Sharvari
![Sharvari Wagh promoting Munjya][float-right] Sharvari Wagh (born 14 June 1997) is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Hindi-language films.[1] Born in Mumbai to a Maharashtrian family, with her grandfather Manohar Joshi having served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Wagh initially pursued a career behind the camera as an assistant director on films such as Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015) and Bajirao Mastani (2015).[2][3] She transitioned to acting with her debut in the Yash Raj Films comedy Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021), for which she received the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.[4] Wagh's breakthrough came in 2024 with the horror-comedy Munjya, a commercial success that grossed over ₹100 crore worldwide, followed by roles in Maharaj and Vedaa, establishing her as a rising star in Bollywood.[5][6]Early life and background
Family origins and upbringing
Sharvari Wagh was born on 14 June 1997 in Mumbai into a Marathi family with no direct ties to the film industry.[7][8] Her father, Shailesh Wagh, worked as a builder, while her mother, Namrata Wagh, is an architect by profession; the couple also has two other children, son Arnav and daughter Kasturi.[7][9] This professional, upper-middle-class background provided a stable environment, though unverified online claims portraying her mother as a "late actress" lack substantiation from primary or reputable accounts and contradict consistent reports of Namrata's architectural career.[7] Her maternal grandfather, Manohar Joshi, served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and as Speaker of the Lok Sabha, embedding political influence within the extended family rather than entertainment connections.[8] Raised in Mumbai's urban milieu, Wagh experienced a childhood steeped in Maharashtrian cultural traditions, including family ties to the coastal native place of Murgaon, which she has referenced in personal anecdotes.[10] The city's vibrant local cinema scene indirectly shaped her early exposure to films, fostering an interest amid a household prioritizing professional stability over artistic pursuits.[7] Family dynamics emphasized support for individual ambitions, as evidenced by their backing of Wagh's eventual career shift, though her parents' established professions in construction and design underscored a pragmatic socioeconomic foundation not reliant on nepotism in filmmaking.[7] This upbringing in a non-industry household highlights personal drive over inherited advantages in the entertainment sector.[8]Education and initial career aspirations
Sharvari Wagh received her early education at The Dadar Parsee Youths' Assembly High School in Mumbai.[2] She subsequently completed a Bachelor of Science degree at D.G. Ruparel College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mumbai, a curriculum that positioned her for technical fields such as engineering.[11][12] Wagh initially aspired to a career in civil engineering, reflecting the practical stability and predictable employment prospects associated with such professions in India, where engineering graduates often secure roles in infrastructure and construction amid steady demand.[13] However, by her late teens, she abandoned this trajectory in favor of the film industry, forgoing the lower-risk, salaried path of engineering—characterized by structured career progression and minimal creative uncertainty—for the high-variance opportunities in Bollywood, where success rates for newcomers remain low due to intense competition and subjective casting decisions.[13] This pivot underscored a prioritization of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic security, as her passion for acting, cultivated through school theatre participation, outweighed the opportunity costs of forgoing a more conventional livelihood.[14] Her enthusiasm for cinema, evident from an early age, prompted a practical entry strategy: rather than immediately pursuing acting auditions in isolation, Wagh opted for assistant director roles starting around 2014 to immerse herself in production environments, forge industry connections, and acquire on-set knowledge essential for aspiring performers.[15] This approach allowed her to transition from observer to participant while mitigating some initial barriers to acting, such as limited visibility and experience, though it demanded endurance in the demanding, often uncredited labor of assisting directors like Luv Ranjan on projects including Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2.[16]Entry into filmmaking
Assistant director experience
Sharvari Wagh entered the film industry as an assistant director on Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015), directed by Luv Ranjan, after auditioning for its lead female role at age 17.[17][18] Ranjan appreciated her audition but deemed her too young for the adult-oriented comedy, instead offering her the AD position, where she earned her first paycheck of ₹7,500.[19] This role involved hands-on tasks such as coordinating logistics and supporting direction, providing foundational exposure to set management without reliance on familial film connections, though her Mumbai-based family background facilitated initial industry proximity.[3] She subsequently assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Bajirao Mastani (2015), a period epic requiring meticulous coordination of large-scale action and dance sequences.[20][21] Wagh has credited this experience with imparting practical skills in handling high-pressure environments and Bhansali's detail-oriented style, which honed her understanding of narrative pacing and visual storytelling—skills empirically valuable in Bollywood's production-heavy ecosystem, contrasting critiques of nepotistic shortcuts that often bypass such groundwork for insiders.[20] Her tenure alongside peers like Sharmin Segal involved shared duties on set, underscoring merit-driven entry amid industry favoritism claims.[22] Wagh extended her AD work to Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018), another Luv Ranjan production, further refining her grasp of comedic timing and ensemble coordination.[3][23] Across these projects spanning 2015–2018, she accumulated verifiable on-set expertise in logistics and directorial support, enabling empirical skill-building that predated her acting pursuits and mitigated Bollywood's documented barriers for non-nepotistic entrants, where access often hinges on proven utility rather than pedigree.[20]Transition to acting
