Anushka birthday special – A look at the life and career of Anushka Sharma

Model-turned-actress Anushka Sharma has had a striking presence in Bollywood since making a winning debut with the hit film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008).

From delivering powerhouse performances to making waves as a producer, entrepreneur and humanitarian, she has consistently redefined the role of the modern movie star. She is also a devoted mother and one half of a power couple with cricket superstar Virat Kohli. As she turns 37 next Thursday (1), Eastern Eye marks the occasion with interesting facts about her.

1. Anushka Sharma was born on May 1, 1988, in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, to an army colonel father and a homemaker mother. She was later raised in Bangalore and educated at an army school there.

Anushka SharmaGetty

2. Anushka studied at Mount Carmel College in Bangalore.

Other famous alumni include Anushka Shetty, Deepika Padukone and Vasundhara Das.

3. Before becoming a model, Anushka contemplated a career in journalism. Since becoming an actress, she has played roles connected to journalism in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, PK and Sanju.

4. As a model, she made her runway debut for ace fashion designer Wendell Rodricks. She was subsequently signed by other designers and leading brands.

5. Jab We Met and the role played by Kareena Kapoor in it inspired her to become an actress.

6. While modelling, Anushka also joined an acting school and began auditioning for films, including Kareena Kapoor’s role in 3 Idiots, which she did not get.

7. Anushka’s first appearance in Bollywood was on a poster from her modelling days in Rajkumar Hirani’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai. She later starred in the ace director’s films PK and Sanju.

8. The model-turned-actress landed a lead role opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi after auditioning. Her starmaking debut was the second-highestgrossing Bollywood film of 2008 and garnered her multiple award nominations.

Rab Ne Bana Di JodiFilmfare

9. The actress auctioned off the leather jacket she wore in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, with proceeds going towards the redevelopment of the flood-ravaged states of Kashmir and Assam.

10. Anushka became one of the youngest leading ladies in Bollywood to become a producer after launching Clean Slate Films with the 2015 drama NH10.

11. She became a vegetarian in 2015. That same year, she was named the hottest vegetarian by PETA. She said: “Going vegetarian was one of the best decisions I ever made. I have more energy, I feel healthier, and am so happy that no animals had to suffer for my meals.”

12. A passionate supporter of animal rights, she endorses several campaigns connected to the cause, including raising awareness on social media.

13. Other social causes closest to Anushka’s heart include children, education and women’s empowerment.

14. Films she loves include The Shawshank Redemption, Life Is Beautiful, In the Mood for Love, Fish Tank, Jab We Met, Chak De! India and Dil Se.

15. The Hollywood actor she would most love to be romanced by onscreen is Ryan Gosling.

16. Anushka married long-term partner Virat Kohli at a private ceremony in Italy on December 11, 2017. The couple welcomed their daughter Vamika in 2021 and their son in 2024.

Anushka SharmaReddit/ r/BollywoodFashion

17. The couple are regular visitors to London and reportedly plan to settle in the city in the future. 18. The actress launched her own fashion line, NUSH, in October 2017.

19. Anushka produced Amazon Prime crime thriller Paatal Lok, which is one of the best-reviewed Indian web series.

20. Her nicknames are Nusheshwar and Nushki.

21. She loves Japanese cuisine, with sushi being one of her all-time favourite foods. 22. It was reported that she has a phobia of riding bikes.

23. In 2018, she starred in four distinctly different films but has not headlined one since then, instead focusing on family life.

24. Anushka did shoot the sports biopic Chakda ’Xpress in 2022, where she plays former Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami, but it has yet to be released.

25. She once confessed to having an anxiety disorder. 26. She has been vocal about the pay disparity between male and female actors, once saying: “A female newcomer and a male newcomer will get paid different amounts of money. You’re a newcomer, nobody knows who you are – man or woman doesn’t matter. But you’re going to get paid different money?”

27. The avid reader’s favourite books include Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, Sita: Warrior of Mithila by Amish Tripathi, The Soul of Rumi by Coleman Barks, And Then One Day: A Memoir by Naseeruddin Shah, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey.

28. Old videos of Anushka from acting school surfaced on YouTube, showing that she was a natural talent even in her training days.

29. She prefers acting over promoting herself and once said: “Nothing gives me more pleasure than acting. But I don’t enjoy going for award functions or giving interviews.”

30. There is a page dedicated to Anushka on BrainyQuote. It includes inspiring quotes from her like: “I think if you want to do something, then you should go all out completely and be fearless.”