The National Award-winning actress has come a long way, and how!
Kriti Sanon’s story is one of those rare Bollywood journeys that feels both relatable and inspiring. She didn’t have a famous last name or a film background to lean on, but her big dreams and the courage to chase them did the job. In just a few years, she has gone from auditions and rejections to award-winning roles and her own production house, and is expected to only rise in the coming years. Today, as she celebrates her 35th birthday, let's look at how far she has come and how she has done it all on her own terms.
Long before she faced the camera, Kriti Sanon faced opponents in the boxing ring. As a schoolgirl in Delhi, she trained as a state-level boxer. More than just a sport, boxing was her way of challenging herself, testing her limits, and building mental strength. And though she didn’t pursue the sport professionally, the discipline it instilled in her became a defining trait. “I’ve always been someone who wants to prove people wrong when they say ‘you can’t do this,’” she once said in an interview.
(Credit: kritisanon)
Despite her love for performing, Kriti didn’t grow up chasing the acting dream. She was an academically bright student and earned her B.Tech degree in Electronics and Telecommunication from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology. But life had other plans.
A turning point came when her sister Nupur clicked her photo for an online contest. Kriti won and landed a professional portfolio shoot with celebrity photographer Dabboo Ratnani. That led to modeling assignments with multiple top brands. Still, her eyes were set on something bigger.
Trained in Kathak and naturally expressive, Kriti slowly transitioned from ramp walks to auditions. She turned down job offers and moved to Mumbai, choosing the uncertain road to acting over a stable engineering career. “I was scared, of course,” she once recalled, adding, “but I knew I had to give it a shot or I’d regret it forever.”
Kriti made her acting debut in 2014, and not just in one film, but two. Her first screen appearance was in the Telugu thriller '1: Nenokkadine', opposite superstar Mahesh Babu. Though she admitted to struggling with the language and even feared drowning during an underwater shoot (she couldn’t swim at the time!), her performance drew attention for its charm and screen presence.
Later that year, Kriti burst into Bollywood with 'Heropanti', starring opposite Tiger Shroff. The film was a commercial hit, and her portrayal of Dimpy earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. While critics noted she had room to grow as a performer, her confidence and freshness stood out.
(Credit: T-Series)
Kriti’s career didn’t skyrocket overnight. But film by film, she showed her range and ability to hold her own, even in star-studded casts. In 'Dilwale', she shared the screen with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in a global blockbuster. But it was 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' that became a turning point in her career. Her portrayal of Bitti, a rebellious small-town girl with a mind of her own, earned praise and awards, and showed that she could do more than play the glamorous heroine.
By 2019, she had proven her commercial bankability with hits like 'Luka Chuppi' and 'Housefull 4'. But ‘Mimi’ in 2021 truly changed everything. Playing a surrogate mother in the heart-wrenching drama, Kriti delivered the performance of her career, gaining 15 kilos for the role and diving deep into emotional territory. It earned her widespread acclaim and the prestigious National Film Award for Best Actress, marking her transition from a rising star to a serious actor.
(Credit: Sony Music India)
Since then, she has embraced a variety of genres, from the quirky horror-comedy 'Bhediya' to the recent 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya', where she played a humanoid robot named Sifra. In 2025, she is set to reunite with Dhanush for 'Tere Ishk Mein', adding another exciting chapter to her already diverse filmography.
Kriti’s ambitions extend far beyond acting. In 2024, she launched her own production banner, Blue Butterfly Films, and announced 'Do Patti', a thriller for Netflix starring Kajol and Kriti herself. Speaking about the move, she said, “I’ve always wanted to be a part of storytelling from behind the camera. Producing gives me that freedom.”
She also ventured into skincare with a brand she co-founded that promotes practical, fuss-free beauty solutions.
She has also used her voice to call out the industry’s superficiality, most notably criticizing the PR-driven culture of award shows. “Sometimes you win because you deserve it. Sometimes, it’s because your PR works better,” she said in a 2024 interview.
Happy Birthday, Kriti!
