# Wamiqa Gabbi
**Wamiqa Gabbi** (born 1993) is an Indian actress who works across Punjabi, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu films and in Hindi streaming series. She began with a small role in *Jab We Met* (2007), built her career through [Punjabi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/punjabi-cinema), and became widely known through the streaming era with *Grahan*, *Mai*, and *Jubilee*, followed by [Vishal Bhardwaj](https://www.edgepedia.org/vishal-bhardwaj)'s spy thriller *Khufiya* (2023) and a busy multilingual slate of releases in 2026.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) • [2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993, Chandigarh, Punjab, India[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) |
| Debut | *Jab We Met* (2007), playing one of Geet's cousins, in the 8th grade at the time[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp) |
| First lead role | Tanisha in the Hindi teen drama *Sixteen* (2013); Punjabi debut the same year with *Tu Mera 22 Main Tera 22*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) |
| South Indian debuts | Telugu *Bhale Manchi Roju* (2015), Tamil *Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam* (2016), Malayalam *Godha* (2017)[2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400) |
| Breakthrough streaming work | *Grahan* (2021), *Mai: A Mother's Rage* (2022), *Jubilee* (2023) as Niloufer Qureshi, *Charlie Chopra & the Mystery of Solang Valley* (2023)[2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400) |
| Notable film role | Charu in *Khufiya* (2023), opposite Tabu and Ali Fazal, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj[4](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/khufiya-movie-review-vishal-bhardwaj-and-tabus-lyrical-spy-thriller-fails-to-thrill?amp=1) |
| 2026 slate | *DC*, *Bhooth Bangla*, *Pati Patni Aur Woh Do*, *Prahaar*, *Tiki Taka*, *G2*, *Genie*, *Kuku Ki Kundli*, among others[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/wamiqa-gabbi/filmography/) |
| Instagram | About 6.4 million followers on @wamiqagabbi, ranked among the most followed Indians on the platform[6](https://trendingpunjabi.com/people/wamiqa-gabbi) |
## Early life
Gabbi was born and raised in [Chandigarh](https://www.edgepedia.org/chandigarh) in a Punjabi joint family that included her grandparents, paternal uncle, aunt, and two cousins, with ancestral roots in the [Pathankot](https://www.edgepedia.org/pathankot) district of Punjab.[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/pollywood-dont-make-plans-live-in-the-present-wamiqa-gabbi-7878810/lite/) Her father is a noted Hindi and Punjabi novelist, and she studied at St. Xavier's School before graduating from D.A.V. College in Chandigarh.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) She trained in kathak dance.[8](https://topnewsjk.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Top-News-September-07-2024.pdf)
Her dance studies opened the door to cinema: an instructor at the Chandigarh dance school she attended was coincidentally coordinating junior artists locally while Imtiaz Ali's *Jab We Met* was being filmed, and she was cast in the movie as a cousin of Kareena Kapoor's character, still an 8th grader at the time.[9](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/inside-wamiqa-gabbis-golden-streak-from-jubilee-to-khufiya-in-2023-11724571.html) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp)
## Punjabi and South Indian cinema
After *Jab We Met* and a supporting part in *Mausam* (2011), Gabbi's first lead role was Tanisha in the Hindi film *Sixteen* (2013), followed by her Telugu-language lead in *Bhale Manchi Roju* (2015).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) • [2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400) Her Punjabi career began with *Tu Mera 22 Main Tera 22* (2013), opposite [Yo Yo Honey Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/yo-yo-honey-singh) and [Amrinder Gill](https://www.edgepedia.org/amrinder-gill), a performance that earned her a best supporting actress nomination at the PTC Punjabi Film Awards.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) She continued in Punjabi cinema with *Ishq Brandy* (2014), *Nikka Zaildar 2* (2017), *Parahuna* (2018), *Dil Diyan Gallan* (2019), *Nikka Zaildar 3* (2019), and later *Kali Jotta* (2023).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) • [10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wamiqa_gabbi)
**Malayalam success.** Her Malayalam debut, the sports drama *Godha* (2017), cast her as Aditi Singh, a Punjabi wrestler who travels to Kerala; the film was a hit there and earned her the best debut actress award at the Flowers Indian Film Awards in 2018.[11](https://www.feyno.com/en/people/wamiqa-gabbi-1993) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) She has said the role was challenging and that afterward she struggled to find similarly demanding characters, which pushed her toward different kinds of work.[3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp) In a 2019 Malayalam-language interview she said that after *Godha* many opportunities had not come looking for her in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema).