Hardika Sharma: The child who’s not afraid of chasing big dreams

Child actor Hardika Sharma, who is winning hearts with her performance in Chhorii 2—now streaming on Amazon Prime Video—said she hopes to work with veteran actor Madhuri Dixit in the future.

“I haven’t worked with Madhuri Ma’am yet, but I really wish to,” she told Patriot, adding that she had loved Dixit’s performance in Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! and aspired to share the screen with her someday.

She also named Kareena Kapoor as her favourite actor. “She has such a good vibe and is a wonderful performer. I love her characters—‘Geet’ from Jab We Met and ‘Poo’ from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” the 10-year-old said.

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On playing an intense role at seven

Reflecting on her role in Chhorii 2, Hardika said it was a mature and emotionally intense part that she deeply connected with, even at the age of seven. She credited the director for helping her understand the nuances of the character and guiding her throughout the performance.

In the horror drama, she plays the daughter of Nushrratt Bharuccha’s character. Hardika recalled that while they initially met during briefings and photoshoots, they eventually grew close during the shoot. She appreciated how Bharuccha looked after her, especially on the dark and sometimes unsettling sets, and said they would often discuss scenes together. “She always helped me. She was very kind,” Hardika said.

Hardika also spoke about working with Soha Ali Khan, who played a dark character. She said she had more scenes with Khan than with Bharuccha and described Khan as very caring. Given the dusty conditions on set, Khan often checked in on her, and the two would rehearse together regularly. “I enjoyed working with both of them,” Hardika added.

Despite the eerie setting of the series, the young actor said she was not afraid while filming. Watching the final version was slightly scary, she admitted, but she knew during the shoot that the ghosts were simply makeup and VFX.

Early beginnings and big names

Hardika began acting at the age of four. Her first audition, she recalled, required her to act scared while other children around her were laughing. The very next day, she was selected, and the shoot followed soon after.

She began with modelling, landing her first advertisement through an audition. Commercial work followed, and after shifting from Pune to Mumbai, she started getting roles in films and web series. Originally from Gurugram, she said the move to Mumbai was a turning point in her career.

Looking back at her filmography, she said she had worked alongside actors such as Meezaan Jafri, Pranitha Subhash, Shilpa Shetty, Paresh Rawal, and Ashutosh Rana in Hungama 2; with Yami Gautam in A Thursday; and had portrayed the younger version of Samantha Ruth Prabhu in Citadel: Honey Bunny. She also acted with Manav Kaul in Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper.

In the advertising world, Hardika has appeared in commercials with Bollywood heavyweights including Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, and Ranbir Kapoor.

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“My teachers are proud of me”

Asked how she manages school alongside her acting career, Hardika said she gets leaves from school when required and her classmates help her catch up. “I’m good at studies too, so I manage both pretty well,” she said, noting that her teachers are supportive and often ask about her upcoming projects.

Looking ahead, she said she wants to continue acting. But if things don’t work out, she has a backup plan—science. “I always score full marks in science,” she said with a smile, “so I’ll become a scientist.”