Sai Tamhankar
Biography
Sai Tamhankar is a prominent Indian actress known for her impactful performances in both Marathi and Hindi films. Born on June 25, 1986, in Sangli, Maharashtra, she has established herself as one of the most bankable stars in Marathi cinema.
Early Life and Career
Tamhankar's journey into acting began during her college years at Chintaman College of Commerce in Sangli, where she participated in street plays and inter-college drama competitions. Her passion for theatre led her to pursue acting professionally, starting with the Marathi TV serial Tuzyavina in 2003. She gained significant recognition with her role in the daily soap Ya Gojirvanya Gharat on ETV Marathi. Her Bollywood debut came in 2008 with supporting roles in Subhash Ghai's Black & White and Aamir Khan's Ghajini. That same year, she made her Marathi film debut with Sanai Choughade, opposite Shreyas Talpade.
Breakthrough and Success
2013 marked a turning point in Tamhankar's career with her role in the romantic drama Duniyadari, directed by Sanjay Jadhav. Her portrayal of Shirin, a strong-willed medical student, earned her widespread acclaim and several awards, including the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Special Appearance Actress. The film became one of the highest-grossing Marathi films of its time.
Following this success, she starred in a series of notable films such as Classmates (2015), Hunterrr (2015), Family Katta (2016), and Vazandar (2016), showcasing her versatility across genres. Her performance in Vazandar, a film addressing body image issues, was particularly praised.
Hindi Cinema and Web Series
In 2018, Tamhankar ventured into Hindi cinema with Love Sonia, where she portrayed a prostitute named Anjali. The film, which premiered at the London Indian Film Festival, received positive reviews, though it did not perform well commercially. She continued to explore diverse roles in films like Girlfriend (2019) and Kulkarni Chaukatla Deshpande (2019). Her role in the political drama Dhurala (2020) earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress Marathi.
Tamhankar also made a mark in the digital space with her performances in the web series Pet Puraan (2021) and the second season of Samantar (2021). Her role as Shama in the 2021 film Mimi, starring Kriti Sanon, garnered her widespread recognition and several awards, including the Filmfare Award and IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Recent Works and Recognition
In 2022, Tamhankar starred in Pondicherry, a film shot entirely on a smartphone, where she portrayed a young widow running a homestay. Her performance received critical acclaim, earning her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. She also featured in India Lockdown (2022), a film depicting the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in India. In 2024, she starred in Sridevi Prasanna, a romantic drama, and Bhakshak, a crime thriller based on the Muzaffarpur shelter case.
