Harshaali Malhotra, the young actor who charmed audiences with her portrayal of ‘Munni’ in the heartwarming 2015 film ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, has achieved an impressive academic feat. The former child actor, now a teenager, announced on social media that she has scored an admirable 83 percent in her 10th-grade examinations.
The news comes as a candid rejoinder to critics who had previously questioned her decision to juggle academics with a budding acting career. Malhotra took to Instagram to share her joy and to tackle the negativity head-on, posting a video along with a potent message of determination and resilience. Her words resonated with empowerment: “From perfecting my Mudras to acing my academics, I managed to strike the perfect balance between my Kathak classes, Shoots, and Studies. And the result? An impressive 83% score! Who says you can’t have your feet in both the reel and real world? A heartfelt thank you to everyone who believed in me and continues to offer their unwavering support.”
This achievement aptly showcases Harshaali’s dedication to her studies and her craft, underscoring the reality that one can indeed excel in both educational and artistic pursuits. It serves as an inspirational message to young aspirants that with the right balance and work ethic, multiple talents can be nurtured simultaneously.
The young actor’s academic success was met with excitement and pride, as Harshaali recounted the moments leading up to the discovery of her grades in an interview with Hindustan Times. “My first reaction after seeing the marks was just a lot of excitement. We got to know that the result was out at the last minute, so it is good that we didn’t have any time to get nervous before. We just opened the site and saw the result. My parents were also elated to see my hard work pay off.”
Harshaali Malhotra’s role in ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ was a pivotal one, where she played Shahida, a young Pakistani Muslim girl who, after getting lost in India, embarks on a heart-touching journey back to her homeland with the aid of an earnest Indian, Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi, played by Salman Khan. Her stunning performance as a mute child garnered critical acclaim and led to her nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut—a remarkable achievement as she was the youngest nominee for the category.
Director Kabir Khan was acutely aware of how crucial the character of Munni was to the film’s narrative, understanding that a miscast could potentially jeopardize the movie’s success. Reflecting on the casting process during an interaction on IMDb, Khan divulged the extensive search that led to the discovery of Harshaali: “After all these years, if I were to speak about one aspect of the making of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, I would speak about the hunt for the girl who would portray Munni. After writing the script, I knew our biggest challenge would be to find the correct casting for Munni. We must have ended up auditioning at least 2,000 little girls from the age of five to seven. We finally zeroed in on Harshaali Malhotra, who was pure magic on screen, and the chemistry with Salman was bang on.”
Aside from her breakout role, the young star also made appearances on television in series like ‘Qubool Hai’ and ‘Laut Aao Trisha’, and has been seen in a handful of commercials. Each of these endeavors have contributed to her growing experience in the performing arts, which she effectively manages while keeping up with her educational responsibilities.
As Harshaali Malhotra celebrates her commendable academic accomplishment, her story stands as a testament to perseverance and the harmonious coexistence of passion and education. With the support of her family, fans, and the industry, it’s clear that her journey is one to watch, as she navigates the realms of performance and learning with remarkable grace and success.