[12](https://www.asianetnews.com/entertainment/exclusive-interview-with-wamiqa-gabbi-pmgm6g) She also played the lead alongside [Prithviraj Sukumaran](https://www.edgepedia.org/prithviraj-sukumaran) and [Mamta Mohandas](https://www.edgepedia.org/mamta-mohandas) in the Malayalam film *9* (2019).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/)
## Streaming breakthrough
Gabbi's wider prominence came through Hindi streaming productions. She starred in *Grahan* (2021), a drama about the 1984 Sikh riots adapted from the book *Chaurasi*, playing Manu, an innocent, carefree character she described as requiring her to unlearn rather than learn.[2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp) In *Mai: A Mother's Rage* (2022) she played Supriya, a specially-abled character with limited screen time that she nonetheless found demanding.[2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp) She also appeared in *Modern Love Mumbai* (2022), directed in one story by Vishal Bhardwaj, whom she credits with validating her confidence.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/wamiqa-gabbi-on-working-with-vishal-bhardwaj-on-four-projects-getting-validated-by-him-boosted-my-confidence-101686421647178-amp.html)
The period drama *Jubilee* (2023) gave her the role of the tawaif (historical Indian courtesan-entertainer, skilled in music and poetry) Niloufer Qureshi, one of the five central characters in [Vikramaditya Motwane](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikramaditya-motwane)'s series about the early Hindi film industry. She was first rejected after auditioning and screen-testing for the part, then recalled in December 2020 and locked in.[14](https://www.indiatoday.in/entertainment/ott/story/wamiqa-gabbi-reveals-how-she-landed-niloufers-role-in-jubilee-after-being-rejected-the-1st-time-exclusive-2367438-2023-05-02) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp) In the same year she played Charlie Chopra in the mystery miniseries *Charlie Chopra & the Mystery of Solang Valley*, for which she prepared for two months, and Diya Srivastav in Bhardwaj's short musical film *Fursat*, with [Ishaan Khatter](https://www.edgepedia.org/ishaan-khatter).[2](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400) • [10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wamiqa_gabbi) • [15](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tv/wamiqa-gabbi-charlie-chopra-exclusive-interview-101695722055450.html)
**Khufiya.** In Bhardwaj's Netflix spy thriller *Khufiya* (2023), adapted from Amar Bhushan's novel *Escape to Nowhere*, Gabbi played Charu, the wife of a suspected mole in India's intelligence agency, acting opposite Tabu and [Ali Fazal](https://www.edgepedia.org/ali-fazal).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) • [4](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/khufiya-movie-review-vishal-bhardwaj-and-tabus-lyrical-spy-thriller-fails-to-thrill?amp=1) Reviewers highlighted her work: Khaleej Times wrote that she "conveys Charu's innocence and angst evocatively," and one review called her performance "a star making performance."[4](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/khufiya-movie-review-vishal-bhardwaj-and-tabus-lyrical-spy-thriller-fails-to-thrill?amp=1) • [16](https://www.themovieblog.com/2023/10/khufiya-review-falls-short-of-being-a-great-spy-thriller/) An awards roundup later listed her as Best Supporting Actor (Web [Original Film](https://www.edgepedia.org/original-film), Female) for the role.[17](https://gscepublications.com/infocus/January-2025/Achievers-In-focus-Year-Book-QR-Code-e-Book.pdf)
## Hindi films and the 2026 slate
Gabbi had appeared briefly in Kabir Khan's *83* (2021) as Annu Lal, wife of cricketer [Madan Lal](https://www.edgepedia.org/madan-lal), and later in *Baby John* (2024) as Tara and *Bhool Chuk Maaf* (2025) as Titli.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) In interviews she has described a stretch in which she nearly quit acting: after moving to Mumbai she felt underconfident, gave auditions for years without success, and around the time *83* was shot in 2019 she had almost decided the career would not work out.[15](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tv/wamiqa-gabbi-charlie-chopra-exclusive-interview-101695722055450.html) • [18](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2023-05-31.pdf) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp)
Her 2026 schedule is unusually dense and multilingual. Bollywood Hungama's filmography lists *DC* (Tamil, 7 August 2026), *Pati Patni Aur Woh Do* (15 May 2026), *Bhooth Bangla* (17 April 2026), *G2* (Telugu, 2026), *Dil Ka Darwaaza Khol Na Darling*, *Kuku Ki Kundli*, and *Prahaar - The Ujjwal Nikam Story* (16 October 2026), a film about public prosecutor [Ujjwal Nikam](https://www.edgepedia.org/ujjwal-nikam)'s role in the 1993 Bombay Blasts and 2008 Mumbai train attacks cases.[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/wamiqa-gabbi/filmography/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/) In *DC*, directed by Arun Matheswaran, she plays Chandra opposite filmmaker-turned-actor Lokesh Kanagaraj; she has described the shoot as one of the best experiences of her life and called it almost life changing.[19](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/wamiqa-gabbi.html) • [20](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/news/2026/Apr/30/wamiqa-gabbi-shares-updates-on-dc-tiki-taka-and-kuku-ki-kundli) In *Bhooth Bangla* she plays Priya, appearing in a double-role pairing with Akshay Kumar, who plays both Arjun and Madhav Acharya.[21](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshay-kumar-says-wamiqa-gabbi-has-her-own-identity-as-aishwarya-rai-comparisons-go-viral-11382859/amp/1) • [5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/wamiqa-gabbi/filmography/)
