Bhumi Pednekar

Biography:

Bhumi Pednekar, born on 18 July 1989 and pronounced [bʱuːmɪ peːɖneːkər], is an Indian actress renowned for her roles in Hindi cinema. Recognized for her portrayals of determined women from small towns, she has received multiple awards, including three Filmfare Awards. Beyond her on-screen work, Pednekar is dedicated to environmental causes and, as of 2023, actively raises awareness about climate change in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.

After spending six years as an assistant casting director at Yash Raj Films, she marked her film debut in the company’s romantic comedy “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” (2015), playing the part of an overweight bride. Her performance in this film earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

She gained prominence by starring in successful comedy-dramas like “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha” (2017), “Shubh Mangal Saavdhan” (2017), “Bala” (2019), and “Pati Patni Aur Woh” (2019). Her roles as the septuagenarian sharpshooter Chandro Tomar in “Saand Ki Aankh” (2019) and a closeted lesbian in “Badhaai Do” (2022) led to her winning the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress on two occasions.

In her debut acting role, Pednekar portrayed the wife of Ayushmann Khurrana’s character in the Yash Raj Films-produced romantic comedy “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” (2015). For this role, she intentionally gained almost 12 kg of body weight. Rajeev Masand’s review stated, “Pednekar stands out in the film, delivering a confident performance that makes you genuinely care for Sandhya, all while avoiding reducing her character to a mere pitiable stereotype.”

In 2023, Pednekar reunited with Rajkummar Rao in Anubhav Sinha’s “Bheed,” a black-and-white drama centered on the COVID-19 lockdown in India. Critics from publications like Scroll.in and Rediff.com praised her supportive role alongside Rao’s performance, although the film didn’t perform well at the box office. She also starred opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Sudhir Mishra’s political thriller “Afwaah.”

Her upcoming projects include a thriller titled “Bhakshak,” where she will play a police officer. Additionally, she will be seen alongside Arjun Kapoor in two projects: the thriller “The Lady Killer” and the comedy “Meri Patni Ka Remake.”