Bollywood: The rise of ‘Pagglait’ actress Sanya Malhotra

Sanya Malhotra hasn’t come from a film dynasty like many of her compatriots, but she has made a name for herself as an actor to contend with. With seven movies under her belt, Malhotra has firmly got a foothold on the ladder of fame. This is what you need to know about the ‘Pagglait’ star.

Malhotra began her trip into stardom with a role in ‘Dangal’, a biographical sports drama. She played Babita Kumari in the film about two women wrestlers.

Then came ‘Pataakha’. Playing the feisty Chuttki Kumari proved to critics and audiences alike that Malhotra was one to watch out for. The movie may have not done too well at the box office, but as a star, the spark was well lit.

She next went for another star-filled film, ‘Badhaai Ho’. The movie showcased the likes of veteran actors Gajraj Rao, Neena Gupta and Surekha Sikri. But even when pitted against the talented Ayushmann Khurrana, Malhotra managed to make her presence felt.

Arguably Malhotra's most impressive work is ‘Photograph’, in which she plays a shy Gujarati girl who is all about studies. This is until she comes across a photographer – played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Her performance steals the show.

Malhotra was also seen in 'Shakuntala Devi'. In the biopic, she held her own even while in a frame with multi-award-winning actress Vidya Balan.

She made a mark with her performance in Ludo and her chemistry with Aditya Roy Kapur has been well received. Akash (played by Aditya Roy Kapur) is a misunderstood ventriloquist who is dumped by his girlfriend Shruti (portrayed by Sanya Malhotra) for being ‘unambitious’.

She worked towards her next film, ‘Pagglait’, which is out now in Netflix.

The plot turns convention on its head as it follows a recently widowed character Sandhya Giri’s (Malhotra’s) trajectory of grief even as society expects a very, very different expression of sadness.