Beyond 2026, India Today reported in August 2026 that after the success of *DC* she had reportedly joined Prasanth Varma's mythological epic *Jai Hanuman*, headlined by Rishab Shetty, which is gearing up for a 2027 release.[22](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/wamiqa-gabbi-jai-hanuman-rishab-shetty-prasanth-varma-film-2968573-2026-08-11)
## Working across languages
Gabbi has described language as central to her method: Punjabi work "feels like coming home," while for Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu films she puts in extra effort to understand the language, culture, and nuances.[23](https://www.easterneye.biz/wamiqa-gabbi-interview-bhool-chuk-maaf/) She has said she does not choose scripts by industry or language, and that she is especially drawn to roles that excite her; she has expressed interest in fantasy stories.[23](https://www.easterneye.biz/wamiqa-gabbi-interview-bhool-chuk-maaf/) • [3](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp)
## References
1. [Wamiqa Gabbi, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3844346/)
2. [Wamiqa Gabbi: Movies, Bio & Filmography, The Movie Thing](https://www.themoviething.com/actor.php?id=1267400)
3. [Exclusive: Wamiqa Gabbi on her remarkable journey from the South Industry to Hindi Cinema, Filmfare](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-wamiqa-gabbi-on-her-remarkable-journey-from-the-south-industry-to-hindi-cinema-and-more-56126.amp)
4. ['Khufiya' Movie Review, Khaleej Times](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/khufiya-movie-review-vishal-bhardwaj-and-tabus-lyrical-spy-thriller-fails-to-thrill?amp=1)
5. [Wamiqa Gabbi Filmography, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/wamiqa-gabbi/filmography/)
6. [Wamiqa Gabbi Filmography, TrendingPunjabi](https://trendingpunjabi.com/people/wamiqa-gabbi)
7. [Pollywood: 'I don't make plans, just choose to live in the present,' says Wamiqa Gabbi, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/pollywood-dont-make-plans-live-in-the-present-wamiqa-gabbi-7878810/lite/)
8. [Entertainment section, Top News JK, 7 September 2024](https://topnewsjk.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Top-News-September-07-2024.pdf)
9. [Inside Wamiqa Gabbi's golden streak from 'Jubilee' to 'Khufiya' in 2023, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/inside-wamiqa-gabbis-golden-streak-from-jubilee-to-khufiya-in-2023-11724571.html)
10. [Wamiqa Gabbi Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wamiqa_gabbi)
11. [Wamiqa Gabbi (1993), Feyno](https://www.feyno.com/en/people/wamiqa-gabbi-1993)
12. [Exclusive Interview With Wamiqa Gabbi, Asianet News Malayalam](https://www.asianetnews.com/entertainment/exclusive-interview-with-wamiqa-gabbi-pmgm6g)
13. [Wamiqa Gabbi on working with Vishal Bhardwaj on four projects, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/wamiqa-gabbi-on-working-with-vishal-bhardwaj-on-four-projects-getting-validated-by-him-boosted-my-confidence-101686421647178-amp.html)
14. [Wamiqa Gabbi reveals how she landed Niloufer's role in Jubilee, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/entertainment/ott/story/wamiqa-gabbi-reveals-how-she-landed-niloufers-role-in-jubilee-after-being-rejected-the-1st-time-exclusive-2367438-2023-05-02)
15. [Wamiqa Gabbi felt so underconfident after moving to Bombay, she decided to quit acting, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tv/wamiqa-gabbi-charlie-chopra-exclusive-interview-101695722055450.html)
16. [KHUFIYA Review, The Movie Blog](https://www.themovieblog.com/2023/10/khufiya-review-falls-short-of-being-a-great-spy-thriller/)
17. [ACHIEVERS In Focus, Vol. 9 Issue 3](https://gscepublications.com/infocus/January-2025/Achievers-In-focus-Year-Book-QR-Code-e-Book.pdf)
18. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad English edition, 31 May 2023](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2023-05-31.pdf)
19. [Wamiqa Gabbi: Height, Age, Biography, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/wamiqa-gabbi.html)
20. [Wamiqa Gabbi shares updates on DC, Tiki Taka and Kuku Ki Kundli, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/news/2026/Apr/30/wamiqa-gabbi-shares-updates-on-dc-tiki-taka-and-kuku-ki-kundli)
21. [Akshay Kumar Says Wamiqa Gabbi Has Her Own 'Identity', NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshay-kumar-says-wamiqa-gabbi-has-her-own-identity-as-aishwarya-rai-comparisons-go-viral-11382859/amp/1)
22. [After DC's success, Wamiqa Gabbi roped in for Rishab Shetty's Jai Hanuman, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/wamiqa-gabbi-jai-hanuman-rishab-shetty-prasanth-varma-film-2968573-2026-08-11)
23. [Wamiqa Gabbi: Embracing versatility across languages and mediums, EasternEye](https://www.easterneye.biz/wamiqa-gabbi-interview-bhool-chuk-maaf/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Punjabi film actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license