From performing opposite legendary actors to representing India at the United Nations, Sheena Chohan has carved a unique path in Indian and international entertainment. Known for her transformative performances, multilingual filmography, and powerful humanitarian work, Sheena is more than just an actress — she is a storyteller with purpose.
Whether she is playing a saint’s wife in Sant Tukaram, a glamorous PR manager in The Fame Game, or a dark supernatural force in Bhayaavah, Sheena brings emotional depth, preparation, and authenticity to every role she takes on.
Early Life & Background
Born in Chandigarh and raised in Kolkata, Sheena Chohan grew up in a culturally rich environment that shaped her artistic personality. She studied at The Lawrence School and later pursued higher studies while actively exploring theatre, dance, martial arts, and music.
Before entering films, Sheena trained extensively in theatre for nearly five years under acclaimed theatre director Arvind Gaur in Delhi. This rigorous stage training became the foundation of her acting style — deeply researched, emotionally layered, and character-driven.
Interestingly, Sheena also trained in:
- Contemporary dance
- Violin
- Karate (Brown Belt)
- Stage performance and character study
She was also crowned “Miss Kolkata” and won the title “I Am Voice” at the I Am She – Miss Universe India platform for her expression and audience connectivity.
The Films: A Filmography Built Across Languages and Borders
Sheena Chohan is what the industry now calls a pan-India actress — not as a marketing label, but as lived reality. Over 15 films across Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, and English, she has built a body of work that most actors across a single industry would be proud of.
The Train (2011) — Malayalam Her cinematic debut came opposite one of Indian cinema’s greatest living legends — Mammootty — in the Malayalam film The Train, directed by seven-time National Award winner Jayaraj. Stepping into a film helmed by that kind of director, opposite that kind of co-star, for a first role, set the tone for the kind of career Sheena was quietly building.
Mukti & Patralekha (2014) — Bengali Her next chapter came with legendary Bengali director Buddhadeb Dasgupta. In Mukti, she played the daughter of Rabindranath Tagore — a role demanding emotional delicacy and historical sensitivity in equal measure. In Patralekha, she played the female lead. Two films, one director, and a confirmation that her debut was no accident.
Ant Story (2014) — Bengali / International Directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and available on Netflix, Ant Story earned Sheena Best Actress nominations at both the Dubai International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival (Golden Goblet Awards) — placing her alongside names like Keira Knightley and Kate Beckinsale in the international conversation. It remains one of the most significant milestones of her early career.
Justice (2016) — Bengali / English Directed by Bappaditya Bandopadhyay, Sheena played the ghost in the lead role — a film that would go on to travel international festivals.
The Fame Game (2022) — Hindi | Netflix Her OTT leap into the Hindi mainstream came alongside Madhuri Dixit in Netflix’s acclaimed series The Fame Game, where she played Riya, Anamika’s PR manager. Working opposite Madhuri — a legend she had grown up watching — was a full-circle moment.
City of Dreams (2021) — Hindi | Disney+ Hotstar Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, she played a social media journalist in this sharp political drama series.
ExMates (2022) — Hindi | Humaramovie A pivot to comedy — and she nailed it. Sheena played the lead Shreya in this urban comedy web series, winning the WGF Best Actress in Comic Role Award in 2023 for her performance.
The Trial (2023) — Hindi | Disney+ Hotstar Opposite Kajol in one of OTT’s most talked-about legal dramas, Sheena played Jasmine Lobo — a Christian caretaker caught in a courtroom arc of moral complexity. The role required her to hold her own alongside one of Bollywood’s most commanding performers. She did.
Sant Tukaram (2025) — Hindi Her long-awaited Bollywood debut — and what a debut it was. Directed by Aditya Om and starring opposite Subodh Bhave, Sheena played Avali Jijabai, the wife of the 17th-century Marathi saint-poet Sant Tukaram. The character — a woman simultaneously fierce and tender, fighting for her husband’s love and for the dignity of the oppressed — resonated deeply with Sheena’s own worldview. Sant Tukaram went on to win her the Best Actress Award at the Mid-Day Showbiz Awards 2025, the Dr. Sarojini Naidu International Award, and the Best Actress Award and Cultural Leadership Award at the World Women Leadership Congress 2026.
