We’ve seen it time and again – Anushka Sharma is not your regular run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter actress. In fact, when Sharma had just come to Mumbai from Bangalore, she had specifically told her manager that she didn’t want to go for any auditions. Her manager, perhaps sensing greatness in this young woman, sent her pictures to YRF anyway. The production house was looking for a fresh face for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Egged on by her manager, an uncombed and unkempt Sharma went for the audition and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Sharma is not only a successful actress but a thriving businesswoman. She’s built an empire for herself and is a force to be reckoned with. Still have your doubts? Read on.
#1 : In 2020, Sharma put her muscle behind two very different but extremely important projects – Paatal Lok and Bulbbul. Bulbbul was a new-age fairytale that reversed the chudail narrative. Paatal Lok took a deep look at the gritty, dirty world of politics and crime. Not only were these two projects widely appreciated, Sharma did not back down even when certain sections of society took offence to Paatal Lok. With the release of these two projects, she became a producer to be taken seriously.
#2 : In 2015, when Sharma had just established herself as a leading lady in romantic films, she chose to go against the grain with her first production venture, NH10. The film required her to shed her girl-next-door image, something that she did with élan. With this gutsy move, she earned the praise of the critics and audiences.
#3 : Around six years ago, when mental illness was still a taboo topic, Sharma spoke about her ordeal with anxiety disorder and also that she’d sought treatment for it.
#4 : Sharma is also a PETA favourite on account of the fact that she is a practising vegetarian. She’s also been vocal about her support for a ban on horse-drawn carriages in Mumbai and is the face of Pawsitivity, a campaign that aims to show how our actions affect animals.
#5 : The actor also lent her voice to Hum Hain Happy, which was the first single produced by India’s first transgender band, 6-pack Band.
#6 : Besides this, the actor and producer has supported numerous charities and causes over the years. She’s raised funds for victims of flooding in Kashmir and Assam, fronted a fundraiser for those affected by the devastating 2015 Nepal earthquake and continues to voice her support for women’s education.
[Image Credit: Anushka Sharma]
ML Entertainment