Sobhita Dhulipala, now 31, moved with her family from Tenali to Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, at the tender age of three. Growing up, she was more of a geek and loner, harboring dreams of becoming a writer rather than an actress. Her academic journey was marked by both achievements and fears, such as her dread of failing a history exam in Class 9. A significant milestone during her schooling at Little Angels School was winning second prize in an essay writing competition, which she fondly recalled as the beginning of her “winning streak.”
Teenage Crush
During her time at Little Angels School, a boy named Prem expressed his affection by singing “Feel My Love” from the film Arya (2004) and riding his bicycle in circles around her. Sobhita’s teenage years also saw her participate in the 2010 Navy Queen Ball pageant. After completing her schooling, she moved to Mumbai in 2010 for further studies, where her idols included economists Kaushik Basu and Amartya Sen. Alongside her academic pursuits, she trained in Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dance forms.
Miss India Journey
Towards the end of her graduation, Sobhita’s journey to the Femina Miss India competition began almost serendipitously. Encouraged by a friend interning at the Miss India office, she auditioned, initially intending only to clear the first round to prove a point to her friends. To her surprise, she not only cleared the round but went on to win multiple titles, including Pond’s Femina Miss India Bangalore 2013, Femina Miss India South 2013, and the first runner-up at Femina Miss India 2013. Her achievements extended internationally when she represented India at Miss Earth 2013, winning titles like Miss Photogenic and Miss Eco Beauty.
Modelling Career
After her success in pageantry, Sobhita transitioned to modeling, becoming a showstopper at prestigious events like the Hyderabad International Fashion Week in 2014. She was also featured in the Kingfisher Calendar, a significant highlight of her modeling career. Despite her success, Sobhita experienced an identity crisis, feeling pressured to focus on her appearance rather than her intellect, which led to a period of introspection and reevaluation of her self-worth.
Film Debut
Sobhita’s film debut came with the Hindi movie Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016), which earned her a nomination for the Critic’s Choice Best Supporting Performance at Cannes 2016 and the Most Promising Newcomer – Female at the 2018 Screen Awards. In 2016, she signed a three-film deal with Phantom Films, and over the next few years, she appeared in movies like Chef (2017), Kaalakaandi (2018), and The Body (2019). Her performance in Goodachari (2018) caught the attention of actor Mahesh Babu, whose praise led to unexpected social media trolling due to her brief, respectful response.
Web Series Success
Sobhita gained significant recognition with the web series Made in Heaven (2019), where she played the lead role of Tara Khanna, a wedding planner. Her portrayal earned her a nomination for Best Actress – Drama at the iReel Awards 2019. In 2019, she also starred in Bard of Blood, a Hindi spy thriller web series on Netflix.
Notable Roles
In 2020, Sobhita featured in Anurag Kashyap’s Hindi horror film Ghost Stories, where she played a memorable role involving a graphic scene that led to controversy. She continued to build her filmography with roles in Major (2022), a bilingual action film, and Kurup (2021), a Malayalam crime thriller. Her performance in Major earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu at the South Indian International Movie Awards 2023, while her role in Kurup brought a nomination for Best Actress – Malayalam at the same awards.
Recent Work
In 2023, Sobhita starred in The Night Manager, a Hindi crime thriller series on Disney+ Hotstar, playing the character Kaveri Dixit. Besides her acting career, she is known for her linguistic skills, speaking Telugu, Hindi, English, and Tamil. A quirky personal trait is her habit of wearing mismatched socks, one polka-dotted and the other striped. In a light-hearted interview, she mentioned Barack Obama as her ideal celebrity companion for a vacation.
Conclusion
Sobhita Dhulipala’s journey from a geeky loner to a celebrated actress and model is marked by numerous accolades and personal growth. At 31, with a net worth reflecting her successful career, she continues to inspire with her talent and resilience. Although she has not publicly disclosed details about her partner or children, her professional achievements speak volumes about her dedication and hard work in the entertainment industry.