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{{Short description| Indian video jockey }}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pepsi Uma
| image =
| birth_name = Uma Maheswari
| occupation = Video jockey
| years_active = 1992–2013
| spouse = Sukesh
}}
'''Uma Maheswari''',<ref name="H1">{{Cite web |date=23 June 2013 |title=Jaya TV producer arrested |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/jaya-tv-producer-arrested/article4841385.ece |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314092634/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/jaya-tv-producer-arrested/article4841385.ece |archive-date=14 March 2024 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> better known as '''Pepsi Uma''', is an Indian video jockey known for her work in Tamil-language television. She was noted for her "mellifluous voice and flawless diction".<ref name="N" />

== Career ==
Uma worked as a video jockey since she was eleven years old.<ref name="HT" /> In 1994, she hosted ''Ungal Choice'', a weekly phone-in show sponsored by [[Pepsi]] on [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]].<ref name="I">{{Cite web |last=Vetticad |first=Anna M.M. |author-link=Anna M. M. Vetticad |date=16 October 2000 |title=Eyecatchers |url=https://www.indiatoday.com/itoday/20001016/eyecats.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034423/https://www.indiatoday.com/itoday/20001016/eyecats.shtml |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref><ref name="T" /> In 2000, the show was Sun TV's longest show with three-hundred and twenty-five episodes.<ref name="I" /> She subsequently earned the name Pepsi Uma.<ref name="T">{{Cite web |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=12 June 2004 |title=A trendsetter, but... |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/06/12/stories/2004061200020200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041110194215/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/06/12/stories/2004061200020200.htm |archive-date=10 November 2004 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref name="HT">{{Cite web |last=V |first=Aarthi |date=20 December 2023 |title=Pepsi Uma: பரிசாக வந்த வெட்டப்பட்ட சிறிய விரல்..பெப்சி உமாவை அதிர வைத்த சம்பவம்! |trans-title=Pepsi Uma: The cut little finger that came as a gift.. The incident that shocked Pepsi Uma! |url=https://tamil.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/pepsi-uma-received-the-cut-finger-gift-from-fan-131703002579843.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314085520/https://tamil.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/pepsi-uma-received-the-cut-finger-gift-from-fan-131703002579843.html |archive-date=14 March 2024 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |language=Tamil}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 May 2023 |title=அடடே... மீண்டும் இவரா? |trans-title=Huh... Him again? |url=https://www.dailythanthi.com/Cinema/CinemaThuligal/ugh-him-again-962805 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722034833/https://www.dailythanthi.com/Cinema/CinemaThuligal/ugh-him-again-962805 |archive-date=22 July 2023 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[Dina Thanthi]] |language=Ta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 January 2024 |title=என் கண்ணு உங்க மேலதான் போகுது.. ரஜினி குறித்து பெப்சி உமா சொன்ன ஷாக் தகவல் |trans-title=My eyes are on you.. Pepsi Uma reveals shocking news about Rajinikanth |url=https://www.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinemanews/tamil-cinema-pepsi-uma-video-goes-viral-696747 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104155543/https://www.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinemanews/tamil-cinema-pepsi-uma-video-goes-viral-696747 |archive-date=4 January 2024 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[Maalai Malar]] |language=Ta}}</ref> She simultaneously hosted ''Star Show'' in which she and [[Gangai Amaran]] discussed an issue every week with people from the [[Tamil cinema|Tamil film industry]] including [[Trisha (actress)|Trisha]] and [[Srikanth (actor, born 1979)|Srikanth]].<ref name="H2" /><ref name="T" /> In a poll taken in 2000, she was voten the best anchor of [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="I" /> She later switched to [[Kalaignar TV]] and left in March 2008.<ref name="E">{{Cite news |date=26 March 2008 |title=Pepsi Uma quits Kalaignar TV – Why ? |url=https://www.extramirchi.com/television/pepsi-uma-quits-kalaignar-tv-why/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601093052/http://www.extramirchi.com/television/pepsi-uma-quits-kalaignar-tv-why/ |archive-date=1 June 2023 |access-date=14 March 2024 |work=eXtra Mirchi}}</ref>

In 2013, Uma hosted an hour show on [[Jaya TV]] titled ''Album''.<ref name="H2">{{Cite web |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=30 May 2013 |title=The fizz is intact |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/radio-and-tv/the-fizz-is-intact/article4765708.ece |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614054842/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/radio-and-tv/the-fizz-is-intact/article4765708.ece |archive-date=14 June 2013 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> During her work as a video jockey, she received several film offers from [[Rajinikanth]] (two films including ''[[Muthu (film)|Muthu]]''),<ref name="HT" /> [[Subhash Ghai]] for a film with [[Shah Rukh Khan]], [[K. Balachander]] and [[Bharathiraja]] but did not accept them due to lack of interest.<ref name="N">{{Cite web |last=Kannan |first=Uma |date=3 December 2009 |title=The fizzy Uma |url=http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article78094.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926202342/http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article78094.ece |archive-date=26 September 2013 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=[[The New Indian Express]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="HT" /> She also decided against doing an ad with [[Sachin Tendulkar]] due to the costumes.<ref name="N" /> Unlike other video jockeys, Uma preferred wearing [[Sari|saris]] in all her shows.<ref name="E" />

== Personal life ==
Uma is married to Sukesh, a Punjabi man she met while shooting for an advertisement.<ref name="H2" /> During her tenure with Jaya TV, she was [[Workplace harassment|harassed]] by a senior producer named Saravanaraj, who was later arrested.<ref name="H1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 June 2013 |title=Pepsi Uma harassed by a TV executive ... |url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-10/sexual-harassment-on-pepsi-uma--stern-cction-taken-pepsi-uma-album-23-06-13.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519212048/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-10/sexual-harassment-on-pepsi-uma--stern-cction-taken-pepsi-uma-album-23-06-13.html |archive-date=19 May 2017 |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=Behindwoods.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=23 June 2013 |title=TV channel executive held for harassing VJ |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/tv-channel-executive-held-for-harassing-vj/articleshow/20722101.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029211438/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/TV-channel-executive-held-for-harassing-VJ/articleshow/20722101.cms |archive-date=29 October 2016 |access-date=14 March 2024 |work=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref> Her fans wanted to build a temple for her in [[Kumily]].<ref name="H2" /> A distraught fan sent her a mail containing part of his cut [[Little finger|pinky]] which shocked Uma.<ref name="HT" /> As of 2009, she manages her family business Krypton Engineering and a production company.<ref name="N" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uma, Pepsi}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Indian jockeys]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil television presenters]]
[[Category:Women television presenters]]

{{Improve categories|date=March 2024}}

Pepsi Uma - Revision history

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