Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma (born 1 May 1988) is an Indian actress and former model who appears in Hindi films. In 2008, she was signed by Aditya Chopra for a three-film contract with Yash Raj Films and made her acting debut in Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.
She received critical appreciation for portraying a vivacious wedding planner in the romantic comedy Band Baaja Baaraat (2010). Both films fetched her a Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards ceremony.
She later won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Yash Chopra's romance Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012). Due to these prime achievements, Sharma has often been noted as one of the most promising contemporary actresses of Hindi cinema.
Sharma's first venture outside the Yash Raj banner was Patiala House directed by Nikhil Advani and co-starring Akshay Kumar. Patiala House was released on February 11, 2011. Despite the film's lukewarm performance at the box office, Sharma received positive reviews. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times Of India wrote, "Anushka Sharma’s vivacity may have an after taste of her bubbling Band Baaja Baraat act but her passage from Janakpuri’s dhinchak girl to Southall’s siren is sweet and smooth. Watch out for the girl; she’s truly on a roll."
In December 2011, she re-united with her Band Baaja Baarat team of Ranveer Singh and Maneesh Sharma for Yashraj Films's Ladies vs Ricky Bahl. Despite negative media perception, the film was a moderate success at the box office.
In 2012, Sharma appeared in Yash Chopra's swan song, the romance Jab Tak Hai Jaan alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. Whilst the film was commercially successful and earned a mostly positive reception from critics, her portrayal of the ambitious Discovery Chanel reporter Akira Rai, fetched her positive reviews from critics, with Adarsh noting: "She's an integral part of this story and it must be said that she walks away with some of the best scenes and lines in the movie. Her performance is full of grit."
This would be her second film with Shah Rukh Khan, opposite whom she made her Bollywood debut with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and her fifth collaboration with the production house, Yash Raj Films. Additionally, for her role, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Sharma was last seen in Vishal Bharadwaj's Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, a political satire set in the rustic surroundings of a village in Haryana. Co-starring alongside Pankaj Kapur, Imran Khan and Shabana Azmi, Sharma played the role of Bijlee Mandola, a strong headed, girl who is also a spoilt brat. Despite the hype, the film generated mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office, eventually becoming a flop. Whilst many critics noted that Sharma was being stereotyped as the loud, bubbly girl, Sharma's performance attracted mixed reviews from critics, much like the film.
Some critics were appreciative of her performance, like Raja Sen, who noted that "Anushka is great in a couple of scenes near the climax." On the other hand, critics such as Kanika Sikka gave her an unfavourable review, Sikka having the opinion that "[although] Anushka adds the much-needed glamour [...] her performance is unconvincing."
Sharma is currently shooting for Rajkumar Hirani's next, the political satire P.K. opposite Aamir Khan. She is also scheduled to appear in Anurag Kashyap's periodic love story Bombay Velvet, in which she is cast alongside Ranbir Kapoor.
