As Anushka Shetty rings in 39th birthday, here are 14 lesser known facts about her

Anushka Shetty, one of the most popular and established leading stars of South India, turned 39 today. The three-times Filmfare awards winner is one of the highest-paid actresses in India and has appeared in over 50 films, including mega-blockbusters such as the Baahubali series, Vaanam, and Vedam.

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She made her acting debut in 2005 with the Telugu film Super for which she won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress (Telugu) award. With a few setbacks initially, she went on to become a major commercial success in the following years. Starring in back to back hits such as Lakshyam (2007), Souryam (2008), and Arundhati (2009), she established herself as a leading actress in the South Indian film industry. On the occasion of her birthday, here are 14 Anushka Shetty's facts that you did not know:

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Anushka Shetty's Trivia: 

1)      According to IMDB, Shetty is well versed in five languages that include Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and English.

2)      Before making her acting debut, she was a professional yoga instructor trained by Bharat Thakur.

3)      Shetty reportedly had to gain 20 kilos for her film Size Zero.

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4)      Much before she was the Lady Superstar of South Indian cinema, The Singam fame actor was reportedly a teacher for a few years.

5)      According to reports, her real name is Sweety Shetty but she changed it before entering the film industry.

6)      She has won many awards for her work that include CineMAA Awards, Nandi Award, three Filmfare Awards, and TN State Film Awards.

7)      Her film Baahubali – 2 is the second highest-grossing film of Indian cinema and reportedly made Shetty the highest paid South Indian actress.

8)      She has done her schooling in Bangalore and has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications.

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9)      She marked her Tamil Film Debut with the movie Rendu in 2006, starring opposite R. Madhvan.

10)   According to Pinkvilla, she will next be seen in Gautham Vasudev Menon’s next project alongside R. Madhvan.

11)   A report by Pinkvilla claims that Shetty is a bike lover and enjoys riding bikes.

12)   She has two brothers of which one is a cosmetic surgeon.

13)   She was born in Mangalore, Karnataka, and is a Tuluva.

14) Anushka Shetty's birthday and South Indian actress Raima Sen's birthday fall on the same day.

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Promo Image: Anushka Shetty Twitter