Known mostly for her roles in independent art films, Konkona Sen Sharma is a well-respected actor. Her film choices, which often deal with controversial subjects, have won her a number of accolades in the Indian cinema industry.
She gives a fantastic performance as Nutan in Dosar, capturing her fury and anguish over the loss of her daughter. In Wake Up Sid, she portrays Aisha, a newbie to Mumbai, and she excels in the role.
1. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Konkona’s friendly acting skills and nuanced manner of presence help her imbue her character with a captivating demeanor in this Alankrita Shrivastava directorial. The ibomma film explores female desires that are not restricted to age and class.
The mother-daughter duo of Konkona and Aparna Sen reunited on screen in this black comedy, which is based on the life of veteran actress Mrinalini Mitra. Konkona’s performance as the youth version of her mother is nothing short of brilliant.
ADHM is a beautiful exploration of the complexities and blurred lines between love and friendship. It also makes a strong case that love cannot be manufactured. Moreover, the film is brimming with amazing dialogues, which are sure to make you smile and cry at the same time. And Konkona does all of this effortlessly. Her adroit portrayal of Shruti will make you rethink your beliefs about the concept of love.
2. Aaja Nachle
Konkona’s sensitivity and unerring ability to capture the complexity of her characters make this empathetic role stand out. Directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, this film is about an ambitious girl who moves beyond her small-town roots and into the world of Mumbai’s elite.
She plays Dia, a Dalit woman who is denied the opportunity to climb the corporate ladder because of her lower caste status. Her struggle to preserve her heritage is an inspiring one and a reminder of how far we have come in our understanding of equality.
This film is like a migratory bird – it reflects on the conflict of modernity and tradition, between western- and Indian-culture, between being tied down to your roots or flying away to freedom. It’s Konkona’s defining moment as an actress and was hailed as her “comeback” film.
3. Saathiya
Director Aparna Sen’s daughter Konkona Sen Sharma nailed this movie as the hard-boiled detective investigating her mother’s suicide. Her stoicism and numbness in the face of the system’s inefficiency were convincing to the core.
Her nuanced manner of presence and piercing gaze in the film were nothing short of amazing. While she may not be your quintessential damsel-in-distress Indian ‘heroine,’ her unmatched acting prowess and impeccable portrayal of the characters she plays makes her an iconic actress in Indian cinema.
Page 3 stars Konkona Sen Sharma as Madhvi, a young journalist who covers celebrity gossip for a tabloid. However, she soon finds herself entangled in the darker truths of the Bollywood elite.
4. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Konkona Sen Sharma is a force of talent and artistry that can be seen in her every film. Her unrestricted film selection, laced with fierce themes and social issues, has earned her accolades in contemporary parallel cinema.
In this Shonali Bose directorial, Konkona plays Amu, a woman who discovers her roots and is not always pleased with what she finds. She has a range of emotions in the film from repulsion at drinking a Muslim man’s water to the tenacious pain in her eyes during the final railway station scene.
This Rituparno Ghosh film was a critical and commercial success. Konkona nailed the character of Kaberi, a married woman whose world comes crashing down when she discovers her husband’s affair. Her various shades of grief and her wrath and agony at the utter inefficiency of the system are brilliantly depicted by her performance.
5. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
The film is a romantic drama, and was written and directed by Karan Johar. It stars Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles, with Fawad Khan making a cameo appearance. The movie received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with praise for the cinematography and performances by Sharma and Kapoor, but criticism for the story and screenplay.
One of the best things about ADHM is its dialogues that explore the complexities of love and friendship, and also throw in some philosophy along the way. It delves into the idea that love ‘tedha hota hai’. Interestingly, Fawad’s presence in the film created quite a buzz prior to its release due to the India-Pakistan tensions, but the director decided to hire him anyway. It was a wise decision on his part. The actor delivers his lines with panache.
