Shama Sikander Ali Gesawat is an Indian actress, best known for her lead roles in the TV series Yeh Meri Life Hai, the short film Sexaholic, and the mini-series Maaya: Slave of Her Desires. Sikander has appeared in several Bollywood films, starting her career with the 1999 Aamir Khan film Mann. Her latest theatrical release, Bypass Road, a Bollywood thriller, hit theaters on November 8, 2019.
Shama Sikander, born in Makrana, Rajasthan, India, to mother Gulshan and father Sikander Ali Gesawat, spent her early years in Mumbai with her siblings Khalid, Rizwan Sikander, and Salma (born 1991). Despite facing financial difficulties, Sikander attended nine schools in Makrana and various parts of Greater Mumbai, including Malad, Mumbra, Thane, and Andheri. After completing her 10th grade and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education examination, Sikander enrolled in the Roshan Taneja School of Acting in Mumbai in 1995, graduating the following year.
Shama Sikander began her career on the big screen with small parts in Prem Aggan (1998, Hindi) and Mann (1999, Hindi) before landing a supporting role in Ansh: The Deadly Part (2002, Hindi). 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). Her 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 Hindi) produced by Bollywood juggernaut 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, Shama 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. After a friend suggested she screen test for the part, Sikander so impressed Feroz Khan that she landed the role, even though it had already been cast. Despite significant hype, the film, which also featured Feroz Khan’s son Fardeen Khan’s debut, was both a critical and box office failure. Nevertheless, one critic praised her screen presence and commented “[Sikander is] friendly to the viewers’ eyes.”
A year later Sikander appeared in the Indra Kumar film Mann (1999 Hindi) in a cameo as Kamini. The film received mixed reviews and fared poorly at the box office. As with her debut in Prem Aggan, however, Sikander received positive reviews for her performance. Calling her ‘pretty and emotive’, Mohammad Ali Ikram of Planet Bollywood exclaimed ‘Mark my words, this simple stunner has the ability to shine as a great performer and star’.
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.
