Persis Khambatta on AllMovie

Breathtakingly beautiful actress Persis Khambatta was already a veteran of Indian and European films when she burst onto the American screen as the bald and exotic Lieutenant Ilia in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979); it would be her most famous role. Born in Bombay, India, Khambatta started out as a model at age 13. In 1965, the willowy Khambatta was crowned Miss India and afterward launched her film career.