Shama Sikander

Early life

Shama Sikander was born in Makrana, India, to Gulshan and Sikander Ali Gesawat. When she was 9, her family moved to Mumbai, Maharashtra. She has three siblings: Khalid, Rizwan, and Salma Sikander. During an interview, Sikander mentioned that her early years in Mumbai were challenging, with financial difficulties often affecting her family. She attended multiple schools in Makrana and Mumbai. In 1995, she enrolled in the Roshan Taneja School of Acting, where she completed her acting training.

Career

Sikander began her acting career with small roles in Prem Aggan (1998) and Mann (1999) before landing a supporting role in Ansh: The Deadly Part (2002). Her first major role on television was as the title character "Pooja Mehta" in the popular Sony TV drama Ye Meri Life Hai (2003–2005). The performance earned her numerous nominations and awards, including the 12th Annual Lion's Gold Awards' Critics' Choice "Best Actress" (2005), Indian Television Academy Awards' "GR8! Face of the Year" (2004), and "Best Debut" (2004). Sikander subsequently anchored Popkorn Newz (2007) and Jet Set Go (2008) before returning to film with the lead role of "Jiya" in Dhoom Dadakka (2008). She subsequently appeared in the lead role of "Shunyaa" on the supernatural thriller TV series Seven (2010–2011) produced by Bollywood film studio Yash Raj Films. She was seen as "Byankar Pari", the lead antagonist in the children's program Baal Veer (2012–2014) on SAB TV.

While working to establish herself in Mumbai's Bollywood industry, Sikander travelled hours daily, from the outskirts of the city to attend auditions, often accompanied by her brother, Rizwan Sikander, also an actor.

Her film debut came at the age of 16 in 1998, with the Hindi-language feature film Prem Aggan, produced and directed by acclaimed film personality Feroz Khan. Despite significant hype, the film, which also featured Feroz Khan's son Fardeen Khan's debut, was both a critical and box office failure.

A year later, Sikander appeared in the Indra Kumar film Mann (1999) in a cameo as Kamini. The film received mixed reviews and fared poorly at the box office.

Ansh: The Deadly Part (2002) was Sikander's first supporting role in a Hindi-language feature film. Portraying the character Kusum opposite south Indian actor Abbas, the film produced by Rukamanee Arts was a box office success, doing reasonably well and garnering generally favourable reviews. Despite Ansh being her best-faring feature film so far, Sikander would not have another big screen release for the next six years.

Actor (2003–2021)

Though her feature films failed to establish Sikander as a box office success, her Television debut, portraying the title character "Pooja Metha" in the popular Sony TV drama Ye Meri Life Hai (2003–2005), made the show a household name overnight, gave her "instant fame",and eventually elevated her to "one of the most loved faces on Indian television." Her performance earned her numerous nominations and awards, including The Indian Television Academy Awards' "GR8 Face of the Year" (2004), The Indian Television Academy Awards' "Best Debut" (2004), and The 12th Annual Lion's Gold Awards' "Best Actress: Critics' Choice" (2005). The same year she was seen in the lead role in Chand Bujh Gaya, a film on the Godhra train burning and 2002 Gujarat riots, which was initially refused certification by CBFC and FCAT and could be released only after the producers approached the Bombay High Court.

Fueled by the success of Ye Meri Life Hai and her subsequent performances, Sikander made frequent guest appearances on various popular programs, including Batliwala House No. 43 (2005), CID (2006), Jodee Kamaal Ki (2007), Kaajjal (2008), and Man Mein Hai Visshwas (2009).

Beginning in 2007, Sikander also featured as a TV program host, first on entertainment channel Zoom's Popkorn Newz for a single season and then in 2008 as the host of the STAR One travel contest program Jet Set Go. An accomplished self-taught dancer and amateur singer, Sikander appeared on numerous programs, including the celebrity dance program Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena as a celebrity contestant alongside notable Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli. She joined the singing reality program Jjhoom India as a celebrity contestant, as well as India's longest running dance program Boogie Woogie as a celebrity guest performer in 2010 and subsequently on multiple occasions as a performer and as a guest judge. While her TV career flourished, Sikander returned to film in 2008 with a supporting role in director Shashi Ranjan's Dhoom Dhadaka alongside notable Bollywood actors Jackie Shroff, Anupam Kher, Gulshan Grover, and Satish Kaushik. The film was a box office failure.

