Amrapali Dubey spent five years playing supporting parts on Hindi television before anyone in Bhojpuri cinema had heard of her. Twelve years after switching industries, she is its highest paid actress, has four Bhojpuri Film Awards, and one of her films sits among the four biggest earners the industry has ever produced.
On 6 September 2026 she walked into the Bigg Boss 20 house, her second reality show in a row and the first time a Hindi mass audience will see her without a script. Here is her career, and what she said going in.
Amrapali Dubey: Quick Facts
| Name | Amrapali Dubey, also credited as Aamrapali Dubey |
| Born | 11 January 1987, Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh |
| Age | 39 |
| Profession | Actress, host and model |
| Debut | Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar (2009), television |
| Bhojpuri debut | Nirahua Hindustani (2014) |
| Best known for | Border, the Nirahua Hindustani films, “Raate Diya Butake” |
| Current | Contestant, Bigg Boss 20 |
Profile details
| Height | Not reliably documented |
| Education | Bhavan’s College, Mumbai |
| Active since | 2009 |
| Works in | Bhojpuri cinema, Hindi television |
| Frequent co-star | Dinesh Lal Yadav “Nirahua” |
| Awards | Four Bhojpuri Film Awards, two International Bhojpuri Film Awards |
| Website | amrapalidubey.com |
Who is Amrapali Dubey?
Amrapali Dubey is an Indian actress who works primarily in Bhojpuri cinema alongside Hindi television. She is widely reported as the highest paid actress in the Bhojpuri industry, a position India Today noted as far back as 2018 and Navbharat Times reaffirmed in 2023.
She was born on 11 January 1987 in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh and later moved to Mumbai with her grandfather, completing her education at Bhavan’s College there. That detail matters more than it looks. She is from the Bhojpuri heartland but grew up professionally in Mumbai, which is the reverse of the usual path into the industry she now leads.
The television years
She began in 2009 with Hindi television and worked steadily for about four years without becoming a household name. Her credits from that period include Shweta Singh in Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar, Tina in Maayka, Suman Pratapsingh in Rehna Hai Teri Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein and Reet Singh in Mera Naam Karegi Roshan, followed by episodic appearances in Fear Files, Haunted Nights and Arjun.
Of these, Rehna Hai Teri Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein is the one most often cited as her breakout on the small screen. It was still supporting work in an industry with no shortage of it.
The Bhojpuri turn
In 2014 she moved to Bhojpuri cinema with Nirahua Hindustani, playing Sona Chopra opposite Dinesh Lal Yadav. It worked immediately, and it set up the on-screen pairing that has defined her career.
What followed was volume. She has appeared in dozens of films since, and her pairing with Nirahua became one of the most bankable in the industry.
Major films
| Year | Film | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Nirahua Hindustani | Sona Chopra | Bhojpuri debut |
| 2015 | Patna Se Pakistan | Shahnaz | |
| 2015 | Raja Babu | Kusum | Won Best Actress, Bhojpuri Film Awards |
| 2017 | Nirahua Hindustani 2 | Chandani | Won Best Actress, Critics, at IBFA |
| 2017 | Satya | Dancer | Special appearance in “Raate Diya Butake” |
| 2018 | Border | Nagma Shashtri | Fourth highest grossing Bhojpuri film worldwide |
| 2018 | Nirahua Hindustani 3 | Champa | |
| 2019 | Nirahua Chalal London | Julie | |
| 2022 | Aashiqui | Ganga | With Khesari Lal Yadav |
| 2025 | TV Wali Biwi | Recent release |
Her awards record is the part most write-ups skip. She has won Best Actress at the Bhojpuri Film Awards multiple times, a Best Actress Critics award at the International Bhojpuri Film Awards for Nirahua Hindustani 2, Best Actress at the Bhojpuri Cine Awards for both Nirahua Hindustani 3 and Aashiqui, and a Most Popular Pair award with Dinesh Lal Yadav. She was also given a “YouTube Queen” award in 2018, which is a fair description of where her audience actually is.
She has several projects at various stages, including Nirahua Hindustani 4, Nirahua Chalal Sasural 3, Naagin 2 and Veer Yoddha Mahabali. Bhojpuri release schedules shift constantly, so treat announced titles as intentions rather than dates.
Bhojpuri Bawaal, and the confrontation
In 2026 she appeared as herself on Bhojpuri Bawaal, a reality show whose line-up also included Pawan Singh, Nirahua, Kajal Raghwani and Tej Pratap Yadav. It was her first time on screen as herself rather than in character.
