Sandeepa Dhar: 'I want to be an actor, not just a heroine'
Synopsis
Sandeepa Dhar's career philosophy cuts against the Bollywood grain — she would rather be remembered as an actor than a heroine. With Netflix's Chumbak now streaming and a deliberately genre-diverse filmography behind her, she's making a quiet but pointed argument for craft over stardom.
Key Takeaways
Sandeepa Dhar says her goal is to be recognised as an actor, not simply a leading lady, and has consciously taken varied roles across comedy, thriller, drama, and emotional genres.
She credited the OTT ecosystem for giving performers greater room to experiment with character range.
Her latest project is Chumbak , a Netflix original comedy-drama that premiered on 10 September .
Chumbak was created by JD Majethia and Aatish Kapadia , and features an ensemble cast including Neena Gupta , Arjun Bijlani , and Helly Shah , among others.
The series is set in Chumbak Colony , Chembur, Mumbai , and follows five households navigating shared colony life.
Actress Sandeepa Dhar has spoken candidly about her evolving career, saying her primary ambition has always been to be recognised as a serious actor rather than simply a leading lady. The Dabangg 2 actress, who has recently made her mark in the OTT space, says she has deliberately sought out roles that cut across genres to demonstrate her range.
The Actor-First Approach
"I want to become an actor. Whether I become a heroine or not, that's a different matter. But I have tried to show people my acting. That's why I have tried to play varied characters. Be it comedy, thriller, drama, emotional, everything. I have tried and done very different kind of characters," Sandeepa said.
This conscious choice — prioritising craft over star-image — reflects a broader shift among a generation of performers who see acting range as a more sustainable currency than conventional leading-role billing.
How OTT Has Expanded Her Scope
Sandeepa credited digital platforms for giving actors the freedom to take on more layered, unconventional parts. "And luckily, in OTT space, actors get the opportunity to show their variations. And the audience has also been very kind to me. So, I think, I hope that I can continue to play different characters and show my range," she added.
The growth of streaming in India has demonstrably widened the pipeline for character-driven roles, particularly for actors who may not fit the conventional Bollywood lead template — a trend that Sandeepa says has worked in her favour.
Chumbak on Netflix: Her Latest Project
Sandeepa's most recent appearance is in the Netflix original series Chumbak, which premiered on 10 September. Created by JD Majethia and Aatish Kapadia, the comedy-drama is set in the fictional Chumbak Colony in Chembur, Mumbai, and revolves around the intertwined lives, family squabbles, and neighbourhood dynamics of five households in a bustling residential colony.
The ensemble cast includes Neena Gupta, Deven Bhojani, Arjun Bijlani, Helly Shah, Manasi Parekh, Sumeet Vyas, Sumeet Raghavan, Anant V. Joshi, Amyra Dastur, Delnaaz Irani, and Atul Kumar — a lineup that underscores the show's broad, ensemble ambition.
What's Next
With Chumbak now streaming and audience response taking shape, Sandeepa's bet on variety over typecasting will face its clearest test yet. If the series lands well, it could cement her position as one of the OTT era's more adaptable performers.
Point of View
But it also maps onto a structural reality: Bollywood's traditional lead-actress pipeline has narrowed even as OTT has multiplied the supply of substantive supporting and ensemble parts. The more interesting question her career poses is whether Indian audiences, conditioned to star-led viewing habits, will consistently seek out an actor on merit rather than marquee value. Chumbak's ensemble format is a useful test — if it performs, it validates the range-first strategy; if it doesn't, the conversation about who OTT actually rewards will need revisiting.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sandeepa Dhar say about her acting career goals?
Sandeepa Dhar said she wants to be known as an actor rather than simply a heroine, and has deliberately taken on roles spanning comedy, thriller, drama, and emotional genres to showcase her range. She expressed hope to continue playing varied characters across platforms.
What is Chumbak on Netflix?
Chumbak is a Netflix original comedy-drama series created by JD Majethia and Aatish Kapadia that premiered on 10 September. It is set in the fictional Chumbak Colony in Chembur, Mumbai, and follows the daily lives, family disputes, and neighbourly gossip of five households in a lively residential colony.
Who else is in the cast of Chumbak?
The Chumbak ensemble cast includes Neena Gupta, Deven Bhojani, Arjun Bijlani, Helly Shah, Manasi Parekh, Sumeet Vyas, Sumeet Raghavan, Anant V. Joshi, Amyra Dastur, Delnaaz Irani, and Atul Kumar, alongside Sandeepa Dhar.
How has the OTT space helped Sandeepa Dhar's career?
Sandeepa has said that digital platforms have given actors greater scope to experiment with different types of characters and showcase their versatility beyond what mainstream film casting typically allows. She credited audience support on OTT as a key factor in sustaining her career momentum.
What earlier films is Sandeepa Dhar known for?
Sandeepa Dhar is widely known for her role in Dabangg 2, the Salman Khan-led Bollywood action franchise. She has since broadened her work to include a range of OTT projects and genre-diverse roles.
