Kriti Sanon: An outsider’s journey to glory

Sometime, towards the end of 2013, when one heard of Sajid Nadiadwala bankrolling a film titled ‘Heropanti’, the one thing everybody discussed was how it was going to serve as the launch pad of Tiger Shroff, Jackie Shroff’s son. Barring a fleeting mention, there was no elaborate article on or coverage of the young woman who was paired opposite her in the film. At that time, not many would have imagined that this young lady would soon emerge as one of the most formidable actors in Hindi cinema.

While pursuing a course in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering at the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Kriti Sanon took up some modelling assignments on the side which came her way organically. Around that time, there was, perhaps, she had not given a serious thought about pursuing acting as a profession in the future. Being a fashion model, too, was something she did for fun. However, there came a time when she started giving acting a serious thought. Armed with a degree in engineering, a high GMAT score and a back-up plan, she decided to give acting a shot.

Kriti made her debut as an actor with ‘1: Nenokkadine’ (2014). Kriti played a journalist in the film and was paired opposite Mahesh Babu, one of the biggest stars of Telugu cinema. The well-crafted and engaging psychological thriller did not do too well at the box-office but has attained a cult status for itself over the years. In the film industry, first impressions matter, especially if you are somebody who does not come from a film family. While Kriti gave a very good account of herself in the film and made it apparent that she has all that it takes to be a ‘commercial heroine’, the box-office failure of the film proved to be a deterrent.

‘Heropanti’, Kriti’s debut Hindi film, released in cinemas five months later. The film, which was an official adaptation of the Telugu film ‘Parugu’ (2008), earned rich dividends at the box-office and proved to be a clean hit. Prior to the release of the film, the chatter revolved around Tiger Shroff as there was a reference point there. After the film released, Kriti, and not just Tiger, received a lot of appreciation for her performance as well. While Tiger was lauded for the ease with which he did action, Kriti received praise for her screen presence and confident performance.

After the success of ‘Heropanti’, one expected Kriti to follow it up more releases in Hindi. However, what followed next was ‘Dochay’ (2015), a Telugu film in which she was paired opposite Naga Chaitanya. ‘Dochay’ was a fun crime comedy that ended up doing moderate business at the box-office. Just like 2014, 2015 was going to follow a similar pattern for Kriti. Her next release was going to be ‘Dilwale’. A film co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Varun Dhawan.

‘Dilwale’ was one of the most anticipated films of 2015 for multiple reasons. First and foremost, it was the first film in many years when one would see Shah Rukh and Kajol being paired opposite each other. Shah Rukh and Rohit Shetty had earlier collaborated on ‘Chennai Express’ (2013) which was a huge hit. There was also some interest in Varun and Kriti, two emerging young actors, being paired opposite each other for the first time.

‘Dilwale’ was a typical Rohit Shetty entertainer that had its moments but could not live up to the huge hype associated with it. The film did manage to breach the 100-crore mark at the domestic box-office but one expected it to do a lot more. It is important to note here that the global/international box-office told a different story. Globally, ‘Dilwale’ emerged as one of the highest earning Indian films till that time. The film’s biggest contribution in Kriti’s career, therefore, was helping her connect with a large Hindi cinema audience based out of India.

In an old interview, Kriti had stated that after her first 2-3 years in the industry, she took a break for a while to pause, introspect and figure out the kind of films she wanted to do next. That explains her having no release in 2016. 2017 was going to be quite an important year for her.

‘Raabta’, Kriti’s first release of 2017, marked the directorial debut of producer Dinesh Vijan. Kriti and her co-star Sushant Singh Rajput shared great chemistry, there were some wonderful songs and the film was shot very well. However, all this came undone by a script which was underwhelming, to put it mildly. The reincarnation-based love story had some interesting ideas but they just could not come to life in a coherent manner.

‘Raabta’ was a massive commercial failure and huge setback for everybody involved. This film, however, served as a testimony to an important fact. Some of the most terrible films can have the best performances. ‘Raabta’ featured a spectacular performance by Kriti. She was equally impressive as Saira, a modern young woman based in Budapest and as Saiba, a warrior princess from another era. It was incredible to see the distinctiveness with which she played both these parts. For Kriti’s performance alone, this is a film that one should see.

Different films do different things to an actor’s career. While ‘Heropanti’ did a lot of good to Kriti’s commercial viability as an actor, ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’ made the industry take her seriously as an actor. Every actor in the film had a well etched out part. However, it was Kriti who left the biggest impression as this feisty young woman in a small city of Uttar Pradesh who has a heart of gold.

