Early life
Shahana Goswami was born in New Delhi in 1986, and attended Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Delhi and Sophia College, Mumbai. Her father is an Economist and her mother works as an Editorial Consultant. Shahana has an elder brother who is pursuing his PhD in Physics at Cambridge University. Shahana was the house captain and sports champion in her school. She secured second position at the National Artificial Wall Climbing Competition and has represented her school in athletics, badminton, basketball and volleyball at the zonal level. In addition, Shahana received training in Odissi for 10 years under Guru Padmashri Kiran Segal and has travelled and performed extensively with her dance troupe.
Career
Shahana had a single-minded focus on professional acting since her childhood. She moved to Mumbai to complete her graduation and to explore the possibility of taking up acting as a career. In Mumbai, Shahana's first steps in acting were at Jaimini Pathak's theatre group Working Title. There, she started off as a production assistant and then acted in their productions "Seagull" and "Arabian Nights". It is through her theatre circle that she came to meet talent consultant Shanoo Sharma who asked her to audition for a role in Naseeruddin Shah's directorial debut "Yun Hota to Kya Hota". Subsequently, she stumbled upon a small role of Boman Irani's daughter in Reema Katgi's "Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd", when she visited the production house for some other work. Meanwhile, a cinematographer who noticed her work in Yun Hota recommended her name and she auditioned for the lead role in Percept Picture Company's "Rubaru", directed by Arjun Bali, with Randeep Hooda as her co-star.
With no contacts in the film industry and no one to back her, Shahana remained steadfastly focused on her goal through rejections and unsuitable offers to finally get the big break in the form of Debbie of Rock On!!, and her memorable performance secured her a visible spot on the Bollywood map.
Filmography
- Jashn (2009)
- Mirch (2009)
- Tera Kya Hoga Johnny (2009)
- Firaaq (2009)
- Ru Ba Ru (2008)
- Rock On!! (2008)
- Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (2007)
- Yun Hota To Kya Hota (2006)
Awards
- 15th Nokia Star Screen Award (2009) for Best Supporting Actress - Rock On!!
- Lions Club Award (2009) for Best Supporting Actress - Rock On!!
- Nominated - Max Stardust Award (2009) for Breakthrough Performance - Rock On!!
- Nominated - Filmfare Award (2009) for Best Supporting Actress - Rock On!!