Sanjeeda Sheikh

Sanjeeda Sheikh (born 20 December 1984) is an Indian actress who works in the Hindi films and television. Sheikh is best known for playing Namrata "Nimmo" Mathuria in Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa, also appeared in Taish with many amazing co stars Ayesha Shergill in Kayamath, Nitya Goenka/ Durga in Ek Hasina Thi and Kamini Mathur in Love Ka Hai Intezaar. Sheikh has since been part of the films Taish (2020), Kaali Khuhi (2020) and Fighter (2024) and the web series Heeramandi (2024).

Early life
She was born in Kuwait into a Muslim family who hail from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Debut and success in television (2003–2019)
Sanjeeda has played various roles on television soap operas. She made her acting debut as Nimmo in the 2005 TV series Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa. After that, she appeared as a vamp in the 2007 Star Plus series Kayamath. In the same year, she participated in a dancing competition show named Nach Baliye 3, with husband Aamir Ali, the couple won the competition.

In 2008, she appeared in the serial Kya Dill Main Hai opposite Aamir Ali which was telecasted on 9X channel. In 2014, Sheikh appeared as Durga Thakur, an ambitious and confident young woman, who is seeking justice for her sister, in Ek Hasina Thi. The serial was the breakthrough of her career as her performance was acclaimed by critics and viewers and it was one of the most successful shows of Star Plus at that time.

In 2016, she appeared as Dhani in Ishq Ka Rang Safed which was the first time Sheikh played an onscreen mother, of a 5-year-old child.

In March 2017 Sheikh appeared as Renya in a supernatural web series, titled Gehraiyaan, opposite her Ek Hasina Thi co-star Vatsal Sheth. The web series is directed by debutante director Sidhant Sachdev and produced by the Vikram Bhatt production house. In 2017, Sheikh appeared as Kamini Mathur, a superstar, in a tv series titled Love Ka Hai Intezaar, opposite Keith Sequeira aired by Star Plus. The show was earlier titled as Kya Tu Meri Lage.

Further expansion (2020–present)
In 2020, Sheikh made her Hindi film debut with Taish, playing Jahaan opposite Harshvardhan Rane. That same year, she played the character of Priya in the Netflix horror film Kaali Khuhi, opposite Shabana Azmi.

Sheikh first release of 2024, was Fighter, where she played an Air Force officer's wife Saachi, opposite Karan Singh Grover. Tushar Joshi of India Today stated, "Sanjeeda Shaikh provide the right support to able front-footers." A commercial success, it became the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. In the same year, she played a courtesan Waheeda in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's series Heeramandi. Shomini Sen of WION noted, "Sanjeeda Sheikh create an impact with her tragic character."

Personal life
On 2 March 2012, she married her longtime boyfriend Aamir Ali. In August 2020, it was revealed that the couple has a one-year old daughter, Ayra Ali, through surrogacy. The couple separated in 2020 after 8 years of marriage and were granted divorce in 2021 with Sheikh getting their daughter's custody.