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From Miss India to Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Beyond

Connor Mitchell

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Early Life and Career

Persis Khambatta was born on October 2, 1950, in Bombay, India. Her father was a Parsi businessman and her mother was a Gujarati housewife. Khambatta attended the St. Joseph's Convent School in Bombay and later studied at the J.B. Petit Institute of Technology. She began her modeling career in the early 1970s and was crowned Miss India in 1971.

After winning Miss India, Khambatta represented her country at the Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She did not place among the top 15 finalists, but she caught the attention of several Hollywood producers and agents. In 1974, she made her film debut in the Hindi film Sanyasi. The following year, she starred in the British film Shout at the Devil, which was directed by Peter Hunt. Khambatta's performance in Shout at the Devil earned her critical acclaim and helped her to break into the international film market.

Presenting Persis Khambatta: From Miss India to Star Trek--The Motion Picture and Beyond

by Sherilyn Connelly

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Language	:	English
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Print length	:	288 pages

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

In 1977, Khambatta was cast as Lieutenant Ilia in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Ilia was a Deltan, a humanoid species with copper-colored skin and pronounced ridges on their faces. Khambatta's casting in the film was controversial at the time, as some fans felt that she was not the right choice to play a Vulcan. However, Khambatta's performance was well-received and she quickly became a fan favorite.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to launch Khambatta's international career. She reprised her role as Ilia in the sequel, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, in 1982. However, she did not return for the third film in the series, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, due to a scheduling conflict.

Later Career

After Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Khambatta continued to appear in films and television shows. She starred in the disaster film Earthquake (1974),the science fiction film Return to Genesis (1978),the television series Cosmos 1999 (1975-1977),and the miniseries Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). She also had roles in the films Starship Invasions (1977),Laserblast (1978),Megaforce (1982),and Warriors of the Wind (1984).

Khambatta's later career was marked by a number of personal and professional challenges. She struggled with alcohol and drug abuse, and she was diagnosed with HIV in 1989. She died of a heart attack on August 19, 1998, at the age of 47.

Legacy

Persis Khambatta was a groundbreaking actress who broke down barriers for Indian actors in Hollywood. She was one of the first Indian actresses to achieve international stardom, and she paved the way for other Indian actors to follow in her footsteps. Khambatta's role as Lieutenant Ilia in Star Trek: The Motion Picture is still considered one of the most iconic performances in the franchise's history. She will always be remembered as a talented actress and a beautiful woman who made a significant contribution to the world of entertainment.