Upcoming Projects: The Next Chapter
Sheena’s slate for 2025–26 is as eclectic and ambitious as the career that preceded it.
Nomad (Hollywood) Directed by Taron Lexton, Nomad is Sheena’s Hollywood feature debut — a film shot across 30 countries, with Sheena playing a traveller named Nadia. The scale of this production alone signals the kind of international trajectory she has been quietly building toward.
Jhatasya Maranam Dhruvam (Telugu / Pan-India) A trilingual thriller in which Sheena plays IPS Officer Anusha — a cop fighting crime and injustice — opposite South Indian star JD Chakravarthy (of Satya fame). Action, grit, and purpose, all in one role.
Bhaayava (Web Series) From a saint’s wife to the she-devil herself. In this VFX-heavy series, Sheena plays Lilith — the mythological first wife of Adam, banished from Eden for refusing to be unequal. It is a role that, as Sheena herself notes, she didn’t plan but clearly was always meant to play.
Arjunanin Allirani (Tamil) A folk drama written by celebrated author B. Jeyamohan with music composed by the legendary Ilaiyaraaja. Sheena plays Alli Rani, the female lead. For a Tamil debut, it doesn’t get more prestigious.
Social Work: The Activist Behind the Actress
Long before awards and OTT fame, Sheena Chohan made a choice that most in her industry don’t — she chose a cause and committed to it completely.
As the South Asia Brand Ambassador for United for Human Rights, Sheena has spent years bringing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into schools, slums, and college campuses across South Asia. She helped get human rights into the curricula of 60 institutions — from Whistling Woods to schools in remote regions. She has worked with children, youth groups, and community leaders to create awareness of equality, dignity, and basic rights at every level of society.
In 2019, she became the first Indian actor ever to receive the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations International Human Rights Summit in New York. In 2024, she received the U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, conferred by President Joe Biden, for her advocacy work.
Her “Read Me My Rights” campaign in 2024 brought together a constellation of Bollywood names — Preity Zinta, Raveena Tandon, Sonu Sood among them — to share the UDHR with millions. She has shared platforms with Rajkumar Hirani, Guneet Monga, and Imtiaz Ali in service of the same message.
She has delivered a TEDx Talk (2023) and spoken at the UN, at Women’s Day conclaves in Mumbai, and at human rights summits across the country. She has reached 170 million people with her message — and has set her sights on a billion.
For Sheena, activism and acting are not parallel tracks. They are the same road. As she puts it — acting is about empathy, and empathy is the foundation of human rights work. One feeds the other.
Awards & Honours
- “I Am Voice” — Miss Universe India, I Am She (2010)
- Best Actress Nomination — Dubai International Film Festival, for Ant Story (2013)
- Best Actress Nomination — Shanghai International Film Festival / Golden Goblet Awards, for Ant Story (2014)
- Human Rights Hero Award — United Nations, New York (2019) (First Indian actor to receive this)
- Excellence in Leadership Award — Human Rights South Asia Ambassador (2020)
- Woman Super Achiever Award — World Women’s Leadership Conference (2020)
- WGF Best Actress in Comic Role — for ExMates (2023)
- Rising Star of the Year — Mid-Day (2024)
- Most Promising Actress — Times Applaud (2024)
- U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award — conferred by President Joe Biden (2024)
- Best Actress — Mid-Day Showbiz Awards, for Sant Tukaram (2025)
- Dr. Sarojini Naidu International Award — for Sant Tukaram (2025)
- Best Actress & Cultural Leadership Award — World Women Leadership Congress, for Sant Tukaram (2026)
Discover More About Sheena Chohan
Official & Social Profiles
Sheena Chohan is proof that in Indian cinema, the most enduring careers are built not on overnight stardom, but on craft, conviction, and the courage to mean something beyond the screen.
