Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma, born on May 1, 1988, is a renowned Indian actress known for her work in Hindi films. She has received a Filmfare Award and has been featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list throughout the 2010s. In 2018, Forbes Asia recognized her in their prestigious 30 Under 30 list.
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| Born | 1 May 1988 |
Alma mater | Mount Carmel College (B.A) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2008–2022 |
Spouse | Virat Kohli (m. 2017) |
Children | 2 |
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Hailing from Ayodhya and raised in Bangalore, Anushka started her career in modeling, making her debut with designer Wendell Rodricks in 2007. Later, she moved to Mumbai to pursue a full-time career in modeling before transitioning into acting. Her Bollywood journey began with the blockbuster Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), opposite Shah Rukh Khan. She gained widespread recognition with Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the latter.
Anushka has played powerful female characters in critically acclaimed films like NH10 (2015), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), and Sui Dhaaga (2018). Her highest-grossing films include Sultan (2016), PK (2014), and Sanju (2018). After the underwhelming response to Zero (2018), she took a break from acting.
Apart from acting, Anushka co-founded the production house Clean Slate Filmz, producing successful projects like NH10, Paatal Lok (2020), and Bulbbul (2020). She is also a brand ambassador for multiple companies and has her own fashion line, Nush. A vocal advocate for gender equality and animal rights, Anushka has been actively involved in social causes.
Born into a military family, Anushka’s father, Colonel Ajay Kumar Sharma, served in the Indian Army, while her mother, Ashima Sharma, is a homemaker. Her brother, Karnesh Sharma, is a film producer and former Merchant Navy officer. Anushka completed her schooling at Army School, Bangalore, and pursued a degree in arts at Mount Carmel College. Initially aspiring to be a journalist or model, she moved to Mumbai, trained under Elite Model Management, and later entered the world of films.
Anushka Sharma is married to Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli, and the couple has two children.
Success and expansion into film production (2014–2016)
In 2014, Anushka Sharma starred in PK, a satirical film by Rajkumar Hirani, where she played a television journalist who befriends an alien, portrayed by Aamir Khan. Her performance was praised by critics, with Saibal Chatterjee commending her portrayal of a "feisty, poetry-loving girl who knows her mind." PK became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, earning over ₹7 billion (US$81 million) worldwide. Sharma's performance earned her a nomination for the IIFA Award for Best Actress, and she was declared the highest-grossing Hindi film actress of the year by Bollywood Hungama.
In 2013, Sharma established her production house, Clean Slate Filmz, and made her debut as a producer with NH10 (2015), directed by Navdeep Singh. She also played the lead role in this thriller, which follows a married couple entangled with criminals. The film was showcased at the 5th Beijing International Film Festival and was well-received. Sharma underwent intense training for three months to build stamina for the physically demanding role. Critics praised her performance, with Saibal Chatterjee highlighting her ability to transition from vulnerable to fearless, and Prarthana Sarkar of International Business Times noting her departure from romantic comedies. NH10 also proved to be a box office success.
In Bombay Velvet (2015), Anushka played Rosie Noronha, a jazz singer, alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Karan Johar. Inspired by actresses like Brigitte Bardot, Helen, and Waheeda Rehman, Sharma studied films from the 1950s and 1960s and used temporary lip enhancers for authenticity. The film was screened at the Locarno and Bucheon film festivals, and while her song performance "Dhadaam Dhadaam" was praised for its emotional depth, the film failed to recover its ₹1.2 billion (US$14 million) budget.
That same year, Sharma appeared in Dil Dhadakne Do, a Zoya Akhtar-directed ensemble drama set aboard a cruise ship, opposite Ranveer Singh. She choreographed the song "Pehli Baar" with Singh, and Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Reuters praised their chemistry. Sharma's performances in NH10 and Dil Dhadakne Do earned her Filmfare Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
In 2016, Sharma collaborated again with Yash Raj Films for Sultan, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. She played Aarfa Hussain, a wrestler from Haryana who motivates the protagonist, played by Salman Khan, to pursue wrestling. Initially reluctant due to her physique, Sharma researched different wrestling weight categories to challenge the stereotype that all wrestlers are bulky. She trained for six weeks, perfected the Haryanvi dialect, and worked closely with real female wrestlers. While her performance received mixed reviews, critics appreciated her substantial role in a male-dominated film. Filmfare's Rachit Gupta described her as "the best thing in the film," while The Huffington Post's Suprateek Chatterjee found her portrayal unconvincing due to her lean physique. Sultan became one of the highest-grossing Indian films, earning over ₹5 billion (US$58 million) worldwide.
Personal life and off-screen work
Anushka Sharma adopted vegetarianism in 2015 and was named one of "Bollywood's hottest vegetarian celebrities" by The Times of India. She has also been honored multiple times as "The Person of the Year" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Sharma practices Transcendental Meditation and has openly spoken about experiencing anxiety disorder, for which she has sought medical treatment.
A practicing Hindu, Sharma and her family are followers of Anant Dham Atmabodh Ashram in Haridwar, where they regularly visit their spiritual guru, Maharaj Anant Baba. Her relationship with cricketer Virat Kohli received significant media attention in India, though she preferred to keep it private. The couple tied the knot in a highly publicized wedding in Italy on 11 December 2017. They welcomed their first child, daughter Vamika, on 11 January 2021, followed by their son, Akaay, on 15 February 2024.
On 14 June 2022, Sharma publicly criticized The Times Group for publishing an unauthorized photo of her daughter while on vacation. She has consistently urged the media and paparazzi to respect her children's privacy. In 2023, she and Kohli launched their philanthropic initiative, SEVVA, with their daughter Vamika as a partner.
Sharma has participated in various charitable activities and social initiatives. In September 2013, she walked the ramp in a tribute fashion show dedicated to late filmmaker Yash Chopra. She also performed at the opening ceremony of the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL) in Kolkata, sharing the stage with Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Farhan Akhtar, and Pritam.
Actively supporting social causes, Sharma has contributed to women's empowerment programs. She walked the ramp for Shabana Azmi’s Mijwan Welfare Society, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that helps uplift women. In 2013, she pledged support for young girls' education through NDTV's Our Girls, Our Pride fundraiser. That same year, she appeared in a commercial by the National Film Development Corporation of India, raising awareness for children’s Right to Education.
In December 2014, Sharma auctioned her leather jacket from Jab Tak Hai Jaan on eBay to raise funds for flood relief in Kashmir and Assam. She also played a role in fundraising for the April 2015 Nepal earthquake victims. As a supporter of the Mumbai Film Festival, she donated funds in 2015 to help sustain it.
Sharma has spoken out about gender pay disparity in Bollywood, advocating for equal compensation for actresses compared to male actors. In 2016, she supported India’s first transgender music group, 6-Pack Band, by lending her voice to their debut song, Hum Hain Happy, launched by Y-Films.
References
- Donate to Girls Education | Your Donation can Help a Girl future! (n.d.). Educate Girls. https://www.educategirls.ngo/donate/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-
- Sachin. (2022, April 22). Atmabodha(Self-Realization): Explore your true potential by spiritual awareness, yoga & meditation. https://www.atmabodha.com/
- Sehgal, C. (2024, September 5). Anushka Sharma’s father https://www.news18.com/movies/anushka-sharma-father
- Yash Raj Films. (n.d.-a). https://www.yashrajfilms.com/
- Yash Raj Films. (n.d.-b). https://www.yashrajfilms.com/
