In the realm of Indian cinema, every now and then a new face captivates the audience, only to vanish from the limelight, leaving fans wondering about their whereabouts. Such is the story of Akanksha Malhotra, who garnered attention with her remarkable performance in the 2004 action drama Garv: Pride and Honour, starring alongside Bollywood heavyweight Salman Khan. Although her journey in films was short-lived, she is now stepping back into the spotlight after a hiatus, having carved a successful path as an entrepreneur.
Akanksha Malhotra entered the film industry with a lineage rich in cinematic history. Daughter of actor-turned-producer Prem Krishen Malhotra and the granddaughter of renowned actor couple Premnath Malhotra and Bina Rai, Akanksha’s roots are deeply embedded in Bollywood. Her connection to the Kapoor family extends through her late grandfather, who was the brother-in-law of the legendary Raj Kapoor, thus linking her to a host of iconic performers including Raj Kapoor himself, his brothers Rajendra Nath, and Narendra Nath, and the next generation of actors like Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, and even her cousins Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, and Karishma Kapoor.
Despite her strong family ties to the industry, Akanksha’s acting career did not unfold as one might have expected. Her filmography, as detailed in her IMDb profile, includes her film debut with the Telugu movie Chinna, followed by her Bollywood foray in Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002), LOC Kargil (2003), and later films like Aisa Kyun Hota Hai (2006) and Veere Di Wedding (2018). She also graced the small screen with her debut in the TV series Paanch 5 Wrongs Make A Right.
However, following the release of Garv, Akanksha stepped away from acting, marrying Rohit Aggarwal and moving to New York. This relocation hindered her ability to continue pursuing her acting career, a dream she had to put on hold. Reflecting on this period, Akanksha revealed in an interview that her move overseas post-Garv resulted in missed opportunities in successful projects such as No Entry and Welcome, adding a ‘what-if’ to her career trajectory.
Not one to be deterred by life’s twists and turns, Akanksha channeled her drive into the world of entrepreneurship. In 2009, she brought the Sherle Wagner brand, known for its luxurious home decor and bathroom fixtures, to India. Later, Akanksha co-founded another home decor brand, Exclusively Yours, with her mother-in-law Akanksha Aggarwal.
While she’s made a name for herself in the business world, Akanksha hasn’t severed her artistic roots. Recently, she’s embarked on a comeback to acting, almost two decades after Garv. Akanksha is set to appear in director Rohan Sippy’s web series, Unreal. Describing the call from Rohan to join the project, she stated that it was not about financial gain but rather an expression of her undying passion for the craft. She seeks to fulfill the creative void that has been present in her life, eager to relive the joy of acting, albeit with certain conditions and clauses in her new role.
Akanksha Malhotra’s life story is not just about her connections within Bollywood’s eminent Kapoor family, but a testament to the persistence of passion beyond the screen. Her forthcoming return in the web series Unreal is highly anticipated by the fans who have followed her since her early days in cinema. As she prepares to step back into the acting world, netizens are excited to see what this former on-screen sister to Salman Khan has in store. Meanwhile, her latest photos on social media have already made a splash, signaling that Akanksha Malhotra is ready to reclaim her place in the performing arts.
In a fickle industry where fame is fleeting, Akanksha demonstrates that with talent, determination, and a bit of entrepreneurship, one can write their own script—both in life and on the screen.
