Sanya Malhotra (born 25 February 1992) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She has had supporting roles in the sports film Dangal (2016) and the action film Jawan (2023), both of which rank among the highest-grossing Indian films. Her other commercially successful films were the comedy Badhaai Ho (2018) and the biopic Sam Bahadur (2023).
Malhotra received nominations for the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for her leading roles in the drama Photograph (2019) and the black comedy Ludo (2020). She also received praise for starring in the streaming films Shakuntala Devi (2020), Pagglait (2021), Love Hostel (2022) and Kathal (2023). The last of these earned her a Filmfare OTT Award.
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Early life
Malhotra was born on 25 February 1992 in Delhi into a Punjabi Hindu family. She is a trained dancer in contemporary and ballet. After graduating from Gargi College, Malhotra participated in the dance reality show Dance India Dance and made it to the top 100. She moved to Mumbai, where she began appearing in auditions and began assisting camerapersons for television commercials. She was later contacted by the film casting director Mukesh Chhabra.
Sanya Malhotra Age Boyfriend Husband Family Biography
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Sanya Malhotra |
| Profession(s) | Actress, Dancer |
| Famous Role | “Babita Kumari” in the film ‘Dangal’ (2016) |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters– 157 cm in meters– 1.57 m in feet inches– 5’ 2” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms– 50 kg in pounds– 110 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 32-26-32 |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film: Dangal (2016) |
| Awards | 2018– Best New Action Star at the prestigious 4th annual Jackie Chan Action Movie Week in China 2023– Critics’ Choice Award in the Best Actor (Female) category for the film ‘Kathal’ at the Filmfare OTT Awards (26 November 2023 2024– Best Actress in a Comic Role award for ‘Kathal’ at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards (20 February 2024) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 25 February 1992 (Tuesday) |
| Age (as of 2025) | 33 Years |
| Birthplace | Delhi, India |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Delhi, India |
| School | Ryan International School, Mayur Vihar, Delhi |
| College/University | Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Khatri |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Address | A 3-BHK apartment in Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Dancing, Travelling, Reading, Doing Yoga |
| Tattoo | Left Arm |
| Boys, Affairs, and More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Affairs/Boyfriends | Not Known |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | N/A |
| Parents | Father– Sunil Malhotra (Engineer) Mother– Renu Malhotra (Homemaker) |
| Siblings | Brother– None Sister– Shagun Malhotra (Elder) |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Rajma Chawal |
| Beverage(s) | Coffee, Beetroot Juice |
| Actor(s) | Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor |
| Actresses | Kangana Ranaut, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone |
| Film(s) | Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil Chahta Hai, Maqbool, The Lunchbox |
| Director(s) | Vishal Bhardwaj, Imtiaz Ali, Karan Johar |
| Destination | Europe |
| Singer/Band(s) | Lana Del Rey, Coldplay |
| Money Factor | |
| Assets/Properties | In November 2021, she gifted herself a new home in the Bayview building on Juhu-Versova Link Road. Reportedly, the apartment is worth Rs 14.3 crore. |
Career
Early work and recognition (2016–2019)
Malhotra was selected for Nitesh Tiwari’s biographical sports film Dangal alongside Fatima Sana Shaikh, who was also relatively new. Before the film, she admitted to having little knowledge about wrestling. To prepare, she watched several videos on wrestling techniques, studying how wrestlers move, walk, and carry themselves. Both Malhotra and Shaikh underwent five rounds of auditions, physical training, and workshops with Tiwari and Aamir Khan. They were trained by coach and former wrestler Kripa Shankar Patel Bishnoi.
Released in 2016, Dangal received critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing Indian film ever, earning more than ₹2,000 crore (US$240 million) worldwide. Anupama Chopra praised Malhotra’s performance, stating that she provided “strong support” to the story. Following Dangal, Malhotra choreographed the song “Sexy Baliye” for Secret Superstar (2017), which featured Aamir Khan.
Expanding Horizons with Pataakha and Badhaai Ho
Two years later, Malhotra starred in Vishal Bhardwaj’s drama Pataakha (2018) alongside newcomer Radhika Madan. Based on the short story Do Behnen by Charan Singh Pathik, the film portrays two warring sisters in Rajasthan. The story was inspired by the real-life experiences of Pathik’s brothers’ wives.
To prepare for their roles, Malhotra and Madan met the real-life women who inspired the characters, adopting their mannerisms and dialect. They stayed in Ronsi village near Jaipur, where they learned to milk buffaloes, thatch roofs, plaster walls with dung, and carry water-filled matkas over long distances. They also gained 10 kg for authenticity. Critic Raja Sen called Malhotra a “fearless actress,” noting that she played her role with “unhinged enthusiasm.” In the same year, she took on a supporting role in Amit Sharma’s critically and commercially successful comedy Badhaai Ho, starring Ayushmann Khurrana.
In 2019, Malhotra starred in Ritesh Batra’s Photograph. The film follows a street photographer, Rafi (played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who convinces a student, Miloni (Malhotra), to pose as his fiancée to appease his grandmother.
