How 12th Fail Actress Medha Shankar Became An Overnight Sensation

Actress Medha Shankar has made a stir all over the internet with the biographical drama film 12th Fail. She became a star overnight after the movie. But do you know how the actress came into the entertainment world?

Medha Shankar, who only had Rs 257 in her hand when she started her journey, reportedly charged Rs 20 lakh for the 12th Fail movie. In a recent interview, the actress revealed how she landed the role. She said that it took her a while to get to the 12th Fail. “I started my cinematic journey as an actress in Mumbai in 2018. In 2022, I first auditioned for a movie at a casting agency. Then I did the screen test with Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir and the whole team, and then I finally got the project.”

It can be said that the 12th Fail has changed Medha Shankar’s life. The biographical drama film was directed, produced and written by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The movie is based on Anurag Pathak’s 2019 nonfiction book of the same name. The film is inspired by the real-life stories of IPS Officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and IRS Officer Shraddha Joshi.

The film stars Vikrant Massey in the lead role as Sharma, alongside Medha Shankar, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar and Priyanshu Chatterjee in the pivotal roles. 12th Fail was released on October 27, 2023, received critical acclaim, and emerged as a sleeper hit, grossing over Rs 69 crore worldwide on a ₹20 crore budget. At the 69th Filmfare Awards, it won five awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor (Critics) (Massey).

Shankar made her acting debut with the British miniseries Beecham House in 2019. It was a historical drama television series set in 1795. It was co-created, directed, and produced by Gurinder Chadha. Later, she also appeared in supporting roles in the Hindi film Shaadisthan and the series Dil Bekaraar (both 2021).

Medha Shankar was born and brought up in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Apart from acting, she is also a trained classical singer. She graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Delhi with a master’s degree in fashion management.