After assisting on films such as Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015) and Bajirao Mastani (2015), Sharvari Wagh shifted her focus to acting, driven by a longstanding passion for performing rather than assured industry entry points.[15][21] She had trained through acting workshops, including a nine-month course at Jeff Goldberg's studio and weekend theatre sessions, alongside appearances in television commercials, but sought on-screen opportunities independently.[24] This transition involved persistent auditions amid competitive barriers, including the favoritism often extended to established film families in Bollywood, where newcomers without such ties face prolonged hurdles. Wagh endured approximately six years of rejections, describing the process as akin to repeatedly failing exams and highlighting the daily grind of auditioning without securing desired roles.[25][26] Her family's lack of direct film industry lineage positioned her as an "outsider," though online discussions, such as on Reddit, have occasionally scrutinized indirect connections via bureaucratic or regional political networks in Maharashtra for potential influence, despite her emphasis on self-reliant effort.[27] Wagh's acting debut came in 2020 with the Amazon Prime Video web series The Forgotten Army - Azaadi ke liye, directed by Kabir Khan, marking her entry after years of preparation rather than nepotistic shortcuts. This opportunity followed exhaustive persistence, with subsequent film prospects emerging in 2021, underscoring a trajectory built on audition-based breakthroughs over privileged access.[28][29]Acting career
Debut and early roles (2020–2023)
Sharvari made her acting debut in the Amazon Prime Video miniseries The Forgotten Army – Azaadi ke liye, released on January 24, 2020, where she portrayed Maya, a fighter in the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army during World War II.[30] Directed by Kabir Khan, the series drew on historical events involving the Azad Hind Fauj, with Sharvari's character involved in combat training that required her to handle real rifles, resulting in physical injuries during filming.[31] This role served as her initial foray into on-screen performance, following years as an assistant director on films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 and Bajirao Mastani.[28] Her cinematic debut followed in the comedy Bunty Aur Babli 2, released theatrically on November 19, 2021, in which she played Sonia Rawat (Babli 2), a young con artist paired with Siddhant Chaturvedi's character in a generational clash of scams alongside veteran leads Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji.[32] Directed by Varun V. Sharma, the film extended the 2005 original's premise but earned low critical scores, including a 17% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 4.1/10 on IMDb, with reviewers highlighting Sharvari's evident lack of screen presence and novice delivery in lead duties.[33] This project underscored the challenges of transitioning to feature films, where her performance was seen as underdeveloped amid the ensemble.[32] From 2022 to 2023, Sharvari secured no major releases, a period marked by persistent auditions for roles in films such as Sui Dhaaga and Thugs of Hindostan, reflecting a grind against limited breakthroughs typical for newcomers without entrenched industry ties. These early efforts, confined to one series and one underperforming film, highlighted a learning phase focused on gaining visibility through supporting and lead parts in mid-tier productions rather than immediate stardom.[34]Breakthrough year and recent projects (2024–present)
![Sharvari Wagh promoting Munjya][float-right] In 2024, Sharvari marked a significant career milestone with three high-profile releases, showcasing her versatility across genres despite mixed commercial outcomes. Munjya, a horror-comedy directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and released on June 7, grossed over ₹100 crore worldwide, emerging as one of the year's surprise blockbusters with strong word-of-mouth driving its success.[35][36] Maharaj, a period drama on Netflix released June 21 amid initial legal challenges from Hindu groups alleging defamation, garnered attention for its historical narrative on 19th-century social reform but faced polarized reception due to the controversy.[37] Vedaa, an action thriller co-starring John Abraham and released August 15, addressed Dalit empowerment themes but underperformed at the box office, collecting under ₹20 crore nett in its first week amid competition and limited audience traction.[38][39] The success of Munjya propelled Sharvari into wider recognition, earning her the IMDb "Breakout Star" STARmeter Award for her rising popularity metrics on the platform.[5] This buzz facilitated her casting in Yash Raj Films' Alpha, the first female-led entry in the YRF Spy Universe, where she stars alongside Alia Bhatt as elite agents, with production involving high-profile cameos and a scheduled release on December 25, 2025.[40][41] As of October 2025, Sharvari's trajectory reflects Bollywood's inherent volatility, with Munjya's hit contrasting Vedaa's flop, yet her diverse slate and franchise involvement signal sustained momentum, contingent on future box office validation.[42]Filmography and select works
Feature films
Sharvari's feature film roles are as follows:- Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021): Sonia Rawat, the young con artist counterpart to the original film's characters.[32]
- Good Luck Jerry (2022): Jaya Kumari, a small-town woman defending her family against local thugs.[5]
- Bawaal (2023): Nandini "Nandu", the love interest in a romantic drama set against World War II backdrops.[5]
- Munjya (2024): Bela, the female lead in a horror-comedy involving supernatural elements.[43]
- Maharaj (2024): Viraaj, a supporting role in a historical drama released directly on streaming.[43]
- Vedaa (2024): Vedaa Berwa, the titular lead in an action-thriller centered on caste-based violence.[43]
- Alpha (2025): Lead role in a Yash Raj Films spy thriller, co-starring Alia Bhatt, scheduled for theatrical release on December 25, 2025.[44][45]