Shama Sikander

Shama Sikander
Shama Sikander in sari
Sikander in 2022
Born
Makrana, Rajasthan, India
EducationRoshan Taneja School of Acting
OccupationsActress, Producer
Years active1998–2021
Spouse
James Milliron
​
(m. 2022)​

Shama Sikander is an Indian actress and fashion designer best known for portraying Pooja Mehta in Yeh Meri Life Hai (2003–2005).

Early life and education

Shama Sikander was born on August 4, 1981 in Makrana, Rajasthan. Her family moved to Mumbai, Maharashtra in 1991 and struggled financially while she was growing up. She attended multiple schools in Makrana and Mumbai for her primary and secondary education. She trained at Roshan Taneja School of Acting in Mumbai.

Sikandar has three siblings.

Career

Sikander began her acting career with minor roles in Prem Aggan (1998) and Mann (1999). She later appeared in Ansh: The Deadly Part (2002), and Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002).

Sikander first gained prominence while portraying as Pooja Mehta in the coming-of-age dramaYe Meri Life Hai from 2003 to 2005. Her performance earned her a Gold Award for “Critics' Choice: Best Actress" in 2005, and two Indian Television Academy Awards—"GR8! Face of the Year" and "Best Debut" (2004). In 2005, she appeared in Chand Bujh Gaya, Faaiz Anwar's film based on the Godhra train burning; Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially refused to grant exhibition certification for the film’s release and only complied after Bombay High Court ruled that the certification body was infringing on the constitutional rights of the filmmaker.

Sikander made guest appearances on several television shows, including Batliwala House No. 43 (2005), CID (2006), Jodee Kamaal Ki (2007), Kaajjal (2008), and Man Mein Hai Visshwas (2009). She also hosted a season of Zoom's Popkorn Newz (2007) and STAR One’s Jet Set Go (2008) before returning to film with a supporting role in Dhoom Dadakka (2008).

In 2010, Sikander launched her own fashion label “Saisha”. In 2011, she played the protagonist in Yash Raj Films’ supernatural thriller Seven; the show was cancelled after one season. Between 2012 and 2014, she was the lead antagonist in SAB TV’s Baal Veer. She was a celebrity contestant and performer on Jjhoom India (2007), Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena (2008), alongside notable Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli, and Boogie Woogie.

In March 2016, Sikander appeared in the short film Sexaholic. In early 2017, she played the titular role in director Vikram Bhatt’s webseries Maaya. In December 2017, she started her own production company and announced Ab Dil Ki Sunn (2018), a webseries comprising seven short films inspired by her own experience of living with mental illnesses.

In 2019, Sikander was seen in Bypass Road (2019). In March 2021, Sikander appeared in the music video for Hawa Karda by Koinage Records.

Personal life

Sikandar is multilingual and speaks Hindi, English, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi and Marwadi. She has been open about her experience of living with depression and bipolar disorder.

Sikandar was in a relationship with actor and musician Alexx O'Nell from 2011 to 2015. She met businessman James Milliron in 2015. The couple lived together for 8 years and got married on March 14, 2022.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Prem Aggan Pooja
1999 Mann Kamini
2002 Yeh Mohabbat Hai
Ansh: The Deadly Part Kusum
2003 Basti
2005 Chand Bujh Gaya Saveen I. Jafri
2008 Dhoom Dadakka Jiya
Contract Special appearances in "Maula Khair Kare"
2016 Sexaholic Riya Short film
2019 Bypass Road Sarah

Television

As an actress

Year Show Role Channel Notes
2003–2005 Yeh Meri Life Hai Pooja Sony TV
2005 Batliwala House No. 43 Herself 1 episode
2006 C.I.D. Minakshi Ep. "Secret of the Code No. 571 E 1115"
2007 Jodee Kamaal Ki Herself Star Plus Ep. “Raksha Bandhan Special”
2007 Popkorn Newz Herself Zoom Host
2008 Kaajjal Chameli Sony TV Cameo
2009 Man Mein Hai Visshwas Rukhsana 1 episode
2010–2011 Seven Shunyaa
2012–2014 Baal Veer Bhali Pari/Bhayankar Pari SAB TV

