Sonakshi Sinha (born 2 June 1987) in Patna, Bihar is an Indian Bollywood actress. She marked her debut in the Hindi film industry with 2010's Dabanggopposite Salman Khan, which went onto become the highest grossing Bollywood film of the year. Sinha received positive reviews for her performance, as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Post her debut, she went on to star in some of Bollywood's biggest hits, including Son of Sardar (2012), Rowdy Rathore (2012) and Dabangg 2 (2012). Sinha then received critical praise for her performance in Lootera (2013).

She is the daughter of an actor and a politician Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Sinha. She is the youngest of three children with two twin brothers, Luv Sinha and Kush Sinha. Sonakshi completed her schooling from Arya Vidya Mandir in Mumbai and graduated in Fashion Designing from Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University,^[6] Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Sinha started her career as a costume designer, designing the costumes for films like Mera Dil Leke Dekho in 2005,^[7] and walked the ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week 2008^[8] and then again in Lakme Fashion Week 2009.^[8]

She made her acting debut in the 2010 film Dabangg, in which she starred opposite Salman Khan. The film went on to become the highest grossing film of 2010, and ultimately emerged as an all-time blockbuster.^[9][10] Sinha had to lose 30 kg in preparation for the role as a village girl.^[11] Her performance was well received, with noted critic Taran Adarsh noting that "Sonakshi Sinha looks fresh, acts confidently and pairs off very well with Salman. Most importantly, she delivers the right expressions and is not overpowered by the galaxy of stars in the cast."^[12]

She featured as the cover girl of Indian edition of Maxim magazine for the month December 2010.^[13] Although Sinha had no film release in 2011, she won quite a few awards for her debut. This included theFilmfare Award as well as the IIFA Awards among many others.

Sinha had four releases in 2012, her first being Prabhu Deva's Rowdy Rathore, opposite Akshay Kumar. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics,^[14] although had a strong opening at the box office,^[15]collecting approx. 150.6 million (US$2.4 million) on the first day and eventually becoming a blockbuster.^[16] Her next film, Shirish Kunder's Joker, also opposite Akshay Kumar proved to be unsuccessful at the box office, and received overwhelmingly negative reviews.^[17][18] Her last two films, Ashwni Dhir's Son of Sardar alongside Ajay Devgan, and Arbaaz Khan's Dabangg 2, the sequel to her immensely successful debut, were both successful at the box office, despite receiving mixed reviews.^{[19][20][21][22]} As a result of the strong collections her films were gathering at the box office, she was recognised by ETC Business Awards, as the Highest Grossing actress of 2012.^[23]

In 2012, Sinha dubbed the voice of Tooth in Rise of the Guardians. .^[24]

Sinha's first film of 2013 was Vikramaditya Motwane's period romance-drama Lootera opposite Ranveer Singh. Despite the film receiving a lukewarm response at the box office,^[25] both the film and Sinha gathered praise,^[26] with Sinha's portrayal of Pakhi, a Bengali girl who is dying of tuberculosis, receiving universal acclaim from critics. Sarita Tanwar notes that "the star of the film is undoubtedly Sonakshi Sinha [who gives] a mature and refined performance. She lives the character body and soul."^[27] Raja Sen agrees, saying that "Sonakshi Sinha plays Pakhi beautifully, creating a character who is immaculately wide-eyed and possesses casual, yet unmistakable, grace. It is a performance that starts off dreamily soft and turns harder, and she does well-etched dialogue justice like few actresses can. There's a discernible vulnerability to Pakhi throughout the film, and Sinha brings out this fragility perfectly without ever overplaying it."^[28] Critics were also appreciative of Sinha and Singh's chemistry, with Taran Adarsh claiming that "Every frame of LOOTERA exudes sensuality, partly because the chemistry between the on-screen lovers – Ranveer and Sonakshi – is scorching. The fervor and passion the two actors emanate on screen, while living those characters, leaves you awe-struck."^[29]

Sinha appeared in Milan Luthria's crime romance film Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, in which she was paired with Akshay Kumar again, as well as Imran Khan.^[30] She is currently shooting for Prabhu Deva's Rambo Rajkumar opposite Shahid Kapoor, Tigmanshu Dhulia's Bullett Raja alongside Saif Ali Khan, and A. R. Murugadoss's tentatively titled Holiday opposite Akshay Kumar. She has also been signed on forPrabhudeva's Action Jackson with Ajay Devgn and Yami Gautam, as well as Boney Kapoor's remake of Okkadu alongside Arjun Kapoor.^[31][32]

Sinha is a professed animal lover, and she posed for a PETA campaign advocating the adoption and sterilisation of dogs and cats.^[33]