From Dangal to Shakuntala Devi: Here are 5 films of Sanya Malhotra that show how versatile she can be

Ever since her debut performance in the 2016 blockbuster Dangal, Sanya Malhotra has become one of the most sought-after actresses.

In a career span of four years, Sanya has proven that is she not only a great dancer, but also a talented actress. The powerhouse performer will soon be seen in Amazon Prime Video’s Shakuntala Devi, where she will be essaying the role of Shakuntala’s daughter. The movie is all set for first day first stream on Amazon Prime Video from July 31.

Dangal
In her debut movie Dangal, Sanya portrayed the role of the celebrated wrestler Babita Kumari. Aamir Khan starred as Mahavir Singh Phogat, a retired national level wrestler who trains his daughters Geeta Phogat (Fatima Sana Shaikh) and Babita to represent the country in the wrestling arena. While the movie majorly focused on Geeta’s journey to becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, Sanya provided strong support and also received rave reviews for her performance. Having captured the audience’s attention with her sheer screen presence in her debut film itself, Sanya proved that she is here to stay.

Pataakha
In Pataakha, Sanya played a young and vibrant woman, whose sole ambition in life is to keep getting in the way of her sister, played by Radhika Madan. The film is set in rural Rajasthan, and Sanya completely nailed the accent and the mannerisms that the role demanded. The sibling rivalry between the two protagonists sets the tone of the film and their antics don't seem out of the place. Sanya, as a warring woman, who breaks into a bitter fight with her sister at the slightest provocation, certainly holds the audience's attention. It’s a role by Sanya that you never saw coming, but one that will see you smile from the very first frame to the last.

Badhaai Ho
Ayushman Khurrana-starrer Badhaai Ho was a film about middle-aged pregnancy. While Aayushman, Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao stole the limelight, Sanya as the supportive girlfriend to Ayushman, did not go unnoticed. Even though her screen time was lesser than the other actors, Sanya managed to shine through. And watching her look ravishing as ever in the song Morni Banke at the end of the film made us fall in love with her all over again.

Photograph
Photograph is a story of a street photographer (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and a shy stranger (Sanya), who pretend to be a couple because of cultural pressures and end up falling for each other. Sanya, who plays a Mumbai girl in the movie, effortlessly portrays her character by bringing out the charm of a young lady who is full of dreams. Despite sharing screen space with a critically acclaimed actor like Nawaz, Sanya stands her ground throughout the film. Complementing each other so well throughout the film, Sanya gives us one of her most sincere performances to date making Photograph an absolute must-watch.

Shakuntala Devi
Sanya will soon be seen in Amazon Prime Video’s Shakuntala Devi. The film is based on the life of the Maths genius Shakuntala Devi (played by Vidya Balan) where Sanya will be portraying the role of her daughter Anupama Banerji. Getting into the skin of the character saw Sanya ditch her curly hair for large bangs. We can’t wait to see her weave her magic on the screen once again.

Watch Shakuntala Devi from the comfort of your homes on July 31 exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories.
 

• Sanya Malhotra