According to Merriam and Webster dictionary, the term is both an adjective (local or indigenous) and a noun (someone who is of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi birth or descent who lives abroad). Some people use the said word to also include the peoples from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.
Tara Sharma easily passes the requirements to be called a beautiful "desi" (see above photo), after all she was born on January 11, 1977 in Mumbai to an Indian father (Partap) and British mother (Susan) and has lived abroad to graduate from the London School of Economics for her Management course.
She began her career as a model (for beauty/cosmetics/make-up brand Garnier and Lakme but it was her commercial with Pepsi (with actor Shah Rukh Khan) which propelled her into the movie business. She is married to husband Roopak Saluja in 2007; they have two kids.
Her movies list (filmography):
- 2002: Om Jai Jagadish
- 2003: Saaya
- 2004: Masti, Bardaasht
- 2005: Sitam, Mr Prime Minister, Page 3
- 2006: Aksar, Khosla Ka Ghosla
- 2007: Heyy Babyy, Overnight
- 2008: The Other End of the Line, Maharathi
- 2009: Suno Na Ek Nanhi Aawaaz, The Whisperers, Mumbai Cutting, Amavas
- 2010: Dulha Mil Gaya, Prem Kaa Game
- 2012: The Tara Sharma Show, 10ml Love
More photos of our glamorous Bollywood celeb (click to enlarge):
Sources: Wikipedia, Facebook fan pages, forum posts