Hazel Crowney, also spelt as Hazel Croney, is a British model and film actress who has appeared in many ad campaigns and some Bollywood films.

Hazel Crowney
Crowney in 2016
Born
Other namesHazel Croney, Hazel
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active2003–2019

Early life

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Crowney was born in London, United Kingdom, to English parents Karin and Phil Crowney. She has two younger sisters (Robyn and Zoë). Crowney grew up in Grosvenor Park, Chester, England; she completed her schooling at Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells, and later studied fashion and textiles at West Kent College.[1]

Career

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Crowney's entry into Bollywood came by chance in 2004 when she was backpacking in Thailand and stumbled upon an Indian film being shot there. So it came that her first appearance in a Bollywood film was in the item song "Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar". She was an extra in the film Janasheen.[2] With little prior knowledge of the sub-continent, she was attracted by the music and dance, and decided to try her luck in Mumbai.[1]

She went on to do advertisements for Pond's, Nokia, HSBC and Samsung before landing her first proper role in the film MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar in 2007. She also worked in shows, for which she was highly paid.[3]

In 2010, Crowney along with other non-Indian actresses such as Alice Patten were asked to leave Bollywood by Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a Mumbai-based political party. They campaigned for a ban on the estimated 1,000 British and other foreign actors who regularly appear in Bollywood films accusing them of stealing jobs from local girls.[4]

Crowney has performed in an item song named 'Reshma Ki Jawani' for the film Kaash Tum Hote which was released in 2014.[5] She also appeared in an item song in the Telugu action-drama Shankara, which was released in 2016.[6]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role Other notes
2003 Janasheen
2006 Ho Sakta Hai Claire
2007 MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar Ayesha Mehra credited as Hazel
2008 U, Me aur Hum Girlfriend of Ajay's son credited as Hazel
2010 Mittal v/s Mittal Item song credited as Hazel
Dunno Y... Na Jaane Kyon credited as Hazel
A Flat Gitika D. Singh credited as Hezal Crony/Hazel
2012 Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daal Shrishti
2013 Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara! Belly dancer in song "Tu Hi Khwahish"
Kyun Hua Achanak
Kash Tum Hote
2014 Jilla Special appearance in song "Jingunamani" Tamil film
Unforgettable Nisha
Kaanchi: The Unbreakable Item Number
2016 Khel Toh Ab Shuru Hoga
Shankara Telugu film
2017 Aadesh - Power Of Law Marathi film
2019 Ghost Neena Hindi

Television appearances

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Year Television Series Role Other notes
2009-10 Fear Factor Herself Contestant
2010 Zara Nachke Dikha Herself Contestant

References

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  1. ^ a b C. Cromie (12 July 2009). "Ex-Tunbridge wells schoolgirl now Bollywood beauty". This is Kent. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010.
  2. ^ "He asked me to strip!". 28 May 2007.
  3. ^ "British actresses flock to Bollywood". The Daily Telegraph. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  4. ^ "White British actresses told to leave Bollywood". The Daily Telegraph. 17 March 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Hazel Croney's item song in Kaash Tum Hote". Glam Gold. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  6. ^ Hazel Crowney grooves to item song in 'Shankara', Published: 9 October 2013, The New Indian Express
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