As herself

Year Title Channel
2008 Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena Colors (TV channel)
Jet Set Go STAR One
2010 Jjhoom India Sahara One
Boogie Woogie Sony TV

Web series

YearTitleRoleChannelNotes
2017 Maaya Maaya YouTube Marseille Web Fest Official Selection 2017
2018 Ab Dil Ki Sunn YouTube Also producer

Music videos

Year Song title Album Ref.
2001 Mirza Lala Lala Lala
2001 Chann Chaanani Raat Saaun di jhadi
2002 Baje Jo Bansi Thama Karo Tere Bina
2002 Kabhi Mausam Hua Resham Tere Bina
2020 Majnu Remix N/A
2021 Hawa Karda Hawa Karda

Awards and nominations

Year Award Presenter Result
2004 Best Actress in a Lead Role Indian Telly Awards Nominated
2004 Fresh New Face Indian Telly Awards
2004 GR8 Face of the Year Indian Television Academy Awards Won
2004 Best Debut Indian Television Academy Awards
2005 Critics' Choice: Best Actress 12th Lions Gold Awards
2019 Most Promising Actor Black Swan Awards, Asia One Won

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Singh, Sujata (4 August 2026). "She made her acting debut at 16, found fame with a hit TV show in 2003, now married to an American businessman". News18.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "PIX: Sultry Shama Sikander designs sexy womenswear!". Rediff. 24 June 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "She's back with a bang". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Yeh Meri Life Hai fame Shama Sikander turns a year older: Sneak peek into her photo gallery". Firstpost. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Shama is living her dreams". The Times of India. 4 October 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Shama Sikander reveals she attempted suicide due to her bipolar disorder and depression | www.lokmattimes.com". Lokmat English. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "HC tells Censor Board to give certificate to film on Guj riots". Outlook. Press Trust of India. 5 November 2004. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Actor Shama Sikander says a superstar hugged her inappropriately during ad shoot". India Today. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "We Bet You Can't Guess Who This TV Actress Is". News18. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  10. 1 2 "This Is What Shama Sikander From "Ye Meri Life Hai" Looks Like Now". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "rediff.com: Mona Singh, Harbhajan take on the dance floor". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Shama Sikander: It was not easy to play nymphomaniac in Sexaholic". indianexpress.com. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Shama Sikander: 'Ab Dil Ki Sun' inspired by my life". Mid-Day. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Shama Sikander: 'Ab Dil Ki Sun' inspired by my life". Mid-Day. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Maaya proves Indian women have come of age". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Shama Sikander On Bipolar Disorder Struggle: 'Don't Know How I Survived'". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2 November 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "'Bypass Road': The thriller-drama starring Neil Nitin Mukesh to release on November 1 - Times of India". The Times of India. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  18. ↑ "Watch New Punjabi Song Music Video - 'Hawa Karda' Sung By Afsana Khan, Sahil Sharma | Punjabi Video Songs - Times of India". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "Playing the violin is sexy: Shama". The Times of India. 13 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013.
  20. ↑ ""Bipolar disorder means waking up with a pandemic every day": Shama Sikander opens up about her battle with bipolar disorder". The Times of India. 9 August 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  21. ↑ "Shama Sikander recalls getting hospitalised after taking too many sleeping pills; says 'I didn't want to live'". The Times of India. 5 August 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  22. ↑ Rawal, Sugandha (20 February 2024). "Shama Sikander plans to extend her family". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  23. ↑ "Watch: Shama Sikander's sex addict act in short film is literally too hot to handle". DNA. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  24. ↑ "Shama Sikander Has Been Recently Signed Film Bypass Road".
  25. ↑ "Maaya". Marseille Web Festival. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  26. ↑ "Watch New Punjabi Song Music Video - 'Hawa Karda' Sung By Afsana Khan, Sahil Sharma | Punjabi Video Songs - Times of India". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  27. ↑ "Telly awards 2004 Popular Awards winners". Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  28. ↑ "Telly awards 2004 Popular Awards nominees". Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  29. ↑ "Lastnight wasspecial".