Meet Chhaya Kadam, the Laapataa Ladies actor who has 2 films at Cannes this year

Chhaya Kadam is receiving a lot of praise for her role in Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

The actor was overwhelmed with emotion when she got a standing ovation at the prestigious international film festival. However, Chhaya has played many diverse role in Hindi and Marathi cinema earlier which showcase her versatility as an artist. A glimpse into her early life and best works.

Chhaya Kadam’s humble beginnings
Chhaya was born in a middle-class family in Kalina, a suburb in central Mumbai. She attended Sathaye College, Vile Parle, where she played kabaddi at the state level, and graduated in Textile Design. Chhaya was passionate about acting at a very young age and performed on stage throughout high school and college. Her debut play was Waman Kendre’s Zulva. Her debut film Baimanus (2010) never got released.

Sairat (2016)
Chhaya played the character of Suman Akka in Nagraj Manjule’s Sairat (2016). She was nominated in the Best Supporting Female Actor category in Filmfare Awards Marathi and Maharashtracha Favourite Kon.

Nude (2018)
Chhaya bagged the Maharashtra State Film Awards trophy in the Best Supporting Female Actor category for Nude. The actor was lauded for her performance in Ravi Jadhav’s social-drama.

Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022)
Remember Chhaya in the song Dholida? The one woman who dances in a carefree fashion that makes Alia’s Gangu look surprised? The actor essayed a pivotal character in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. She played the role of Rashmibai in the Alia Bhatt starrer based on the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai written by S. Hussain Zaidi.

Laapataa Ladies (2024)
Chhaya shot to fame with her portrayal of Manju Mai in Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies. Despite not being the central character, Chhaya’s Manju Mai has a major role in the story’s progression. Manju Mai, the independent tea-stall owner has many one-liners about women’s financial freedom and the taboos in society that symbolise gender biasness.

Madgaon Express (2024)
Chhaya ones again raises the bar in Kunal Khemu’s directorial debut Madgaon Express. She plays a dangerous criminal called Kanchan Kombdi in the dark comedy.

Chhaya Kadam reacts to her Cannes debut
Chhaya recently reacted to her Cannes debut and said, “I am very happy. This is a beautiful moment in my life and I am enjoying it without thinking too much about what’s next.”