The most discussed moment came when host Shubhankar Mishra pressed her on long-running speculation about her relationship with Nirahua. She pushed back sharply, warning him to be careful with his comments, and said she is close to Nirahua’s children and considers him a good friend while rejecting claims of a romantic or extramarital relationship. She has never confirmed a relationship with him, and the speculation has followed her for roughly a decade purely on the strength of their on-screen pairing.
Amrapali Dubey in Bigg Boss 20
Bigg Boss 20 premiered on 6 September 2026, hosted by Salman Khan, streaming on JioHotstar and airing on Colors TV. Amrapali entered as one of the season’s most recognisable regional names, in a house that also includes Mary Kom, Aasif Khan, Qazi Touqeer, Kanika Mann, Rohed Khan, Isha Rikhi and Kushal Tanwar.
Speaking to IWMBuzz the day before entering, she said she had no fixed strategy and intended simply to be herself, describing Bhojpuri Bawaal as the experience that had made her want to try a harder version of the same thing. She said audiences there had seen her as Amrapali rather than as a character, including the parts of her that get angry or upset. On the personal speculation, she said she was not going in with the intention of clearing anything up. On what she will not tolerate, she named disrespect and dishonesty.
Inside the house she has already spoken about the scrutiny women face, saying there is a stigma attached to everything a woman does in society. Coming from someone who has spent a decade in an industry where female performers are judged constantly on and off screen, the remark carries a specific weight.
Social media
| Platform | Handle | What she posts |
|---|---|---|
| Active, handle not independently verified here | Film promotions, song releases, set photos | |
| Website | amrapalidubey.com | Official biography and filmography |
She is consistently listed among the most followed Bhojpuri actresses on Instagram. No verified current follower count is available from a dated, named source, and reality-show contestants see sharp movement during a season, so treat any figure quoted elsewhere as a snapshot. Verify her handle against the live profile before linking.
Fact check: what is claimed about Amrapali Dubey, and what holds up
| Claim | What the record shows | Status |
|---|---|---|
| She is in a relationship with Nirahua | Speculation driven by their on-screen pairing. She has publicly rejected it, saying he is a good friend and that she is close to his children. Neither has ever confirmed a relationship. | Speculation, denied by her |
| She has appeared in over 50 films | Even outlets publishing this figure have flagged it as unconfirmed. Her documented filmography is extensive but no authoritative total exists, partly because special appearances in songs are counted inconsistently. | Unconfirmed count |
| She is the highest paid Bhojpuri actress | Reported by India Today in 2018 and Navbharat Times in 2023, and repeated widely since. The ranking is credible; the specific fee figures attached to it vary wildly between sources. | Well reported, figures unverified |
| Her name is spelled Aamrapali | Both spellings are in active use, including across her own film credits and awards listings. Neither is wrong. | Both correct |
| The Bigg Boss 20 season theme | Outlets have given several different names for this season’s twist, and she referred to a further one in her pre-entry interview. The wording is not settled in reporting. | Reported inconsistently |
| Her Bigg Boss participation, before 6 September | For weeks her entry was reported as confirmed by fan accounts while mainstream outlets still labelled it speculation. She has now entered, but much of the pre-premiere coverage stated as fact what was then a rumour. | Now confirmed, was reported prematurely |
| Height and physical statistics | Figures circulate on aggregator pages with no first-party or agency source. | Unverified |
| Net worth | No disclosure or credible reporting supports the figures published online. | Unverified |
Why this matters: the Nirahua speculation has generated more coverage of her than her four Best Actress awards combined. She has answered it directly, more than once, and the answer rarely travels as far as the question.
Also Read – Trisha Kar Madhu: The Bhojpuri Actress’s Career, and Her Own Account of 2021
Frequently asked questions
Who is Amrapali Dubey?
A leading Bhojpuri actress from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, widely reported as the industry’s highest paid actress. She entered Bigg Boss 20 in September 2026.
What was Amrapali Dubey’s first Bhojpuri film?
Nirahua Hindustani in 2014, where she played Sona Chopra opposite Dinesh Lal Yadav.
Is Amrapali Dubey married to Nirahua?
No. They are frequent co-stars. She has publicly rejected claims of a romantic or extramarital relationship, describing him as a good friend.
What is Amrapali Dubey’s biggest film?
Border (2018), which ranks as the fourth highest grossing Bhojpuri film worldwide.
What is Amrapali Dubey’s age?
39. She was born on 11 January 1987.
Did Amrapali Dubey work in Hindi television?
Yes, from 2009, including Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar, Maayka and Rehna Hai Teri Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein, before moving to Bhojpuri cinema in 2014.
What did Amrapali Dubey say before entering Bigg Boss 20?
That she had no fixed strategy and would be herself, and that disrespect and dishonesty are the things she cannot tolerate.