# Sheena Chohan

Sheena Chohan is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hollywood films and OTT-series. She made her screen debut in the Malayalam film, The Train, opposite Mammooty, directed by seven-time National Award Winning Director, Jayaraj. But her major success came with Ant Story, on Netflix, which was directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki for which she received a best actress nomination alongside Keira Knightley and Kate Beckinsale at both the Dubai International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival. She is the only Indian Actor to have won the Human Rights Hero award at the United Nations.

## Career

Chohan starred as the female lead opposite megastar Mammootty in a Malayalam film The Train, directed by National Award Winner, Jayaraj.
She was nominated as Best Actress at both the Dubai International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival for her lead role in the international film Ant Story, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki which was on Netflix.
Chohan starred in Mukti and Patralekha as a lead, directed by National Award Winner Buddhadev Dasgupta.
In 2016, she played one of the lead roles in the feature film, Justice, directed by Bappaditya Bandopadhyay.
Chohan acted in the role of a journalist in the 2017 Hollywood web comedy Words which also features American stand-up comedian and actor, Jim Meskimen.
In 2019, Chohan was selected to feature in the Hollywood film Nomad, by award-winning director Taron Lexton, releasing this year.
In 2022, she was featured in the hit series The Fame Game on Netflix opposite Madhuri Dixit as well as in The City of Dreams directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. She also played the lead in the comedy drama series exMates which was produced by Humaramovie and she finished shooting for the series The Trial opposite Kajol for Disney+ Hotstar.
In 2023, Chohan also finished shooting for Sant Tukaram as the leading lady, Avali, opposite Subodh Bhave, directed by Aditya Om.
In February 2023, Chohan became the proud winner of the WGF Best Actress in Comic Role award for her popular web series, Ex- Mates.
In 2024, Chohan has four upcoming releases. The first is Hindi film Sant Tukaram, where she plays Avalai Jija Bai, the female lead opposite Subodh Bhave, directed by Aditya Om. The second is a Telugu film, where she plays alongside south star J. D. Chakravarthy.
The third is a short film called Amar-Prem, directed by National Award and FilmFare Award-winning director Suvendu Raj Ghosh, which is being sent to top festivals and then going to be released on OTT. In 2024, Chohan made waves in the international film circuit, earning three Best Actress awards for her performance in the film.
Last but not the least, Chohan will also be seen in a negative lead, playing a She-Devil, for another OTT platform.

## Early life

Chohan was born in Chandigarh, Punjab but brought up in Kolkata. She was crowned "Miss Kolkata" and participated in the beauty pageant I Am She–Miss Universe India, where she won the title "I Am Voice". Chohan worked as a theatre actress for many years, in various productions including for five years in Delhi with director Arvind Gaur. She trained as a contemporary dancer for many years and reached the status of brown belt in Karate while in school. She studied arts at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, Shimla. She also trained in playing the violin and was a part of the school orchestra.

## Human Rights Ambassador

Chohan is the United for Human Rights Ambassador for South Asia. In 2019, she received the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations 16th International Human Rights Summit, where she was also a speaker.
   India is recognised as one of the greatest constitutions in the world. The issue is about people knowing their rights and standing by them. That’s why I constantly call for human rights education to become a mandatory curriculum in schools in India.
Chohan is the only Indian Actress to be awarded the Hero Award at the United Nations for reaching millions and creating awareness with her campaign on human rights.
In February 2023, Chohan received the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations in New York for her work enlightening more than 36 million people about their human rights.
In October 2023, Chohan gave a Tedx talk to an audience of 40 million on spreading the message of basic human rights and equality.
Chohan was given The President's Lifetime Achievement Award from the President of the United States, Joseph Biden, at a ceremony on 8 June 2024 in the USA for her human rights education work.
When Sheena received her Best Actress in a Comedy Role Award at the ILLA Awards recently, she gave a call to the nation regarding women's safety.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Language | Notes |
| 2014 | The Train | Meera | Jayaraj | Malayalam | Opposite Mammootty |
| 2014 | Mukti | Bela (Tagore's Daughter) | Buddhadev Dasgupta | Bengali | Based on Rabindranath Tagores poems. |
| 2014 | Patralekha | Wife (Lead Role) | Buddhadev Dasgupta | Bengali | Based on Rabindranath Tagores poems. |
| 2014 | Ant Story | Rima (Famous Actress) | Mostofa Sarwar Farooki | Bengali English | World Premiered at DIFF 2013 |
| 2016 | Justice | Traveller (Lead Role) | Bappaditya Bandopadhyay | Bengali/English | |
| 2025 | Sant Tukaram | Avali (Lead Role) | Aditya Om | Hindi Debut Film | |
| 2025 | Jatsya Maranam Dhruvam | IPS Officer (Lead Role) | Shravan | Telugu | Trilingual- Pan India film. Alongside J. D. Chakravarthy |
| 2025 | Nomad | Traveller | Taron Lexton | English-Hollywood Film | |

## Short films

| Year | Title | Role | Language | Production House |
| 2017 | Pinkathon | Lead Role | Hindi | Ogilvy |
| 2017 | Chhotu | Lead Role | Hindi | Muvizz.com |
| 2017 | Words | Journalist (Lead Role) | English | Sheena Chohan |
| 2017 | Rubbish | Lead Role | Hindi | Humaramovie.com |
| 2018 | Fallen Angel | Lead Role | English | Groovyfilms |
| 2019 | Taken For A Ride | Lead Role | English | Imperial Buddha |
| 2023 | Amar-Prem | Neha (Lead Role) | Hindi | Great India Film and Television |
| 2024 | Marziyan | Lead role | Hindi | Amerya Productions |
| 2025 | One More | Lead Role | Hindi | Jannat Movies |

## Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Language | Platform | Ref |
| 2021 | The Fame Game | PR Manager | Bejoy Nambiar | Hindi | Netflix India | |
| 2021 | City of Dreams | Journalist | Nagesh Kukunoor | Hindi | Disney Hotstar | |
| 2022 | The Trial | Jasmin | Suparn Verma | Hindi | Disney Hotstar | IMDb |
| 2022 | ExMates | Shreya | Vaibhav Ameta | Hindi | Humaramovie | |
| 2025 | Bhayaavah | She Devil (Negative Lead) | Vikas Tiwari | Hindi | TBA | |

## Awards

* Miss Universe India - I am She 2010-"I am voice" (Best expression and audience connectivity)
* Lakme Miss Kolkata
* Cinderella Beauty and Talent, Kolkata
* Wild Card Entry Winner of Miss Universe India - I am She 2010, Mumbai
* Nominated as Best Actress for Ant Story at The Dubai International Film Festival 2013
* Nominated as Best Actress for Ant Story at The Shanghai International Film Festival 2014 (Golden Goblet Awards)
* Human Rights Hero Award 2019 at the United Nations as South Asia Ambassador for Youth for Human Rights (1st Indian to receive the award)
* Excellence in Leadership Award 2020 (as Human Rights South Asia Ambassador)
* Woman Super Achiever Award at the World Women's Leadership conference 2020
* Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations in New York - February 2023
* WGF Best Actress in Comic Role award for Ex- Mates - February 2023
* US President's Lifetime Achievement Award (for her human rights education work) - June 2024
* Best Actress In a Comedy Role 2024
* Midday Most Promising Actor Award 2024
* Rising Star Award 2024 by Times Applaud
* Rising Star of the Year Award 2024 by Midday