If you’ve been following Hindi cinema over the last few years, you must have noticed the rise of a new kind of star: someone who can look glamorous but also completely immerse into the role of a small-town girl or a complicated, modern woman. That’s Kriti Sanon for you. Starting out with traditional commercial films, she has also moved towards picking roles that really challenge her and let her acting skills shine through. She’s not just sticking to one kind of movie but trying everything, from light-hearted comedies to intense dramas, and even venturing into production with her recent projects. This journey has given us some truly memorable performances that prove she’s here for the long haul. Here are seven of her must-watch movies that show her versatility and acting talent.
Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017)
Luka Chuppi (2019)
Mimi (2021)
Bhediya (2022)
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024)
Crew (2024)
Do Patti (2024)
Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017)
This is a sweet, small-town romantic comedy set in Bareilly that completely won over the audience and critics. The story revolves around Bitti Mishra, a young woman who is full of life and a little rebellious and isn’t interested in settling down with a typical arranged marriage. She discovers a novel called Bareilly Ki Barfi and is instantly hooked because the main character feels exactly like her. Her search for the author of the book leads to a hilarious love triangle involving two men. As Bitti Mishra, Kriti was a total revelation. This role was a game-changer for her because she managed to pull off the balance of being a free-spirited girl who is still rooted in her small-town life. She looked and acted like a real person, not a movie star playing a role. Her body language, the way she spoke, and how she reacted to her conservative family felt natural and spot-on. She was confident, a little quirky, and very relatable, which made Bitti the soul of the film. You couldn’t help but root for her from the very first scene.
Luka Chuppi (2019)
A modern, fun take on the complications of relationships in a small-town setting, this romantic comedy explores the concept of live-in relationships in a place where such an idea is a huge scandal. The story is about Guddu, a small-time reporter, and Rashmi, a confident and educated woman, who decide to try a live-in relationship. The twist is that due to family pressure and social fear, they have to pretend they are already married. The film is a chaotic comedy which also revolves around the concept of live-in relationships and the taboo in the society for it. Kriti plays Rashmi Trivedi, a girl who is ambitious, smart, and a little bit ahead of her time for the city she lives in. She brings a fresh energy to the role. Rashmi is the one who confidently suggests the live-in idea, showing a boldness that was appealing. Kriti managed to make Rashmi both strong-willed and vulnerable. She was brilliant in the comedy scenes, especially as she tries to handle the constant threat of being exposed by their nosy families.
Mimi (2021)
This comedy-drama is arguably the best film of Kriti’s career so far. It’s a brave and moving story about a young, aspiring dancer named Mimi in a small town in Rajasthan who agrees to be a surrogate mother for an American couple for a fee. The plot takes a serious turn when the couple backs out of the deal after learning the baby might have a problem, leaving Mimi pregnant and alone. The film then focuses on her unexpected journey into motherhood and the hilarious yet emotional challenges that take place later. Kriti’s performance was heartfelt and showed an incredible range as an actress. She had to transform physically, gaining weight for the second half of the film, but the emotional journey was even more complex. She perfectly captured Mimi’s emotions from being ambitious to the feelings of a mother. It felt genuine making the audience connect deeply with her struggle and joy. She also won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in this film.
Bhediya (2022)
Bhediya is a unique blend of horror and comedy set in Arunachal Pradesh. The film tells the story of a contractor who is bitten by a mythical wolf and slowly starts transforming into the creature, leading to a lot of confusion and funny situations. It’s a visually impressive film with a lot of special effects, and it also touches upon important themes like environmental conservation and the rights of indigenous people. Kriti plays Anika, a local veterinarian who becomes involved in trying to figure out what is happening to Varun Dhawan’s character. While the film is largely focused on the werewolf plot, Kriti adds on playing the coolest amongst the chaotic group. She brings a nice element of mystery and wit to her character, making her scenes entertaining.
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024)
This is a futuristic romantic comedy about an engineer (Shahid Kapoor) who falls in love with a beautiful, perfect girl during a trip to the US, only to discover she is actually an AI human-robot named Sifra. The film is a light-hearted, modern take on love, technology, and what it truly means to be human in a digital world. As Sifra, Kriti had a very challenging role that required immense control. She had to look beautiful, yet her movements and expressions had to be precise, slightly stiff, and controlled, like a machine learning to be human. She did an excellent job of maintaining the robot-like mannerisms like the controlled smiles, the slightly delayed reactions, the perfect posture, while slowly having moments of genuine human emotion as the character evolves.
Crew (2024)
A much-loved comedy-thriller based on the lives of three middle-class air hostesses working for a struggling airline. They are frustrated with their low pay and their boss’s corporate greed, which leads them to get involved in a dangerous gold smuggling operation to make some quick money. It’s a fast-paced, entertaining film that focuses on female friendship, and the thrill of breaking the rules. Kriti plays Divya Rana, the youngest and most ambitious member of the ‘crew.’ Divya is sharp and witty but she’s also loyal to her friends. Kriti perfectly captured the energy of a woman trying to balance her dreams with her frustrating reality. She was great in the comedic moments, especially her interactions with the other two female leads, Kareena and Tabu, which were full of fun banter and perfect comic timing.
Do Patti (2024)
This film marked Kriti Sanon’s debut as a producer, making it an important project for her. It’s a mysterious and intense thriller. Kriti plays double roles in this film as twin sisters. The story is about a police officer’s challenges with a couple wherein the wife, who has a jealous twin sister, accuses the husband of attempting to murder her, leading to the rivalry between the twins which turns ugly. Kriti’s performance in this film was praised by critics and fans alike.
Also Read: Kriti Sanon Reveals Her Crush From Bollywood