After delivering a highly acclaimed performance in ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, one would have hoped to see Kriti in a few more author-backed roles the next year. However, that did not happen the next year as she had no release in 2018. That, perhaps, could be attributed to the fact that after encountering a high in her career with ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, Kriti did not want to sign anything that, as per her sensibilities and wisdom, would not play a part in propelling her career forward.

Kriti’s first release of 2019 was ‘Luka Chuppi’. The romantic comedy, which revolved around a young couple living together in a small city in Uttar Pradesh, hit a sweet spot for Kriti. While the film emerged a commercial success, it further solidified her reputation as an actor who has a solid command over her craft. As Rashmi, Kriti got the opportunity to showcase a wide range of emotions and excelled in each one of them.

‘Arjun Patiala’, her second release of the year, touched upon a genre which has seldom been explored in Hindi cinema. The film was a spoof comedy with some action thrown in for good measure as well. While the film was quite unique, what it lacked was a coherent script. The film fizzled out at the box-office in no time. 2019, however, a lot more in store for Kriti.

‘Housefull 4’, the fourth installment in the comedy franchise, turned out to be the biggest hit for everybody involved in it. The massive commercial success of this Diwali release played a good role in enhancing Kriti’s viability as a commercial actor. In the film, Kriti was paired opposite Akshay Kumar. In the initial years of her career, Kriti had signed up to be a part of ‘Singh Is Bliing’ (2015). The film would have marked her first outing with Akshay. Because of scheduling conflicts, she could not shoot for the film. The film, upon its release, did not do too well. Her first film with Akshay, thankfully, turned out to be one which gave a good boost to her standing as a box-office star.

Kriti’s last release of 2019 was ‘Panipat’, a historical drama where she played Parvati Bai, a Maratha queen from the 18^th century. Those who have seen the film would vouch for the fact that Kriti delivered a very sincere performance. The film was also quite competent and perhaps, the best attempt made by Ashutosh Gowarikar since ‘Jodhaa Akbar’. ‘Panipat’, unfortunately, turned out to be a commercial failure.

In 2019 or even in early 2020, nobody would have foreseen the arrival of a virus that would shut the world down. That’s exactly what Covid-19 managed to do. The outbreak of this virus had a significant impact on all industries across the globe, including the film industry. Production came to a halt, theatres got shut and nobody was sure as to when one would get to see a film in the cinemas next.

During these uncertain times, streaming platforms proved to be lifesavers for the film industry. Many producers, who were stressed about not being able to release their films and calculating the piling interest amount, finally got an outlet in the form of streaming platforms. Kriti’s ‘Mimi’, originally slated for a theatricals release, found a home for itself on Netflix.

Mimi, based on a stage dancer who ends up becoming a surrogate mother, was an official adaptation of the Marathi film ‘Mala Aai Vhhaychy!’ (2011). The Marathi film was quite a well-made product and even won the National Award for Best Feature Film in 2011. However, those who have seen both the films would vouch for the fact that the Laxman Utekar directed Hindi film was a much more polished product.

Both the film and Kriti’s performance received rave reviews. Once in a while, in an actor’s journey, a film comes and it alters their career significantly. ‘Mimi’ was that film for Kriti. It proved, beyond a doubt, that she is one of the best actors in the Hindi film industry today. The film, quite unsurprisingly, fetched Kriti her very first National Award for Best Actress. The one thing which Kriti (and everybody involved with the film) would have hoped for is the film to get a theatrical release. Had the film been made in pre or post-Covid times, it would have released in theatres and there was a very good possibility of it emerging a huge success at the box-office.

‘Hum Do Hamare Do’, Kriti’s second release of 2021, also released on a streaming platform. Interestingly, this was one of those films that were shot during the pandemic once some of the restrictions got lifted. It was a sweet film that one could enjoy with the family. During the Covid times, one would have expected it to be on the watchlist of those who were looking to watch something that offered a sense of comfort.

A while later, theatres re-opened, started operating in full capacity and welcomed new films. Just like any other actor, it would have been an exciting time for Kriti as well. After all, there is no greater joy than watching your performances come alive on the big screen. This was almost a new phase for the industry wherein they would want to see if the response to theatrical releases by the audience remains the same or not.

