Pooja Sharma is an Indian television actress and former model, best known for her portrayal of Draupadi in the historical-mythological television series Mahabharat, which aired on STAR Plus from 2013 to 2014. The role brought her widespread recognition across India and in international markets where the show was dubbed and telecast.
Key facts
| Full name | Pooja Sharma |
|---|---|
| Profession | Actress, model |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Notable role | Draupadi in Mahabharat (STAR Plus) |
| Active in | Indian television and films |
| Languages | Hindi |
Background
Pooja Sharma began her career in the entertainment industry through modelling and participation in beauty pageants before transitioning to acting. Her early work in commercials and print campaigns gave her exposure that led to opportunities in Hindi television.
Career
Television
Sharma's defining role came with Swastik Productions' Mahabharat, produced by Siddharth Kumar Tewary, which premiered on STAR Plus on 16 September 2013. Cast as Draupadi, she shared the screen with actors including Saurabh Raj Jain (as Krishna), Shaheer Sheikh (as Arjun), Pooja Banerjee (as Subhadra), Aham Sharma (as Karna) and Rohit Bhardwaj (as Yudhishthir). The series concluded on 16 August 2014 and remains among the most viewed Indian mythological serials of the 2010s.
She subsequently appeared in the supernatural fiction series Paramavatar Shri Krishna and other Hindi general entertainment projects, often in mythological or period-drama formats.
Films
Sharma made her Hindi film debut in Jai Ho (2014), directed by Sohail Khan and starring Salman Khan, in which she played a supporting role.
Reception and significance
Her performance as Draupadi was widely discussed in Indian television criticism for its dramatic intensity, particularly in the vastraharan and swayamvar sequences. The role established her as one of the recognisable faces of mythological television in the post-2010 revival of the genre on Hindi general entertainment channels.
Related topics
- Mahabharat (2013 TV series)
- Draupadi
- STAR Plus
- Swastik Productions
- Siddharth Kumar Tewary
- Saurabh Raj Jain
- Shaheer Sheikh
- Indian television
- Mythological television in India
References
- STAR Plus broadcast records for Mahabharat (2013–2014).
- Swastik Productions production credits.
- Indian entertainment press coverage of the Mahabharat cast and the film Jai Ho (2014).