"Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali" premiered on February 15, 2021, on StarPlus. The show revolves around Pallavi Deshmukh, a widowed daughter-in-law, and Raghav Rao, a businessman.
Plot Overview
The story centers around Pallavi Deshmukh, a widowed daughter-in-law of the Deshmukh family. Despite being loved as a daughter by most of the family members, she faces challenges, especially from Sulochana and Amruta. Pallavi manages the Deshmukh Saree Emporium for her father-in-law, Vijay Deshmukh. In later developments, it is disclosed that the accountant in Pallavi's shop is Keerti, who happens to be Raghav's sister. Keerti and her mother, Jaya, live separately from Raghav due to past incidents. Raghav, driven by misunderstandings, wrongly believes that his mother and sister were defamed because of Pallavi. Upon learning about Pallavi's situation, Jaya demanded that Raghav should marry Pallavi if he wanted them to reconcile. Raghav, seeking to live with Jaya and Keerti, proposed to Pallavi. Initially, Pallavi rejected the proposal without much consideration. To save Nikhil, Pallavi reluctantly agrees to marry Raghav. Later, Raghav realizes that Sulochana is the person who defamed Keerti and Jaya. After discovering the truth, a guilt-ridden Raghav stops Pallavi from leaving and asks for a chance to become a good husband within one month. Pallavi agrees to the condition. During this time, Pallavi and Raghav grow closer, and Raghav falls in love with Pallavi. Pallavi clears the misunderstandings between Raghav and Jaya. During this time, Keerti's lover, Sunny, arrives, and Sulochana plots against Raghav and Pallavi, inadvertently bringing them closer. The Rao family disapproves of Keerti and Sunny's relationship due to his bad behaviour. Pallavi investigates her ex-husband Mandar's accident and discovers that Sunny was responsible. It is then revealed that Mandar is still alive and Pallavi brought him to the Deshmukh family. Mandar creates many misunderstandings between Pallavi and Raghav to have Pallavi for himself. Meanwhile, Raghav and Pallavi confessed their love for each other. Sunny and Keerti elope, causing Pallavi to be blamed initially, but the matter is later resolved. Keerti and Sunny move into Raghav's house, where Sunny causes trouble for the family. Meanwhile, Pallavi discovers Raghav's involvement in diamond smuggling during a police encounter and gets shot. Raghav's ex-girlfriend Esha came who just wanted the money of Raghav and made Pallavi believe that she and Raghav slept together. A heartbroken Pallavi breaks all ties with Raghav. The show ended with Pallavi and Raghav remarrying with the blessings and love of their respective families. Sulochana, Amruta and Manasi became good to others.
Cast
The show featured a talented cast, including:
- Shivangi Khedkar as Pallavi Deshmukh Rao
- Sai Ketan Rao as Raghav Rao
- Karan Manocha as Nikhil Deshmukh
- Priyanka Dhavale as Amruta Deshmukh
Production
"Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali" was created by Sandiip Sikcand and written by Sonali Gupta Shrivastav. The show was directed by Hemant R Prabhu, Jafar Shaikh, and Rohit Phulari. Due to increased COVID-19 cases, the show's production was halted on April 14, 2021, following a curfew announcement by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, on April 13, 2021.
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Accolades
The show received nominations for Popular Show - Drama at various award ceremonies. Shivangi Khedkar was also nominated for Popular Actress - Drama.
Personal Life and Relationship with Shivangi Khedkar
The relationship between Sai Ketan Rao and Shivangi Khedkar has been a topic of much discussion among fans. They starred together in "Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali," where their on-screen chemistry was highly appreciated. This led to speculation about their off-screen relationship.
Rumors and Confirmations
During his time on Bigg Boss OTT 3, Sai Ketan Rao seemingly confirmed his relationship with Shivangi Khedkar and hinted at potential wedding plans. However, he later dismissed these statements as misinterpretations. In an interview, Rao clarified that while he does intend to get married within a year or so, he did not explicitly confirm that it would be to Shivangi.
Shivangi Khedkar, in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, stated that she loves Sai but only as a friend. She explained that they started their careers together and share a strong connection, but she does not have romantic feelings for him.
Recent Developments
Despite the clarifications, rumors about their relationship continue to circulate. Recently, Sai Ketan Rao and Shivangi Khedkar were seen together in an Instagram post, sparking renewed interest among fans. The picture featured them in character, with Rao looking charming in a blue t-shirt and Shivangi exuding radiance.
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Other Projects
Apart from "Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali", Sai Ketan Rao has been involved in various other projects. He played significant roles in "Imlie" and has also worked on music videos.
Music Videos
Sai Ketan Rao and Shivangi Khedkar collaborated for a music video titled "Ishq Ho Jayega." He has also featured in the music video "Mashhoor Banegi."
Upcoming Projects
Sai Ketan Rao has been actively pursuing new projects. He is set to appear in an upcoming series where he will be playing the role of a cop.
Financial Standing
Sai Ketan Rao's participation in Bigg Boss OTT 3 has also shed light on his earnings. Reports suggest that he was paid Rs. 2-3 lakhs per episode, potentially earning a total of Rs. 1 crore for his time on the show.