‘Bachchhan Pandey’, Kriti’s first theatrical release since the pandemic, was an official remake of the Tamil film ‘Jigarthanda’ (2014). The film reunited Kriti with her ‘Housefull 4’ co-star Akshay Kumar. The film was helmed by Farhad Samji who had directed ‘Housefull 4’. The film’s box-office performance, however, was not a patch on the 2019 blockbuster. ‘Bhediya’, her second release of the year, was created as a part of Maddock’s horror universe. The film, which featured Varun Dhawan as a shape-shifting werewolf, had some interesting moments but the several threads in the screenplay did not come together as well as they did in, say, a ‘Stree’ (2018). This reflected in the moderate box-office performance of the film as well. In the film, Kriti had a rather interesting part. While we are introduced to her as quirky veterinarian, her character gets an interesting twist towards the end.

When one looked at a list of Kriti’s upcoming films of 2023, one felt that this would be one of her best years. ‘Shehzada’ saw her reuniting with her ‘Luka Chuppi’ co-actor Kartik Aaryan and was an official adaptation of the blockbuster Telugu film ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’ (2020). ‘Adipurush’, one of the most expensive films to be made till date, was a retelling of the Ramayana. ‘Ganapath’ was an actioner which was also her first film with Tiger since ‘Heropanti’.

None of these three films did well. While ‘Shehzada’ was a pale remake of an extremely well-crafted commercial entertainer, the Om Raut-directed ‘Adipurush’ served as a textbook on all that one should not do while telling a story as great as the Ramayana. ‘Ganapath’ was an extremely flawed film which also featured some of the most underwhelming post-production work one has seen in recent times.

A disappointing 2023 paved the way for a fruitful 2024 for Kriti. ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’ earned her accolades for her performance as a robot. ‘Crew’ was a smartly written heist comedy wherein she held her own against her co-actors Tabu and Kareena Kapoor Khan. 2024 was also a very important year for Kriti as this is the year where one witnessed the release of ‘Do Patti’, the first film co-produced by her company Blue Butterfly Films. In this film, which had its share of interesting twists and turns, Kriti played two contrasting characters with effortless ease. ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’ and ‘Crew’ proved to be good earners at the box-office and ‘Do Patti’ entered into the list of the most-watched films on Netflix that year.

2025 was another glorious year for Kriti. With just one release (‘Tere Ishk Mein’), she emerged as one of the top female actors of the year. While the intense romantic drama drew polarizing reactions from the audience because of its characterization and certain themes, the film earning more than a 100 crores at the domestic box-office served as a testimony to the fact that it struck a chord with a large section of the audience. Along with box-office rewards, this film gave Kriti another opportunity to showcase what a fine actor she is.

‘Cocktail 2’, Kriti’s last release (also a success), has been a worthy addition to her filmography. Back in 2012, when ‘Cocktail ’ came out, the film proved to be a watershed moment in Deepika Padukone’s career. The film implored filmmakers to see Deepika in a new light and take her seriously as an actor. ‘Cocktail 2’, for Kriti, arrived at a time when she had already proved her mettle as an actor. Alisha/Ally has several traits that one had seen in Veronica, the character played by Deepika in Cocktail. Ally was free-spirited, vivacious and wore her heart on her sleeve. However, Ally was also different from Veronica in many ways.

As an actor, Kriti got the opportunity to play a character that she had not had a chance to portray in the past. Before the film released, everybody was talking about Kriti’s look and styling in the film. Once the film came out, the conversation veered towards her performance. Ally, in many ways, was a complex part to play. In the film, one saw her in various shades of emotion. Kriti understood the assignment very well and delivered a robust performance. Kriti’s performance, in fact, elevated some of the weaker moments in the film. After watching her performance in the film, one got the feeling that she brought Ally alive on the screen better than how the character was written on paper.

If one glances through Kriti’s filmography, one realizes she has had quite a dynamic journey in all these twelve years she has been around as an actor. She has done films across different genres, portrayed a variety of roles and proved she can make any character come alive in the most authentic manner. While the characters she has played show how versatile she is as an actor, her choices reflect a strong sense of maturity. Apart from being a successful actor, Kriti has managed to carve out a distinctive identity for herself as an entrepreneur by setting up a production company and creating a successful skincare brand in the form of Hyphen.

In the last few months, one has heard rumours about Kriti being in talks for certain films. However, she has not been shooting for something as yet. Time and again, in her career, she has taken small pauses to reflect on what she wants to do next. Maybe, she is in an introspective space again. While one looks forward to see what she does next as an actor, one is also curious about the next steps she takes as a producer. As the actor celebrates her birthday today, one hopes the next thing she does add further value to an already successful career.