From Dangal to Badhaai Ho, here's why Sanya is a director's actor

The success of the movies Sanya Malhotra featured in catapulted her to the big league in no time

Sanya Malhotra's debut film Dangal not only set a new benchmark at the domestic box office but had also minted huge moolah on the foreign shores too, making Indian cinema proud at the global level.

Unlike other aspiring debutants, Sanya Malhotra (who turns a year older on Tuesday) decided to take the road less travelled by opting for a challenging subject like Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal and needless to say, her gamble did pay off and how! Sanya's tomboyish look in the movie not just surprised film buffs but also grabbed a lot of attention and appreciation.

The humongous success of her debut film made filmmakers sit up and take notice of the young promising newcomer, already touted as one of the most sought after, versatile and influential Gen-X actors. Among the ones to sign this incredible bundle of talent was Vishal Bhardwaj in Pataakha a story of two warring sisters. Sanya walked away with rave reviews from the critics and the industry alike for yet another gutsy performance.

The movie's critical acclaim and Sanya's honest portrayal as a village girl earned her a commercial family entertainer in the form of Amit Sharma's 'Badhaai Ho'. Sanya's bubbly, girl-next-door avatar was hugely appreciated by the movie aficionados, especially the family audience as much as her chemistry with the film's male protagonist, Ayushmann Khurrana.

Next in line for Sanya was Ritesh Batra's Photograph, alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Though the movie didn't fare as expected, it still went on to become one of her brilliant and earnest performances and the movie becoming one of the most likable films of the year.

The success of the movies Sanya featured in catapulted her to the big league in no time, with the credit of working with the finest filmmakers of Bollywood. Going by her interesting line up of projects this year, including Anurag Basu's Ludo, Anu Menon's highly-anticipated biopic 'Shakuntala Devi – The Human Computer' and Umesh Bisht's Pagglait, the talented actress will shine on the big screen in exciting avatars.

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