2010 saw Sikander return to a lead role in a television series for the first time since leaving Ye Meri Life Hai in 2005. Sikander's Shunyaa featured as the central character in the supernatural thriller series Seven (2010–2011), produced by Yash Raj Films. Sikander's performance and the program were widely appreciated. Seven experienced niche viewership and was eventually brought to a close after only one season of 26 episodes.

After a short break Sikander took the role of the main antagonist, Byankar Pari, in the young-adult fantasy program Baal Veer starting in September 2012. Sikander quit the show in 2014.

In March 2016, Sikander featured in the short film Sexaholic.

In early 2017, Sikander was featured in the title role of Maaya in Maaya: Slave of Her Desires directed by Vikram Bhatt.

In December 2017, Sikander announced Ab Dil Ki Sunn, the maiden project of her home production in which she also plays the lead role. Inspired by her own life incidents, Ab Dil Ki Sunn features 7 short films based on different human aspects such as bipolar disorder, depression, and other social and emotional complexities, distributed exclusively on YouTube. Ab Dil Ki Sunn launched on YouTube in early 2018.

Sikander's return to the theaters came with the November 1st, 2019 release of the mainstream Bollywood thriller Bypass Road.

Designer (2010–2021)

In addition to acting, Sikander launched her fashion label Saisha in December 2010. The brand, based in Mumbai, has showcased collections both domestically and internationally. Sikander has appeared on the runway wearing her own designs at various fashion events.

Film, music and music video producer (2012-2021)

In late 2017, Sikander incorporated the Film and TV production company Shama Sikander Films Pvt. Ltd., best known for the short film series Ab Dil Ki Sunn. In March 2021, Shama Sikander appeared in the music video, Hawa Karda by Koinage Records.

Personal life

Sikandar is multi-lingual and can speak six languages including Hindi, English, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi and Marwadi. Outside of acting, she is passionate about playing the violin, photography, and abstract painting.

In a series of short films released on YouTube, Sikander shared her experience of living with depression and bipolar disorder. The films entitled Ab Dil Ki Sunn were developed under her production company, Shama Sikandar Films.

Sikandar was in a relationship with American-born actor and musician Alexx O'Nell from 2011 to 2015. In 2016, she announced her engagement to American businessman James Milliron; the couple married in a Christian ceremony in March 2022.

Filmography

Movies

Television

Television: Dance & Reality

Web series

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (2022-08-04). "Yeh Meri Life Hai fame Shama Sikander turns a year older: Sneak peek into her photo gallery".
2. (29 April 2004). "Reaping the Jassi harvest". [[The Hindu]].
3. (24 June 2011). "PIX: Sultry Shama Sikander designs sexy womenswear!". Rediff.
4. (4 October 2008). "Shama is living her dreams". [[The Times of India]].
5. (10 May 2011). "Shama Sikander moves to big screen". DNA India.
6. (5 November 2004). "HC tells Censor Board to give certificate to film on Guj riots". [[Outlook (Indian magazine).
7. (6 March 2016). "Shama Sikander: It was not easy to play nymphomaniac in Sexaholic".
8. (17 December 2017). "Shama Sikander: 'Ab Dil Ki Sun' inspired by my life".
9. (17 December 2017). "Ab Dil Ki Sun' inspired by my life: Shama Sikander".
10. (12 August 2019). "'Bypass Road': The thriller-drama starring Neil Nitin Mukesh to release on November 1 - Times of India".
11. "Watch New Punjabi Song Music Video - 'Hawa Karda' Sung By Afsana Khan, Sahil Sharma {{!}} Punjabi Video Songs - Times of India".
12. (13 October 2008). "Playing the violin is sexy: Shama". [[The Times of India]].
13. (1 August 2013). "Painting is a highly creative passion: Shama Sikander". CanIndia.
14. (4 March 2016). "Watch: Shama Sikander's sex addict act in short film is literally too hot to handle". DNA.
15. "Shama Sikander Has Been Recently Signed Film Bypass Road".
16. "Maaya".
17. "Watch New Punjabi Song Music Video - 'Hawa Karda' Sung By Afsana Khan, Sahil Sharma {{!}} Punjabi Video Songs - Times of India".
18. "Telly awards 2004 Popular Awards winners".
19. "Telly awards 2004 Popular Awards nominees".
20. "Lastnight wasspecial".