Sidharth Malhotra

Keen to pursue a career in films, Sidharth Malhotra initially landed a role in an Anubhav Sinha-directed project, which was later shelved. He then worked as an assistant director to Karan Johar on My Name Is Khan (2010). His acting debut came in 2012 with Johar’s teen drama Student of the Year, where he played Abhimanyu Singh, a scholarship student competing in a school championship. The film was a commercial success, grossing ₹1.09 billion worldwide, with critics praising his screen presence.

After a brief hiatus, Malhotra starred in the 2014 romantic comedy Hasee Toh Phasee alongside Parineeti Chopra, portraying an aspiring businessman. The film performed moderately well, earning ₹620 million globally. He then played a hardened criminal avenging his wife’s murder in the thriller Ek Villain (2014). Despite mixed reviews on his performance, the film was a major success, grossing over ₹1.7 billion and solidifying his position as a promising actor.

In 2015, Malhotra starred in Brothers, a remake of the American film Warrior, co-starring Akshay Kumar. However, the film received negative reviews and underperformed at the box office. His next project, Kapoor & Sons (2016), a family drama directed by Shakun Batra, became both a critical and commercial success, earning ₹1.53 billion worldwide. Featuring an ensemble cast including Alia Bhatt and Fawad Khan, the film explored family dynamics, with Malhotra receiving mixed reviews but earning praise for his presence and emotional depth.

Following the success of Kapoor & Sons, Sidharth Malhotra starred in the 2016 romantic comedy Baar Baar Dekho alongside Katrina Kaif, playing a time-traveling mathematician. Directed by Nitya Mehra, the film was poorly received. In 2017, he took on dual roles for the first time in the action comedy A Gentleman with Jacqueline Fernandez, but despite high expectations, both films failed at the box office.

Later in 2017, Malhotra starred opposite Sonakshi Sinha in Ittefaq, a remake of the 1969 mystery thriller. While the film received positive reviews, it underperformed commercially, earning ₹500 million. In 2018, he featured in Neeraj Pandey’s espionage thriller Aiyaary, co-starring Manoj Bajpayee and Rakul Preet Singh. The film was a critical and commercial disappointment, with its lengthy runtime and flawed script being criticized.

His career struggles continued in 2019 with two back-to-back box-office failures. He reunited with Parineeti Chopra for the romantic comedy Jabariya Jodi, which was met with negative reviews. Later that year, he appeared in Milap Milan Zaveri’s action drama Marjaavaan, co-starring Riteish Deshmukh and Tara Sutaria, but the film failed to make a mark.

In 2021, Sidharth Malhotra starred in the biographical war film Shershaah, portraying Indian army officer Vikram Batra. Originally delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film premiered on Amazon Prime Video and became its most-watched Indian release at the time. While Shershaah received mixed reviews, Malhotra’s performance was widely praised, earning him his first Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor.

In 2022, he appeared in the fantasy comedy Thank God alongside Ajay Devgn, which failed at the box office. The following year, he played an Indian spy in Mission Majnu, a thriller set before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Originally slated for a theatrical release, it was later released on Netflix. While Malhotra’s performance was appreciated, the film drew comparisons to Shershaah and was criticized for its weak script.

In 2024, he headlined Rohit Shetty’s police procedural series Indian Police Force on Amazon Prime Video, receiving mixed reviews. He later returned to the action genre with Yodha, playing an army officer once again. Despite being recognized as a dependable action hero, the film failed commercially.

Malhotra is set to star in the romantic comedy Param Sundari alongside Janhvi Kapoor and the folk thriller VVAN: Force of the Forest.

Other work and public image

Kunal Purandare and Angad Singh of Forbes India described Sidharth Malhotra as “firmly entrenched in Bollywood’s A-list,” while Hello! magazine highlighted his star attributes, Punjabi roots, and determination. The Indian Express also recognized Shershaah as a major breakthrough in his career.

Malhotra is widely regarded for his fashion sense, often ranked among Bollywood’s most stylish actors. From 2016 to 2018, he featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list, debuting at 74th place with an estimated annual income of ₹96.3 million. He has also been a regular on Times’ Most Desirable Men list, ranking in the top 10 multiple times. A sought-after brand ambassador, he has endorsed major brands such as Pepe Jeans, Oppo, Metro Shoes, and Coca-Cola. In 2023, he was the sixth most searched personality on Google in India.

Beyond films, Malhotra has been involved in various charitable initiatives. In 2013, he collaborated with PETA to promote dog sterilization and participated in fundraising events for Uttarakhand flood victims. He has also performed at international stage shows, including the Dream Team 2016 tour in the U.S. alongside Bollywood stars like Karan Johar, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, and Katrina Kaif.