Shama Sikander is an Indian actress and fashion designer best known for portraying Pooja Mehta in Yeh Meri Life Hai (2003–2005).
Early life and education Shama Sikander was born on August 4, 1981 in Makrana, Rajasthan. Her family moved to Mumbai, Maharashtra in 1991 and struggled financially while she was growing up. She attended multiple schools in Makrana and Mumbai for her primary and secondary education. She trained at Roshan Taneja School of Acting in Mumbai.
Sikandar has three siblings.
Career
Sikander began her acting career with minor roles in Prem Aggan (1998) and Mann (1999). She later appeared in Ansh: The Deadly Part (2002), and Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002).
Sikander first gained prominence while portraying as Pooja Mehta in the coming-of-age dramaYe Meri Life Hai from 2003 to 2005. Her performance earned her a Gold Award for “Critics' Choice: Best Actress" in 2005, and two Indian Television Academy Awards—"GR8! Face of the Year" and "Best Debut" (2004). In 2005, she appeared in Chand Bujh Gaya, Faaiz Anwar's film based on the Godhra train burning; Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially refused to grant exhibition certification for the film’s release and only complied after Bombay High Court ruled that the certification body was infringing on the constitutional rights of the filmmaker.
Sikander made guest appearances on several television shows, including Batliwala House No. 43 (2005), CID (2006), Jodee Kamaal Ki (2007), Kaajjal (2008), and Man Mein Hai Visshwas (2009). She also hosted a season of Zoom's Popkorn Newz (2007) and STAR One’s Jet Set Go (2008) before returning to film with a supporting role in Dhoom Dadakka (2008).
In 2010, Sikander launched her own fashion label “Saisha”. In 2011, she played the protagonist in Yash Raj Films’ supernatural thriller Seven; the show was cancelled after one season. Between 2012 and 2014, she was the lead antagonist in SAB TV’s Baal Veer. She was a celebrity contestant and performer on Jjhoom India (2007), Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena (2008), alongside notable Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli, and Boogie Woogie.
In March 2016, Sikander appeared in the short film Sexaholic. In early 2017, she played the titular role in director Vikram Bhatt’s webseries Maaya. In December 2017, she started her own production company and announced Ab Dil Ki Sunn (2018), a webseries comprising seven short films inspired by her own experience of living with mental illnesses.
In 2019, Sikander was seen in Bypass Road (2019). In March 2021, Sikander appeared in the music video for Hawa Karda by Koinage Records.
Personal life Sikandar is multilingual and speaks Hindi, English, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi and Marwadi. She has been open about her experience of living with depression and bipolar disorder.
Sikandar was in a relationship with actor and musician Alexx O'Nell from 2011 to 2015. She met businessman James Milliron in 2015. The couple lived together for 8 years and got married on March 14, 2022.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Prem Aggan Pooja 1999 Mann Kamini 2002 Yeh Mohabbat Hai Ansh: The Deadly Part Kusum2003 Basti2005 Chand Bujh Gaya Saveen I. Jafri 2008 Dhoom Dadakka Jiya Contract Special appearances in "Maula Khair Kare" 2016 Sexaholic RiyaShort film 2019 Bypass Road Sarah
Television As an actress Year Show Role Channel Notes 2003–2005 Yeh Meri Life Hai Pooja Sony TV 2005 Batliwala House No. 43 Herself 1 episode 2006 C.I.D. Minakshi Ep. "Secret of the Code No. 571 E 1115" 2007 Jodee Kamaal Ki Herself Star Plus Ep. “Raksha Bandhan Special” 2007 Popkorn Newz Herself ZoomHost 2008 Kaajjal Chameli Sony TV Cameo 2009 Man Mein Hai Visshwas Rukhsana 1 episode 2010–2011 Seven Shunyaa 2012–2014 Baal Veer Bhali Pari/Bhayankar Pari SAB TV
As herself Year Title Channel 2008 Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena Colors (TV channel) Jet Set Go STAR One 2010 Jjhoom India Sahara One Boogie Woogie Sony TV
Web series Year Title Role Channel Notes 2017 Maaya Maaya YouTube Marseille Web Fest Official Selection 20172018Ab Dil Ki SunnYouTubeAlso producer
Music videos Year Song title AlbumRef. 2001 Mirza Lala Lala Lala 2001 Chann Chaanani Raat Saaun di jhadi 2002 Baje Jo Bansi Thama Karo Tere Bina 2002 Kabhi Mausam Hua Resham Tere Bina2020Majnu RemixN/A2021Hawa KardaHawa Karda
Awards and nominations Year Award Presenter Result 2004 Best Actress in a Lead Role Indian Telly Awards rowspan="2" 2004 Fresh New Face Indian Telly Awards 2004 GR8 Face of the Year Indian Television Academy Awards rowspan="3" 2004 Best Debut Indian Television Academy Awards 2005 Critics' Choice: Best Actress 12th Lions Gold Awards2019Most Promising ActorBlack Swan Awards, Asia One
References
External links