Swara Bhasker

Swara Bhasker (also spelled Bhaskar; born 9 April 1988) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. Best known for her supporting work in mainstream productions and starring roles in independent films, she has won two Screen Awards and has received nominations for four Filmfare Awards .

Bhasker made her film debut with a supporting role in the 2009 drama Madholal Keep Walking, a commercial failure. She got wider recognition in 2011 for her supporting role in the commercially successful romantic comedy-drama Tanu Weds Manu, earning her critical praise and a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Bhasker garnered further accolades for her performance in the critically acclaimed romantic drama Raanjhanaa (2013), earning her a second Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination. In 2015, she reprised her role from Tanu Weds Manu in the film's sequel and later appeared in the family drama Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, both productions among the highest-grossing Bollywood films of the year. Her starring roles in the independent films Nil Battey Sannata (2016) and Anaarkali of Aarah (2017) earned her further acclaim. She won the Screen Award for Best Actress (Critics) for the former and was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics) for the latter. In 2018, she starred in the comedy-drama Veere Di Wedding, which earned her a third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Swara Bhasker was born in a Hindu family on 9 April 1988 in Delhi to C. Uday Bhaskar, an Indian Navy officer of Telugu descent, and his wife Ira Bhaskar, a professor of cinema studies in JNU Delhi who is of Bihari origin.

Bhasker grew up in Delhi, where she did her schooling from Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. She subsequently studied UG in English at Miranda House where she was classmates with Minissha Lamba. She did her PG in sociology from JNU Delhi.

Before Bhasker started acting in films she was associated with N. K. Sharma's "Act One" theater group in Delhi. She shifted to Mumbai in 2008 and made her acting debut with the 2009 film Madholal Keep Walking, which was screened at the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival but underperformed at the box office India. She then played a supporting role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's drama Guzaarish (2010), alongside Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai.

Bhasker then appeared in Srinivas Sunderrajan's black and white thriller The Untitled Kartik Krishnan Project, which was touted as India's first mumblecore film, made on the budget of ₹40,000 (US$470) and completed in one year, was also the first Indian film to be screened at the Transilvania International Film Festival. However, both Guzaarish and The Untitled Kartik Krishnan Project were box-office failures and Bhasker remained unnoticed for her performances.

Bhasker garnered widespread recognition from critics and audiences with a supporting role in the 2011's commercially successful romantic comedy-drama Tanu Weds Manu in which she played the role of Payal, the best friend of the film's lead actress Kangana Ranaut. She received praise and several nominations for her performance, including her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.