🎬 Early Life & Roots
Banita Sandhu was born on 22 June 1997 in Caerleon, Wales, to British Sikh parents who had immigrated from Punjab (Wikipedia). She showed precocious talent early on—signing with an agent at just 11 years old and beginning her journey in local plays and school productions (Harper\'s Bazaar Arabia).
At 18, she relocated to London to pursue an English Literature degree at King’s College London, balancing studies with a nascent acting career (Wikipedia).
Career Milestones
📺 Modelling & Advertisements
Banita's initial foray into the screen world began with commercials, notably for Wrigley's Doublemint and Vodafone India, leveraging her ethnic roots and cross-cultural appeal (Wikipedia).
🎥 Bollywood Debut: October (2018)
Her first major role came opposite Varun Dhawan in Shoojit Sircar's October, receiving critical acclaim for her nuanced portrayal of Shiuli Iyer. Vogue India highlighted her as a “Face to Watch Out For” in 2018 (pandora-cw.fandom.com).
🌍 International Projects
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Pandora (2019) – Cast as Delaney Pilar in the CW sci-fi series (pandora-cw.fandom.com).
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Adithya Varma (2019) – Made her Tamil cinema debut in this remake of Arjun Reddy (pandora-cw.fandom.com).
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Eternal Beauty (2019), Sardar Udham (2021), and Mother Teresa & Me (2023) – Diverse roles showcasing her versatility (waringmckenna.com).
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Bridgerton S3 (2024) – Appeared as Sita Malhotra in a recurring role (waringmckenna.com).
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Upcoming: Detective Sherdil (2025) alongside Diljit Dosanjh and Boman Irani (waringmckenna.com).
🎭 Acting Ethos & Artistic Choices
Banita prioritizes meaningful storytelling over stardom. She has stated she prefers “smaller roles in masterpieces” to lead-in-fluff parts (Filmfare). She emphasizes roles that challenge norms and bring depth, a principle guiding her selective career moves.
🌐 Cultural Identity & Language
Born British–Punjabi, Banita balances her heritage with her global identity. She actively practices Hindi to maintain fluency—recalling help via Skype lessons and immersion from teammates on the October set (asian).
Her South Asian look has earned her high-profile modelling opportunities, like attending Bulgari store openings, and slots in international brand campaigns (Harper\'s Bazaar Arabia).
🔥 Recent News & Controversies
⚖️ Advocating Against 18-Hour Workdays
In 2025, following the Spirit controversy sparked by Deepika Padukone’s demand for 8-hour shifts, Banita spoke about her early career being pressured into 16–18 hour shoot days, flying at night, and enduring 24-hour stints without rest (The Indian Express).
Despite broader support growing in Bollywood, Banita says that standing up possibly got her blacklisted:
“Maybe I am blacklisted from that industry now, but I don’t care.” (The Indian Express)
🥀 Body-Shaming in South Cinema
Banita also spoke out about early criticism in Tamil cinema, when netizens called her “ugly” and compared her to a “twig,” doubting her romantic chemistry with co-stars due to her slender frame (Times of India).
She took the critique in stride and even responded by eating more on set—but this raised awareness about unhealthy beauty standards and their emotional toll (BollywoodShaadis).
💘 Rumors & Privacy
Banita’s cameo in AP Dhillon’s music video sparked dating rumors. However, both fans and analysts view it as a PR pairing, not a real romance (Reddit). Banita remains private about her relationships, stating she doesn’t care much about online gossip .
🌟 Top Interesting Facts
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Triple Citizen of Cinema – Worked in Hindi, Tamil, English, and American TV, showing rare linguistic range .
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Model Turned Actress – Started in commercials before being cast in Shoojit Sircar’s October due to her blend of charm and cultural roots.
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Uni + Career = Reality – She returned to London to complete her degree, then came back to acting, a sign of her grounded mindset (pandora-cw.fandom.com).
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Unafraid to Speak Out – Personally tackled unfair work practices—despite potential career setbacks .
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Beauty Advocate – Used her platform after Tamil backlash to discuss unrealistic beauty standards .
ℹ️ FAQs
1. Where is Banita Sandhu from?
She hails from Caerleon, South Wales, born to Punjabi Sikh immigrants (Wikipedia).
2. Which acting school did she attend?
She has no formal acting degree but studied English Literature at King’s College London, starting her acting early at 11 (Wikipedia).
3. What made Banita famous?
Her breakout came with October (2018) opposite Varun Dhawan, earning critical acclaim and marking her as a rising face (pandora-cw.fandom.com).
4. What languages has she worked in?
Banita has acted in Hindi, Tamil, and English, including Indian films and Western shows like Pandora and Bridgerton (Wikipedia).
5. Is she involved in controversies?
She's vocal about long working hours in Bollywood and has faced body-shaming from critics—issues she addresses head-on (India Forums).
6. Does she date publicly?
She keeps her private life private. Past rumors (like with AP Dhillon) have been dismissed as PR speculations (Reddit).
7. What are her upcoming projects?
Banita appears in Detective Sherdil (2025), featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Boman Irani. More announcements are expected soon (Wikipedia).
✍️ Closing Thought
Banita Sandhu is more than just a rising actress—she represents a new generation of global, socially conscious talent. Her journey reflects depth, resilience, and unwavering convictions. From breaking into Bollywood, branching into international projects, to championing fair work hours and mental health in cinema, she’s carving out her own legacy—on her own terms.
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