​Girija Oak Godbole: Surprising facts about the ‘blue saree girl’ you didn't know

Girija Oak Godbole, the Marathi actress who has taken the internet by storm with her viral blue saree look from a recent event, has steadily carved a niche for herself across Hindi, Marathi, and OTT platforms. Best known for her roles in Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par, Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan, and Manoj Bajpayee’s Inspector Zende, she began her acting journey at just 15 and later earned international recognition with her Cannes-premiered short film Quarter. Here are some interesting facts about the actress.

Born on December 27, 1987, in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Girija Oak is the daughter of veteran Marathi actor Girish Oak and homemaker Padmashree Phatak. She pursued a degree in biotechnology in Mumbai before transitioning to acting through theatre workshops. In 2011, she married filmmaker Suhrud Godbole and became the daughter-in-law of noted Marathi film personality Shrirang Godbole.

Girija Oak completed her degree in biotechnology from Thakur College of Science and Commerce in Kandivali East, Mumbai, as reported by The Times of India. She also studied business management and participated in several theatre workshops before fully committing to her acting career.

Girija made her on-screen debut at age 15 with Marathi films such as Goshta Choti Dongraevadhi, Gulmohar, Manini, and Adgule Madgule. She later gained widespread attention for her lead role as Manaswini Desai in the television series Lajja. Her 2018 short film Quarter premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and earned her multiple international awards, including Best Actress at the European Cinematography Awards.

In Bollywood, Girija is best known for playing Jabeen in Aamir Khan’s acclaimed 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. She went on to appear in the 2010 film Shor in the City and was recently seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s 2023 blockbuster Jawan, where her performance was appreciated by audiences and critics alike. On television, she starred as one of the leads in Ladies Special, a show focusing on the lives of four women who commute together on Mumbai’s Ladies Special local train.

Girija Oak has made a strong mark in the digital space with notable roles in acclaimed OTT projects. She appeared in the anthology Modern Love: Mumbai and the coming-of-age drama 13th: Some Lessons Aren’t Taught in Classrooms. Most recently, she portrayed Vijaya Zende, wife of the titular cop, opposite Manoj Bajpayee in Netflix’s comedy thriller Inspector Zende (2025), a fictionalised take on a real Mumbai police pursuit.