Photograph was screened at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter included Malhotra in their list of “breakout talent” from the Berlin festival. Rahul Desai of Film Companion praised her performance, writing that she “becomes the dreamy-eyed participant that enables the film to embrace its quiet glances and gentle flights of fantasy.” Malhotra’s performance earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.
Streaming Films and Beyond (2020–present)
Malhotra’s two films of 2020—the biographical drama Shakuntala Devi and the black comedy Ludo—were initially planned for theatrical release. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India, they premiered directly on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, respectively.
Directed by Anu Menon, Shakuntala Devi tells the story of the renowned mathematician, with Vidya Balan in the lead role and Malhotra portraying her daughter, Anupama. Mike McCahill of The Guardian described Malhotra as “quietly affecting” and praised her ability to hold her own alongside Balan. In Anurag Basu’s anthology film Ludo, she was part of an ensemble cast, sharing screen space with Aditya Roy Kapur. India Today’s Nairita Mukherjee highlighted the “outstanding camaraderie” between the two actors. Her performance in Ludo earned her another Filmfare Critics Award nomination for Best Actress.
Malhotra’s first two films of 2021 were released on Netflix. In the black comedy Pagglait, she played a young widow who uncovers her late husband’s infidelity. Critic Anna M. M. Vetticad praised her nuanced portrayal, and she received a Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare OTT Awards. Later that year, she starred alongside Abhimanyu Dassani in the romantic comedy Meenakshi Sundareshwar, which faced criticism for its stereotypical representation of Tamil culture.
Thrillers and Commercial Success (2022–2023)
In 2022, Malhotra starred in the ZEE5 thriller Love Hostel, which explores the theme of honor killings, opposite Vikrant Massey. Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com commended both actors for “effortlessly conveying the flavor of the world they inhabit.” She also had a minor role alongside Rajkummar Rao in the thriller HIT: The First Case, a remake of the Telugu film of the same name. The Times of India and News 18 criticized the film for underutilizing her talent.
The following year, Malhotra took on a lead role in the Netflix satire Kathal, portraying a small-town cop investigating a missing jackfruit case. Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times praised her comic timing, and the role won her the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actor in a Web Original Film (Female). She then appeared in a supporting role as a doctor in the blockbuster action film Jawan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, which became one of the highest-grossing Indian films.
Malhotra’s final release of 2023 was Sam Bahadur, a biopic on Sam Manekshaw, where she played his wife, Siloo. Starring alongside Vicky Kaushal, she earned praise from The Hindu’s Anuj Kumar, who wrote that she “proves equal to Vicky’s charm.” The film had modest commercial success.
In 2024, Malhotra starred in Mrs., the Hindi remake of the Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen.
In the media
Tanisha Bhattacharya of Filmfare noted, “Malhotra has made a career out of seeking content-centric films. She has wowed the audience with her natural performance.” Shilpa Dubey of Femina stated, “Contradicting the cookie-cutter style big-screen debuts, her onset in Bollywood was a refreshing game-changer in Dangal.” Malhotra ranked 3rd in Rediff.com’s “The 10 Best Actresses” list of 2021. She is an endorser for several brands and products including Fastrack and Shoppers Stop.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Dangal | Babita Kumari | |
| 2017 | Secret Superstar | — | Choreographer for song “Sexy Baliye” |
| 2018 | Pataakha | Genda / Chhutki | |
| Badhaai Ho | Renee Sharma | ||
| 2019 | Photograph | Miloni Shah | |
| 2020 | Shakuntala Devi | Anupama Banerjee | |
| Ludo | Shruti Choksi | ||
| 2021 | Pagglait | Sandhya | |
| Meenakshi Sundareshwar | G. Meenakshi | ||
| 2022 | Love Hostel | Jyoti Dilawar | |
| HIT: The First Case | Neha Mahta | ||
| 2023 | Kathal | Mahima Basor | |
| Jawan | Dr. Eeram | ||
| Sam Bahadur | Silloo Manekshaw | ||
| 2024 | Mrs. | Richa | |
| Baby John † | TBA | Filming | |
| Anurag Kashyap’s untitled next † | TBA | Filming | |
| 2025 | Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari † | TBA | Filming |
| TBA | Thug Life † | TBA | Tamil film; filming |
Accolades
| Year | Awards | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards | Best New Action Performer | Dangal | Won |
| 2019 | Screen Awards | Best Actress (Critics) | Pataakha | Nominated |
| 2020 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actress (Critics) | Photograph | Nominated |
| 2021 | Ludo | Nominated | ||
| Filmfare OTT Awards | Best Actress in a Web Original Film | Pagglait | Nominated | |
| 2022 | International Indian Film Academy Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| Filmfare OTT Awards | Best Actor in a Web Original Film (Female) | Meenakshi Sundareshwar | Nominated | |
| Love Hostel | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | 2023 Filmfare OTT Awards | Best Actress in a Film: Critics | Kathal | Won |
| Best Actress (Web Original Film) | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | Iconic Gold Awards | Best Actress of the Year – Critics Choice | Won | |
| 2024 | New York Indian Film Festival | Best Actress of the Year | Mrs. | Won |